Beginning Painting: Form and Color

This course is an introduction to painting in acrylics and oils. In the first semester, the class assignments focus on abstraction in combination with color theory and color mixing. Drawing will be an integral part of the course: in the first semester, learning to work from observation of everyday objects; in the second semester, from the figure. Each assignment will call upon the student to make decisions in order to complete the project in a creative manner. There will be regular class discussions on the progress of the work, as well as visual presentations on art history and on individual artists. The conference work will begin with drawing in a sketchbook and with individually assigned readings on art. The final conference project will be a large painting. This will be developed from the drawings and from the progress made in the student’s understanding of painting as a process. The student will be required to work in the studio, in addition to the class periods, in order to complete the assigned painting and conference work. The goal of this course is to become confident in one’s painting ability and to develop a visual vocabulary. The student will be required to take two workshops: one in Photoshop; the other, the choice of the individual.  Open to both the student who is new to painting and the student who has had prior art-making experience.