COURSE DESCRIPTION: Introduction to painting techniques in oil. Explores perception of light, shadow and color and the rendering of these elements. (5 studio hrs. each week.) Prerequisite: VA33 or permission of instructor. The purpose of this course is to gain an understanding of the mechanics of painting and to develop a facility with the medium which allows one to achieve intended goals. These goals begin with the formal concerns of developing controlled and effective use of composition, color, line, shape, form, texture, and space, and move progressively towards conceptual concerns related to personal expression. The course will provide an introduction to basic painting materials, a number of standard painting methods and various paint-handling techniques. Emphasis will be placed on painting as a means of self-exploration and problem solving.
Goals: The goal of the course is to:
· Introduce the basic materials and techniques used in oil and/or acrylic painting.
· Teach the student how to translating observed form, color and space using the medium.
· Teach the principles of design to create unified, well-balanced, rhythmic compositions.
· Introduce the student to a variety of stylistic approaches in the translation of a subject.
· Help the student develop a process of conceiving of ideas that are unique and inventive.
· Teach the student to make aesthetic choices concerning form and subject matter to communicate ideas.
· Familiarize the student with a basic vocabulary of visual art terms used in painting.
· Teach the student to work through multiple stages of development in the process of completing a painting.
· Teach students to analyze paintings, both historical and contemporary, for their artistic merit.
· Instill in the students the intrinsic motivation to grow artistically and as an individual.
OUTCOMES BEHAVIORS: Upon completion of the course students should be able to:
- Make the appropriate choices of materials and tools used in the craft of oil painting to reach a desired visual or expressive result.
- Demonstrate the use of a variety of oil painting techniques including; wet into wet, painting in layers, transparent washes, impasto, scumbling, and glazing.
- Apply these techniques to translating observed form, space and texture in a sensitive and engaging manner.
- Mix color to match observed local color and create harmonies in the painting’s overall design.
- Use the principles of color to describe form, light and space.
- Use the principles of design to create a unified, well-balanced, rhythmic composition.
- Differentiate between the picture plane treated as a surface and as an imaginary window.
- Reinterpret a subject by reducing it to its formal components, describing it through a subjective, expressive approach.
- Start to conceive of ideas that are unique and inventive which reflect his or her experience and point of view.
- Make aesthetic choices concerning form and subject matter to communicate these ideas.
- Apply a vocabulary of art terms when discussing his or her work or the work of others.
- Respectfully and constructively critique fellow students’ work, identifying strengths as well as failings, in order to help each student improve.
- Work through all stages of the artistic process starting with the conception of multiple ideas, selecting one through critical analysis, revising that idea, refining it during its development, and finally completing the work through its thoughtful presentation.
- Be critical of one’s own work, assigning challenges to oneself in effort to grow artistically and as an individual.
- Analyze paintings, both historical and contemporary, for their artistic merit.
PROCEDURES: The course is comprised of nine painting projects. Each project will explore different painting methods and visual concepts with the intention of building on the information gained from the previous assignment. Each assignment will be explained through a combination of lecture/demonstration and slide lecture. Each student will proceed individually, working to complete the assignment and meet the defined objectives. At the end of each project a group critique will be held and the students’ work will be evaluated. Each student will be expected to participate in critique and articulate relevant ideas concerning the concepts addressed in each assignment.
REQUIREMENTS:
1) Regular attendance is absolutely mandatory.
2) Completion of all assigned projects.
3) Homework: preparation of materials for class, outside readings, research for in-class projects, drawings and color studies, and outside painting projects.
4) Outside of class museum visit with response paper.
5) Participation of critiques and class discussions.
