Welcome!
I'm delighted that you're thinking about joining me for "Still Life in Gouache." Gouache is by far my favorite medium due to its versatility and capacity both for fine detail and for intuitive impressionism, and I think still life arrangements are one of the best subjects to help artists hone their awareness of form and color harmony. If you don’t know much about gouache, here’s a little introduction to the medium—and of course, don't forget to familiarize yourself with the Suggested Materials List as you prepare for this class.
Course Description
In this four-week workshop, I'll be using still life arrangements as tools to expand our group's understanding of light, shadow, color harmony, elements of composition, and the medium of gouache. The workshop will be organized around four 2.5-hour video conference sessions during which participants will paint alongside me as I paint a live demo and talk through my process. Due to the nature of online classes, we'll be working from photographs during our sessions together. However, participants will be encouraged to set up their own still life arrangements to complete the weekly homework prompts, and will be given instruction about how to assemble and light an effective still life. The class will be an interactive group video call, not a pre-recorded class, and there will be opportunities to ask questions and seek guidance about painting problems that arise during the session. Sessions will be recorded for participants to access for a period of three months following the conclusion of the class.
My classes are community-oriented, and registration will give participants access to a private Discord channel where the weekly group video sessions will be hosted and where they will be able to share their work throughout the week for feedback. Participants will be able to access and engage with the Discord community even after the conclusion of the workshop.
Whether you're a beginner or have been working with gouache for awhile, this class is designed to bring the medium to life for you in exciting new ways and deepen your comfort and competence with it.
Course Goals & Expectations
Participants will be expected to purchase (or already own) items similar to those on the “Suggested Materials” list before the beginning of the class and to come to class each week prepared to paint alongside the group and to appear with their video camera on. They will not be expected to show their painting on camera while they are working on it, but will be encouraged to show it during a “debrief” segment of the class during which I will check in with the group and answer questions. Participants will be asked to complete weekly painting homework on their own time and share their work in the Discord group for feedback.
If you're unable to make a class session, that's totally okay, and you'll be invited to access the recording upon the conclusion of the class. However, attending the class sessions live and painting alongside the rest of the group is the most effective way to experience this class, and participants are encouraged to plan on attending as many live class sessions as possible.
Those who faithfully attend every class meeting will complete 4 to 8 gouache still life paintings and receive instruction about the fundamentals of gouache painting and the knowledgeable utilization of color values and color harmony.
Registration Info
This workshop will be capped at ten participants, and there must be a minimum of three participants enrolled in order for it to go ahead. I will give you a 1-week notice via email if I need to cancel due to low enrollment, in which case you will of course be refunded in full.
A full refund (minus a $30 registration fee) will be given if you need to withdraw from the workshop at least three weeks before the first session. (After that time, I'll be unable to give you a refund since it will most likely be too late for me to fill your spot. However, you will be welcome to transfer your spot to a friend.)
Note: If necessary, you can pay for your registration in four installments. Select this option at checkout to learn more.
Workshop Session Dates:
August 26, 2024: (Monday) 6:30pm-9pm EST
September 02, 2024: (Monday) 6:30pm-9pm EST
no class on Monday, September 09
September 16, 2024: (Monday) 6:30pm-9pm EST
September 23, 2024: (Monday) 6:30pm-9pm EST
[Note that we will skip a week in September and will not have class on September 09. Participants will use this as a catch-up week to complete unfinished homework and seek feedback in our class Discord group.]