Dynamic Painting With Oil Pastel (Online Course) Fall 2024 w/ Samir Rakhmanov

September 5 to October 3 (Thursdays), 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, Eastern Time

**All sessions are live and will be recorded, students do not have to be present. All recordings will be available to students for 3 months after the final session, after 3 months the recording will be deleted.

Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite.

Course Description

This course focuses on using oil pastels in your creative process, with an emphasis on observation. We will explore the use of oil pastel in still life painting, figure sketching, portrait painting, and landscape painting, aiming for a dynamic, expressive look. We will delve into form, light, color, line, and silhouette. The course begins with an overview and introduction of the materials, followed by still life work from life. Next, we will sketch figures using provided references. We will then learn to paint picturesque portraits from photos and do a self-portrait from life in the following week. The final class focuses on using oil pastels in landscape painting.

Course Outline

Week 1 - Introduction and Still Life

The first week is about getting to know the material. It’s essential for those who haven’t used oil pastels before and also helpful for those already working with oil pastel painting and drawing. I will talk about different options of oil pastels, their properties, and features (what you can and what you can’t do), provide you with some technical information on the medium, and talk about the conservation and fixation of completed artworks. And then do a demonstration on using oil pastels in still life painting.

Week 2 - Figure Sketching With Oil Pastel

Second class will be about sketching with oil pastels. We will explore a quick and rapid use of the material using color, silhouette and line. I will provide you photo references of nude figure and do the demo during the class.

Week 3 - Portrait From a Photo

This class focuses on creating a portrait from a photo. You will learn how to make your painting look picturesque and vibrant using oil pastels. You'll also learn how to alter and filter what we see in photos, and how to use it efficiently. A photo reference will be provided.

Week 4 - Self-Portrait

After working from photo, we will continue the work with more portraits. But this time doing self -portrait from life, using mirror. A more challenging task, but an important practice every artist should explore.

Week 5 - Landscape

In the final class, I will demonstrate the use of oil pastels in landscape painting. This can be done either outdoors, also known as plein air, or from a photograph. I will show you how to create a more vibrant and dynamic landscape using oil pastels.

Course Materials List

Oil Pastel

Preferable brands: Sennelier, Van Gogh(Talens), Holbein, Mungyo Gallery, Caran d'Ache Neopastel

Fixative for oil pastels or a universal fixative (varnish)

Base color set:

White, Yellow(like cadmium yellow), yellow lemon, ochre (light, golden, yellow ochre, also a fleshtone ochre will be helpful), orange, reds(red ochre, red cadmium, crimson lake), violets, sienna, brown(umber, mars), greens, blues (ultramarine, cobalt), black, and neutral grey.

Possible surfaces to work on:

Paper, Cardboard, Canvas, Wooden board, MDF board, plywood, and metal board.

Materials for underdrawing:

Charcoal, graphite, eraser

Palette knife

Water soluble paints(+brushes for it):

Gouache, watercolor, acrylic and etc.

Other:

Tissues, Paper Towels to clean your hands after use thinners (turpentine, white spirit, gamsol and etc)

Home objects and draperies for still life

Mirror for self-portraits