Oil Painting: Mediterranean Still Lifes

Class Info

Oil Painting: Mediterranean Still Lifes Instructor - Muna Alfadel 5 sessions Tuesday & Wednesday: October 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 at 6:30-9:30 pm $400 per person This course will introduce beginners with no oil painting experience to the craft through a Mediterranean inspired still life filled with objects pulled from Astoria’s shared Greek and Arabic heritage. In this course, students will learn how to properly use and maintain oil painting materials, color theory, compositional theories, how to stretch a canvas, alla prima painting techniques, grissaile techniques, and glazing techniques. Students will learn how to “see” in a new way, develop a new skill for life, and leave the class with a brand new piece of artwork for their home! Light snacks and beverages will be available in the classes. Class Schedule: Week 1: October 13 & 14th Day 1: Intro, class schedule and goals of the course -Materials overhaul -Critic intro -First exercise: Quick sketch/learning how to see as a painter: Starts with a 10 min lecture on “seeing” as an artist (objects in relation to each other), then 10 mins of quick charcoal sketching. Then oil paint sketching. Day 2: Understanding Composition, Color, and Light in relation to each other and Alla Prima painting technique -Canvas stretching -Composition Theory lecture with examples of still life compositions. - Basic Color Theory lecture (complimentary, analogous colors) both for mixing color and for setting up composition. -Three 40-minute paintings. Students will move their set ups with each one and arrange the objects to practice composition skills. -Quick critic Optional “Homework”: Sketching objects from life in notebook. Watching videos about composition building and still life painting. Week 2: October 20 & 21 Day 3: Long Term Painting Begins -Class will build the still life composition they will be painting together. -Lecture on "Fat over Lean" and Underpainting/Grisaille techniques -Sustained painting begins -Critic Day 4: Sustained Painting Day -Lecture on building the painting and medium usage -Sustained painting -Critic Week 3: October 27th Day 5: FINAL Sustained Painting Day -Lecture on glazing with slow drying mediums and medium mixing -Sustained painting -Final Critic Some materials are provided, some should be purchased. See materials list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mv_gkj4YQWieaVutWWl7voO5hUucqjFB3AtHyklwM3Y/edit?usp=sharing Check out Muna's work here: https://www.munaalfadl.com/