Abstract Painting: Experimental Approaches
4/9-6/11 (no class 5/28)
All Levels Welcome
Gage Capitol Hill
Week 1: Mixed Media Studies
Please bring: two or three small found objects you would like to draw from. Things with interesting shapes, components, or multiple sides are great; figurines, knickknacks, machine parts, tools, toys, and natural items with some complexity are all good choices. Symmetrical objects such as a vase or an apple will not work well.
Week 1 Supplies:
- Assorted pencils and fine-line pens
- sketch pad: 12×16 or larger
- a ruler and scissors
- A small watercolor set and several brushes
- Optional: Ink fountain pen and tips, india ink, walnut ink, or other colored inks
- Optional: Watercolor pencils or water-soluble crayons or regular crayons
- A roll of 3M Removable Tape, Post-It Tape, or Blue Painter’s tape
- One 22” x 30”sheet heavy cold-press watercolor paper (to be torn into smaller pieces) OR
- A watercolor block, 8” x 8”, 8” x 10”, 11” x 14” with at least 10 sheets in the block.
Week 2: Three canvases 16″ x 20″ or similar, to be discussed
- Oil or Acrylic Paints: Please bring the paint you are most familiar with!
Purchase a “mixing” set such as Golden Principle 8 Mixing Set (acrylics) OR individual tubes as follows:
- 1 tube each Black & Titanium White
- 1 tube Napthol Red or Cadmium Red
- 1 tube Hansa Yellow Light or Medium OR Cadmium Yellow Medium
- 1 tube Pthalo Blue or Ultramarine Blue
- Optional: Burnt Siena, Burnt or Raw Umber, Ochre, or Titanium Buff
- Optional: Viridian Green, Payne’s Gray
- Assorted Brushes: Flats, Rounds, and Filberts, your favorites… #6, #8, #10, and #12
We will discuss brushes in class if you are not sure what to buy. Look for a springy feeling – extra soft brushes and watercolor brushes will not work for acrylic.
- A Palette knife
- Oil Painters:
- Painting Medium: 50 / 50 Linseed/Gamsol mix in a small squeeze bottle is suggested
- A jar with lid for solvent (Gage provides Gamsol)
- Acrylic Painters:
- 1 small bottle of Golden Retarder
- 1 small bottle of Golden Satin Glazing Medium
- A LARGE Stay-Wet Palette with sponge & extra liners OR a pad of waxy disposable palette paper
Explore found and modified imagery; additive and subtractive modes in painting; and the creative use of materials and tools. Conceptual approaches to painting strategies are considered. Classroom work is done in drawing, collage, and oil or acrylic paint. Readings and discussion will provide context for our experiments and supplement the hands-on work.