Category: Introduction to Oil Painting Class

“Still Life With Red Ball”, oil on canvas, 30″ x 30″

INTRODUCTION TO OIL PAINTING

The oldest known oil paintings were created by Buddhist artists in Afghanistan and date back to the 7th century AD. The medium was later refined in 15th-century Europe by Early Netherlandish masters like Jan van Eyck. The slow drying time, rich blending, and vibrant glazing techniques permanently transformed the trajectory of Western art. 

Painting with oils has many rewards: the paints stay workable on the palette and canvas for days. If you make a “mistake” or want to change a composition, you can simply wipe it away or paint over it without starting over. There is a mindful pacing to painting with oils when you are not rushed by the paint drying quickly. Oil paintings are remarkably durable, resisting cracking and retaining their rich, vibrant colors for centuries.

If you are considering picking up a brush and trying oil painting, I invite you to join my Introduction to Oil Painting class designed especially for beginners and those of you who have never painted before. No previous art experience, including drawing, is required.

I provide everything for your first lesson – paints, brushes, palette, solvent, medium, and canvas –  and I will assist in setting up your station for painting. Beginning with a demonstration that includes how to mix paints using a limited palette, I will show you how to start a painting using a “road map” to find a pleasing composition, exploring values using the “wet-on-wet” technique.

I will then guide you through the process of creating your own painting in a relaxed, supportive environment.

$250 per class (2 hours, including all materials for first class)