Discover the exciting and unique properties of oil painting in this introductory course designed for beginners and enthusiasts alike as we transform a reference photo into a compelling painting. Students will be introduced to traditional indirect painting techniques, taking a painting from a grisaille (monochromatic underpainting) through glazing and scumbling, to a finished work. Students will leave with a painting, as well as a basic understanding of this oil painting technique, composition, and color theory.

Dates: 5/8, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29

What You'll Learn:

Materials and Tools: What makes oil paint so special and different from other mediums? Why must a canvas be primed? Why should you not finger paint with oils (and why we do anyways)?

Basic Techniques: Learn fundamental techniques of indirect oil painting, starting from a grisaille (under painting) and moving to glazing (transparent washes of paint) and scumbling (opaque application of paint).

How to turn your photo into a painting: Discover what kind of image makes a good reference photo and how to push your image past the limits of the photograph.

Color Theory: Understand the basics of color theory and how to create harmonious palettes in your paintings.

Personal Expression: Discover ways to express your unique artistic voice through the medium of oil paint.

Class Format:

This hands-on course combines demonstrations, practical exercises, and individualized instruction to help you build confidence and proficiency in oil painting. Each student will work from a photo that they bring in, examining how photos can be used as references not as "masters." What elements of the photo should be kept and what should be ignored?

Who Should Attend:

This class is perfect for beginners with no prior experience in oil painting, as well as artists looking to brush up on the basics.

Materials:

A list of required materials will be provided upon registration.

Price: $200 for all 4 classes, or $55 per class

Inquire below to register and receive the materials list

Explore the possibilities of quick oil painting following in the footsteps of impressionists like Monet. Perfect for beginners and enthusiasts alike. Students will be introduced to direct painting techniques, painting alla prima (wet into wet), focusing on tone, color, and brush strokes. Students will learn how to create a tonal study with charcoal in week 1 and will use that to create a paintings in weeks 2 and 3.

Class Dates: 6/3, 6/17, and 6/24

Materials: Paper and charcoal for the study will be provided. Students will need to bring their own canvases (2), paint, mediums, and paint brushes.

Price: $150 for all 3 or $60 per class. (Because we will be working on a different drawing/painting each week, this class will still work for you if you can only come to 1 or 2 of them. I understand how summer is!)

Class Format:

This hands-on course combines demonstrations, practical exercises, and individualized instruction to help you build confidence and proficiency in oil painting. We will consider the tone and composition of our paintings in week one and will create the 2 paintings in weeks 2 and 3 using different color palettes.

We will discuss the following topics:

Materials and Tools: Why would we create a study in charcoal? Why would we start on a toned canvas? Why do we need to mix a medium into our paint?

Basic Techniques: We will learn how to create a subtractive charcoal drawing, how to think about the shadows and lights in paint, different kinds of brush strokes, and how to think about object edges.

Composition and Design: We will explore principles of composition, perspective, and how to use lighting to make an image more exciting.

Color Theory: Understand the basics of color theory and how to create harmonious palettes in your paintings.

Personal Expression: Discover ways to express your unique artistic voice using oil paint.

This is an open figure drawing session with a nude model where we focus on the anatomy and gesture of the human form. The model will start with quick poses (1 minute, 5 minutes, 20 minutes) and end with a long pose. All levels welcome.

This class is held on the second Monday of the month. Dates for 2025:

January 13 - female model

February 10 - female model

March 10 - male model

April 16*- female model

May 12 - Female Model

June 2 - Male model

July 21 - Female model

$35 plus tips for the model. Please register below.

Are you interested in learning how to draw or paint in a private setting? Come study with Caroline. Styles include drawing with graphite or charcoal, oil painting, soft pastel techniques, and plein air painting. Students can choose to focus on still lifes, portrait painting, designing a narrative work, copying master works, etc. We will look at how works from the past have informed the art world today and how students are in conversation with the story of art as a whole. The course can be as structured or unstructured as desired. Contact Caroline to get started today!

$65 for an hour or $250 for a package of 4 classes

Semi-Private Painting Classes - 2 - 3 students $60 per hour or $215 (split between the students) for a package of 4 classes

In this class, you will take a drawing from start to....as close to finished as possible in this instructed long pose figure drawing class. We will have a model for 2 posing hours, and we will work subtractively, starting on a piece of paper tones with charcoal. We will learn how to place your figure on the page, how to edit what you see, and how to create a beautiful drawing with depth, volume, and poetry.

You will need: an 18 x 24 piece of white paper which we will tone at the beginning of class, charcoal sticks, charcoal pencils, white chalk pencil (if using toned paper), kneaded eraser, hard eraser, drawing board. If you want me to provide materials there will be an additional $15 cost.

Class: $65