Alla Prima Portraits
This course considers the model in situ. Students are encouraged to include the figure and surrounding environment in their choices of composition. Students draw with the paint brush the proportional sizes & shapes of the planes of the head/ figure paying attention to directional lines of the composition. Students develop the paintings in staged steps of the alla prima process and make choices based on completing the structural building blocks of the underpainting before making the next move.
Students select and mix colours based on value, chroma and temperatures contrasts. Students manipulate tools to make brushwork an integral component of their mark making and choice of degree of finishing.
This course is in oils and students can elect to use a limited or full palette of colours.
Wednesdays, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
First Class: Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Last Class: Monday, March 12, 2025
Length of Course: 8 Weeks
Teaching Artist: Nancy Steele
Skill Level: All levels
Location: Front Studio
Required age: Over 16 years old on the day of the activity
Materials: Students are asked to bring:
- gessoed canvas or sheets of canvas at least 12 x 12 or 11 x 14 painting surface, or gessoed boards (prefer gessoed hardboard) or gessoed stretched canvases
- paints (prefer best quality) limited palette of yellow ochre, cadmium red light or medium, ivory black and Titanium white or extended palette including cadmium yellow light, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, burnt umber or sienna, viridian green
- Brushes 1 or 2 long handled 1 inch bristle brush flat or filbert, 1/2 inch bristle brushes flat or filbert, selection small synthetic brushes, 1/2 inch to 00
- flat palette paper or supplied glass palette
- linseed oil, Gamsol, jars to hold, paper towels,
