Observational Drawing: Using Sight and Insight to Improve Drawing Techniques
Please see future classes by Austin Pratt
Seeing is Forgetting: Insights from Meditation for Better Observational Drawing. Focusing on the importance of “practice” in both drawing and meditation, we will be comparing important lessons from both disciplines as we engage in perspective-shifting techniques of observational drawing, as well as sitting in guided meditations. No prior experience necessary, and all skill-levels welcome.
Sunday, June 16
9 am – 2 pm
Instructor: Austin Pratt
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels
Supply List:
The following are suggested basic supplies – all media are welcome, so please bring whatever supplies you need for whichever media you are using.
– Drawing board – 20”x 26” or larger (light-weight masonite works best)
– Newsprint pad – 18”x 24” – rough surface recommended
– Bull dog clamps or similar to attach pad to board
– Medium and Support Items:
– Vine charcoal, thin and fat pieces
– Choice of conte crayon, 6B graphite pencil or sticks, china marker, compressed charcoal, carbon pencils, or any suitable medium for drawing on newsprint
– Large kneaded eraser
– Pink pearl eraser
– Portable pencil sharpener or utility knife (best for soft/medium pencils)
– Clean small rags
– Sandpaper pad for sharpening drawing mediums
– Stumps for blending (optional)
-Sack lunch
Urban Sketching
The art of seeing your everyday world through the lens of beauty, line, and shadow. You will never see your urban setting the same way again after taking this class. Learn to truly see what hidden treasures lie all around you, and then commit them to paper in a satisfying and unique way. Improve your drawing skills and explore a variety of techniques in this fun and encouraging class.
Saturday and Sunday, June 29 – 30
9 am – 2 pm
Instructor: Reena Spansail
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels
Supply list:
Suggested Supplies: The following are suggested basic supplies – all media are welcome, so please bring whatever supplies you need for whichever media you are using.
-Sketchpad of any size that you are comfortable carrying around.
Medium and Support Items:
– Vine charcoal, thin and fat pieces
– Choice of conte crayon, 6B graphite pencil or sticks, china marker, compressed charcoal, carbon pencils, or any suitable medium for drawing on newsprint
– Large kneaded eraser
– Portable pencil sharpener or utility knife (best for soft/medium pencils)
Food Inspired Collage and Paper Cutting
Join us for a fun and exciting class exploring mixed media paper cutting and collage! Students will create still life inspired collages. We will make delightful little still lives of food using colored paper that we will paint ourselves. Artists can make larger frame-able sized works and / or greeting card sized works in this two day class.
Tuesday and Thursday, August 20 and 22
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Instructor: Emily Reid
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels
Supply List: All materials will be supplied.
*Anyone with severe allergies should notify the instructor beforehand so those foods can be eliminated from the real life models.
Summer Drawing Intensive: Shape and Form
Students will enjoy this course designed to teach basic drawing techniques with a specific emphasis on drawing shape and form. Students will improve their observational drawing skills by first working on rendering basic shapes, working later towards creating compositions on the page and realistically drawing more complex objects, forms and textures while referencing staged still life displays. This class is designed to provide a strong introductory foundation for beginning drawing students and a refresher for more advanced students.
Monday – Wednesday, July 29 – 31
10 am – 2 pm
Instructor: Reena Spansail
Ages: Adult (15+) / Beginners Welcome!
Required Supplies:
- Charcoal Pencils or Sticks 2B-6B Soft & Medium, 1 White Charcoal Pencil
- Graphite Pencils HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B
- Pencil Sharpener
- Kneaded Eraser, Pink Eraser
- Newsprint Pad
- Heavyweight White Drawing Paper
- Optional: Drawing Board
Summer Drawing Intensive: Line, Value and Composition
Students will enjoy this introductory level course designed to teach basic drawing techniques while focusing on line work, value scales and composition. This class is designed to provide a foundation for drawing, teaching students how to realistically draw objects within an environment. Each class will focus on different drawing techniques and strategies, beginning with value scale exercises and moving towards rendering and shading three dimensional objects in an engaging composition.
Monday – Wednesday, July 15 – 17
10 am – 2 pm
Instructor: Reena Spansail
Ages: Adults (15+) / Beginners Welcome!
Required Supplies:
• Charcoal Pencils or Sticks 2B-6B Soft & Medium, 1 White Charcoal Pencil
• Graphite Pencils HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B
• Pencil Sharpener
• Kneaded Eraser, Pink Eraser
• Paper Blending Dowels (Various Sizes)
• 18 x 24″ Newsprint Pad
• Heavyweight White Drawing Paper
Visiting Artist: Dressing Modern: O’Keeffe inspired Recycled Fashion
In conjunction with the exhibit, Living Modern, this class will explore the ways in which Georgia O’Keeffe self-fashioned herself using the language of Modernism. During this three day workshop, students will create wearable, abstract designs that focus around simplicity, line and geometry using a variety of recycled materials and fabrics. The final pieces will be activated with a live performance, where students will walk through the Living Modern exhibit wearing their creations. The course will end with an O’Keeffe inspired photo shoot, were the students will pose for black and white portraits photographed by the instructor. Each student will receive an 8″x10″ print of their portrait after the workshop has ended.
“It’s Living Modern but also Dressing Modern. I think people won’t quite get that until they see the exhibition and then realize that she’s a walking abstraction in black and white much of the time.”