ATTENDANCE: The college policy is followed (see handbook or college catalog). Excessive absence or lateness will lead to failure of this course. The college defines excessive absence as more than one week of classes. Two tardies equal one absence. In the exceptional circumstance in which the student is allowed to continue in the class beyond one absence, which is solely up to the discretion of the instructor, the student’s grade will be lowered as a result of the reduced time spent on projects, missing work and lack of participation. This is a studio course. The knowledge that is gained in this course comes almost exclusively from working in class with others and with the instructor’s personal attention. This cannot be made up outside of class. Therefore it is absolutely essential that you be in class. However, you are responsible for all the information that transpired in class should you happen to be absent, including knowing the materials you need to have for the next class. Arrangements should be made to contact the instructors or fellow student before returning to class.
EVALUATION: Your grade will be determined from the following:
PAINTINGS – 80% of your grade will be based on the painting projects you complete over the course. Paintings turned in after the due date or not presented at the critique will receive a reduced grade (one letter grade for each week late, an A becomes a B). All paintings can be reworked or developed further for re-evaluation after critiques.
EFFORT, PARTICIPATION and PROGRESS – 10% of your grade will be based on your overall work ethic, your seriousness of purpose, how prepared you are in class, how much you contribute to discussions and critiques and how much your work progresses from the beginning to the end of class.
MUSEUM VISIT AND PAPER – 10% of your grade will be based on a very short paper you write in response looking at paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art outside of class. Although it is a very small percentage of you grade, you can not pass this class without fulfilling this requirement.
HOMEWORK – It is important that you continue painting outside of class. Therefore with most of the in-class assignments you will be expected to do a second painting on your own outside of class. Plan on blocking out an additional 4 hours outside of class time to complete this work.
WEEKLY OUTLINE
WEEK 1 : INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS
1) Definition of common vocabulary terms, description of physical components in painting, explanation of basic materials, discussion of color wheel.
HOMEWORK: 7 step value scale, mix seven values from white and black
WEEK 2 : DIRECT PAINTING METHOD, MONOCHROMATIC/GRAY SCALE;
1) Analysis of form, space and light through value contrasts.
2) Demonstration of direct painting techniques (alla prima).
- wet into wet
- gestural paint handling
3) Use of seven values to:
- Familiarize oneself with the material
- To describe form, space and light
- To define value relationships.
HOMEWORK: Color Chart and Color Wheel
WEEK 3 : DIRECT PAINTING METHOD, RESTRICTED COLOR PALETTE;
1) Analysis of palette, color relationships, color wheel, complementary color.
2) Demonstration of direct painting techniques (alla prima).
- wet into wet
- gestural paint handling
3) Use a limited palette – primary color to:
- To describe form, space and light
- To define value relationships using full value scale.
- To explore color contrasts
SLIDE LECTURE: Composition
HOMEWORK: Bring in objects for extended still-life along with three preparatory drawings. Reading: Rudolf Arnheim: Art and Visual Perception: Balance
WEEK 4-6 EXTENDED STILL-LIFE
1) Create a still-life of simple forms and backdrop
2) Attempt to express a human emotion through the still-life with the objects you choose and their placement, identify that emotion with one word (e.g. joy, sorrow, serenity)
3) Heighten hue contrasts between light and shadow
4) Observe influence of temperature of direct and reflected light on local color.
5) Controlled use of materials and understanding of fundamental painting process: compositional studies, working drawings, preliminary drawing on canvas, blocking in lights and darks, underpainting, working thin to thick, rich over lean.
6) Composition
picture plane, positive and negative shapes
symmetrical and asymmetrical balance
unity, contrasts, and focal point.
eye movement and rhythm.
7) Color Harmony
value contrasts of color (begin with simplified reduction).
translating local color with reduced palette and color mixing
use of complements to create darks, neutrals and color balance.
selection of color to create unity and balance.
8) Techniques
transparent washes
wet into wet
wet over dry
WK 4 DEMONSTRATION: Using a wash underpainting, Introduce museum paper
WK 6 Slide lecture: Intro to Pictorial space / Painting as Surface
WK 6 Homework Reading: Hans Hoffman
HOMEWORK: Complete second painting of same assignment.
WEEKS 7-8 Still-life Pictorial Space
1) Define form, space and light using a more modernist approach.
2) Painting not a faithful description of subject but a departure point for exploring abstract relationships and the creation of pictorial space.
