" Start to Finish" Workshop

I designed this workshop to show participants my entire process from start to finish. This workshop is designed to teach a system to attacking a painting and shows how to deconstruct it into basic elements.

Day1 - In The Field

We will start the workshop with an in the field photo shoot. You will learn how to use your camera and set up good composition. Areas of interest will be, lines and angles, capturing mood, using existing lighting, using shutter speeds and depth of field to achieve optimal shots. A camera (preferably digital) will be the materials needed for the day. Participant will be asked to bring what they feel are their best five shots to the workshop on day two. If you do not have a camera I will be allowing people to try mine. Our destination for the day will be determined closer to the workshop dates.

Day2 - Learning To Use Reference Materials

I will start this day with a slide presentation of over 100 shots to demonstrate different uses of composition and camera effects. We will then review all participants five best digital shots and discuss them. From these shots we will choose one to use as our painting project for the next three days. We will use the remainder of the day to work out a good composition for our project and learn to use the elements and principles of art to our advantage. I will also demonstrate the use of Adobe Photoshop in the creation of compositions. Materials for this day will be five digital shots from the previous day and tracing paper and pencil for compositions. Each participant will receive their own copy of the 100 shot slide presentation.

Day 3 - Colour Matching & Blocking In

We will start our project today by colour matching and mixing our base colours for the project. You will learn to use warm and cool colour and to decide what colours to use to get the right mixture. We will then learn to break down the image to it's basic shapes and block in the base colours. Materials needed today are your preferred colour palette in the medium you are comfortable with. I will be working in Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics, my full colour palette with accompany this itinerary, a few brushes that you are comfortable with, I suggest a #3 round, #6 round and half inch filbert. You will also need a surface to paint on. I will be using a primed masonite board. I will also demonstrate board preparation on this day.

Day 4-5 Painting Our Project

We will spend the next two days painting our project. You will learn to break down blocked in area's and apply detail. I will also demonstrate the use of acetate overlay's, AB turbine airbrush and several other "tricks of the trade". We will end the workshop with a critique of our project. You are NOT required to participate in the critique, but I suggest that you take advantage of this opportunity to share the knowledge of an entire class!