– Wanda M. Corn, BRIC TV Interview, March 2017
Wednesday – Friday, August 7 – 9
1 – 4 pm
Instructor: Laura DeAngelis
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels
Supply list: Supplies to be provided by instructor. Acquiring additional supplies will be discussed during the first day of class.
Macro Photography
CANCELLED DUE TO INSTRUCTOR ILLNESS.
Explore the world that is closer than you think. Come and learn the wonders of shooting macro photography. Beginning and Intermediate photographers will enjoy this two day introduction to shooting macro photography. *The first session will include discussion on what equipment is involved in Macro photography so supplies can be acquired after the first session.
Saturdays, June 22 and 29
10 -2 pm
Instructor: M.D. Welch
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels
Supply list: DSLR Camera (full charged with instruction manual), tripod. *Macro lens for your camera. Laptop, tablet or notebook for note taking is recommended. It is also recommended (though not required) that you have photo editing software on your personal computer.
Photography: Fireworks
CANCELED DUE TO INSTRUCTOR ILLNESS.
Please join us for one of our upcoming photography courses:
Get ready to take great photographs of fireworks, just in time for the 4th of July or an Aces game! Beginning and Intermediate photographers will enjoy this one day introduction to shooting fireworks.
Tuesday, June 18
6 -9 pm
Instructor: M.D. Welch
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels
*Prerequisite: Basic DSLR or instructor permission
Supply list: DSLR Camera (full charged with instruction manual), tripod. Laptop, tablet or notebook for note taking is recommended. It is also recommended (though not required) that you have photo editing software on your personal computer.
Camera Basics for DSLR and Mirrorless Cameras
Class meets: Saturdays, June 1 and June 8
This class is designed for beginning to intermediate photographers who have purchased a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, which is a camera with removable lenses. Course participants will explore the specific features of DSLR cameras, as well as general photographic skills and techniques to make great pictures.
Saturdays, June 1 and 8
10 am – 2 pm
Instructor: MD Welch
Ages: 15 and up / All levels
Required Supplies: Students are required to bring have a DSLR camera, as well as their camera’s manual. A fully charged battery and memory card are also necessary for class. Any lenses that they own should also be brought to class.
Painting Techniques: The Still Life in Oil
Imploying the techniques and style of the Dutch Masters, both beginning and more advanced oil painting students will enjoy learning how to set up a still life, develop a concept and composition and will learn how to take a still life painting from start to finish. Students will explore oil painting techniques, including brushwork, value and color. Referencing the work of Vermeer and Rembrandt students will work to develop skilled painting of textures and surfaces while exploring use of light, shape and form.
Saturday- Monday, September 21 – 23
9 am – 4 pm
Instructor: Dee Kirkham
Ages: Adults (15+) / All levels
Supply list:
Suggested place for purchasing supplies:
Nevada Art Supply, Reno, NV
ASWExpress – http:www.aswexpress.com – I have found them to have the best prices & reliable for quick turnaround of shipping.
Oil Paints (Rembrandt, Windsor Newton Oil (not student grade), Old Holland or Vasari Paints (800-932-9375)
Naples Yellow Light
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Yellow Light or Lemon
Cadmium Yellow Deep
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Red Light
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue
Burnt Umber
Raw Umber (prefer Windsor Newton)
Ivory Black
Transparent Oxide Red
Titanium White (M Graham Alkyd Formulation – but any Titanium White will be fine)
Brushes
Rosemary Brushes or Robert Simmons Signet Bristle Brushes or Silver Grand Prix
Sizes: 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Watercolor Nylon Brush or a very soft brush for smoothing – 1” to 2”
Preferred Medium
Prefer to not use turpentine – I will explain this and show you how to paint without it and how to clean your brushes.
Gamblin Liquin
Maroger Flemish Medium – can be ordered at Old Masters Maroger
http://www.oldmastersmaroger.com – 505-758-2382. I will have several tubes for sale.
Preferred Surfaces – Smooth
Ampersand – The Artist Panel for oil & Acrylics, Smooth Finish, or canvas
Inner Glow Panels – http://www.billewing.com/panels.htm (877-430-3639)
These boards provide for a smooth surface giving the effect of the Old Dutch Masters style
Canvas Boards, if used should be Belgian Linen Portrait quality. I recommend Raphael Premium Archival Oil Primed Linen Panels which you can order from Jerry’s Artarama.
Bring any sizes you prefer – Suggested sizes 89×12, 11×14, 12×16
Palette
Plexiglas or glass palette is the best for seeing your color and cleaning. The simplest is to buy a cheap frame with glass, 12×16 or 16×20, and use the glass for your palette.
Palette Knife
Any size will be fine, short blade and a long pliable blade preferred.
Easel
Please bring you own easel setup or easels are available. If you prefer to sit when you paint, a table top easel will be fine.
Suggestions:
Artwork Essentials – http://www.artworkessentials.com – have several sizes of easels that are lightweight, easy to transport and very compact with tripod and accessories. I will be using one at the workshop.
Paper Towels – Bounty (seem to be the best for not leaving residue on your brushes or painting).
If you prefer not to buy extra supplies from this list, please just bring what you have. I know art can get expensive. I will be happy to share what I have with you and this will give an opportunity to try it before you buy.
Still Life Setups
You will be painting your own personal still life setup. If you have any special vases, flowers, fruit, vegetable or items that you would like to possible put in your painting, please feel free to bring them. I will be bringing a lot of items for you to choose from also. Also bring a small & large box (flatl) and a dark colored cloth (2 yards minimum) preferably dark green, black or a neutral color.