3) Direct marks, no blending – Open Form.
4) No hierarchy of subject, all-over composition
5) State flatness of picture plane throughout painting. Think in terms of three planes in space – on, behind and in front of picture plane.
6) Techniques include use of palette knife.
7) Consider issues of unity and contrast regarding shape, color and texture.
HOMEWORK: complete second painting on same problem
WK 7 Slide Lecture: Long Island assignment Homework: shoot photographs for painting
WK 8 Homework: drawings for LI painting.
WEEKS 9-11: PAINTING ON THE SUBJECT OF LONG ISLAND
1) Use imagery that depicts your feelings about Long Island as a place.
2) Shoot photographs as a source for this imagery.
3) Combine, distort or change imagery to create a new, invented space on the canvas.
4) Use strong colored underpainting.
5) Take the ideas developed in class so far and push them further. Explore areas of expressionism – color, paint handling, distorted drawing.
6) Look at modernist and contemporary handling of the problem.
WK 10 Slide lecture on self-portrait assignment
WK 10 Homework: preparatory drawings for self-portrait
WK 11 Critique self-portrait drawings in progress
WEEKS 12-15: SELF-PORTRAIT with additional element, PAINTING IN LAYERS, GLAZING
1) Work in stages over underpainting.
2) Use of neutral colored ground.
3) Moving in two directions on the value scale
4) Depict yourself in a space with an additional element that has symbolic meaning.
WK 13 Museum paper due
WK 15 FINAL CRITIQUE
MATERIALS
Water Miscible Oil Paint (Grumbacher Max Paint, Winsor Newton Artisan or others)
Titanium white (large tube)
Cadmium yellow (pale)
Yellow ochre
Cadmium orange
Cadmium red
Alizarin crimson
Dioxine purple (any basic violet ½ between blue and red will do)
Ultramarine blue
Pthalo blue
Viridian (green)
Sap green
Burnt umber
Burnt sienna
Ivory Black
Brushes: #1, #2, #4, #6, #10 round bristle #2, #4, #8, #10, #12 flat bristle, 2”flat (house painting)
Water Miscible oil medium
Coffee can with lid
Palette
Palette knife
Rags and or paper towels
Bar of soap (Lava)
Sketchbook, 9”x12” (approximately, optional)
Drawing pencils and/or pen
Vine charcoal (1 or 2 sticks)
3 canvas boards, 8”x10” (needed at the start of class)
2 canvas boards 11”x14” (may use gessoed paper, mat board or wood panel)
7 stretched canvases 16”x20” (approximate size)
Evaluation Criteria for Effort, Participation and Progress (15% of grade)
Score: 2 -- (Good) Yes, always meets requirement
1 – (Adequate) Almost always meets requirement
0 – (Needs improvement) More than a few times the student has not met requirement
22 – 19 = A, 18.9 – 13.75 =B, 13.74 – 8.25 = C, 8.24 - 5.5 = D, 5.4 – 0 = F
Do you have your work ready for critique on time at the very start of class and offer a thoughtful analysis of your work during critique when called upon?
Do you participate in the critique of other classmate’s work?
Are you prepared with materials and ready to work at the start of class?
Are you working consistently during the entire class period?
Have you worked on the projects between classes?
Have you developed your paintings under the guidance of the instructor from start to finish?
Have you taken input from the instructor and applied it to your paintings during its development in effort to improve the painting and try new ideas?
Have you completed all the outside assignments including readings, library visits, purchase of materials, researching artists, and other miscellaneous activities that may not be specifically graded?
Have you attended all classes, or if you have missed the two classes allowed, have you made an effort to make up what you have missed?
Is there evidence at the end of the class of an improved understanding of the artistic process seen through – creating multiple concepts at the beginning of a project; building on earlier stages of the painting; revising painting as it develops; bringing painting to completion in the allotted time period, and giving thought to presentation at critique.
Has each painting improved from where you started at the beginning of the course and are you reaching your fullest potential?
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