Landscape Painting: Figure/Ground (Online Course) Fall 2025 w/ Tim Tait
September 6 to October 11 (Saturdays), 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM, Eastern Time
*The course will skip September 27
**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.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/8V8vdsjQSeM
Course Description
The class will delve into seeing, recognizing, and painting the visual phenomena we experience in the process of perception — specifically, the use of figure/ground in landscape painting. We will explore the history and design principle of figure ground related to the visual arts, and we’ll apply this knowledge to painting the landscape. The class will also touch on color relationships, abstraction/observation, and composition. In terms of materials, we will also discuss how to work with acrylics such that the paint behaves more like oil.
We will work on 5 small, acrylic paintings (one per week). We will work from photographs of landscapes (i.e. photos you’ve taken or scenes you have observed or sketched). Participants may paint during the class, or just watch and take notes, and paint during the week. Participants are expected to post their assignment paintings on their designated Padlet pages for this class before the next week’s class. I will comment on their posts via Padlet, and also discuss them during the first part of each class.
Course Outline
Week 1 -
Introduction: I will give a brief overview of the course, discussing “Figure/Ground” and show a few works by artists such as Bonnard, Lois Dodd, Morandi, Fairfield Porter, Katherine Bradford, and a few others, and others followed by a 10 minute Q&A. We’ll also touch on the importance of going to see and experience art in galleries and museums.
I will start on the 1st painting demonstration, discussing our materials and set up, painting a quick color “ground”, and working through the painting, followed by a 10 minute Q&A.
Homework: Do your first painting based on this demonstration if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 2 -
I will discuss the idea of “gestural form” in relation to positive and negative space, and also review some examples of this in both graphic design and art history. We’ll cover ways to look for instances of this gestural form and counterform in the reference photos we use., followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A. We will start on the 2nd painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: do your 2nd painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 3 -
We will cover how simple color choices and color relationships can enhance the visual phenomenon of figure/ground in a painting. Using an intentional “limited color palette” can provide a greater understanding of how colors react to neighboring colors and provide an additional level of depth to an image. We will look at examples of artists who have used a limited color palette and to what affect — followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 3rd painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: Do your 3rd painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 4 -
We will discuss intentionally simplifying an image in order to create an almost symbolic representation of the subject— focusing on the essential form and composition, resisting the temptation to include details that detract from the core strength of the image, followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 4th painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: Do your 4th painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 5 -
We will talk about the emotional aspect of using figure/ground. Certain combinations of shape and form as well as color can express a powerful sense of emotion and feeling in an image. We will review some examples from art history, followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 5th painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
We’ll have an end-of-class discussion, sharing some of our observations and additional questions.
Course Materials List
5 small pre-primed stretched canvases or canvas boards (i.e. 11 x 14”, 12” x 16”, 14” x 18” or similar)
Acrylic paints ( I use Golden Artists, but you can use whatever brand you like or have)
Acrylic retarder (additive that extends the drying time) – important
Acrylic modeling paste – optional
Brushes (variety of sizes)
Water (for mixing and cleanup)
Palette (can be anything from an acrylic sheet, store-bought palette, old container lid, etc.)
Your reference photos (can be printouts or photos on a laptop, tablet, smartphone screen, whatever works for you)
September 6 to October 11 (Saturdays), 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM, Eastern Time
*The course will skip September 27
**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.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/8V8vdsjQSeM
Course Description
The class will delve into seeing, recognizing, and painting the visual phenomena we experience in the process of perception — specifically, the use of figure/ground in landscape painting. We will explore the history and design principle of figure ground related to the visual arts, and we’ll apply this knowledge to painting the landscape. The class will also touch on color relationships, abstraction/observation, and composition. In terms of materials, we will also discuss how to work with acrylics such that the paint behaves more like oil.
We will work on 5 small, acrylic paintings (one per week). We will work from photographs of landscapes (i.e. photos you’ve taken or scenes you have observed or sketched). Participants may paint during the class, or just watch and take notes, and paint during the week. Participants are expected to post their assignment paintings on their designated Padlet pages for this class before the next week’s class. I will comment on their posts via Padlet, and also discuss them during the first part of each class.
Course Outline
Week 1 -
Introduction: I will give a brief overview of the course, discussing “Figure/Ground” and show a few works by artists such as Bonnard, Lois Dodd, Morandi, Fairfield Porter, Katherine Bradford, and a few others, and others followed by a 10 minute Q&A. We’ll also touch on the importance of going to see and experience art in galleries and museums.
I will start on the 1st painting demonstration, discussing our materials and set up, painting a quick color “ground”, and working through the painting, followed by a 10 minute Q&A.
Homework: Do your first painting based on this demonstration if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 2 -
I will discuss the idea of “gestural form” in relation to positive and negative space, and also review some examples of this in both graphic design and art history. We’ll cover ways to look for instances of this gestural form and counterform in the reference photos we use., followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A. We will start on the 2nd painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: do your 2nd painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 3 -
We will cover how simple color choices and color relationships can enhance the visual phenomenon of figure/ground in a painting. Using an intentional “limited color palette” can provide a greater understanding of how colors react to neighboring colors and provide an additional level of depth to an image. We will look at examples of artists who have used a limited color palette and to what affect — followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 3rd painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: Do your 3rd painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 4 -
We will discuss intentionally simplifying an image in order to create an almost symbolic representation of the subject— focusing on the essential form and composition, resisting the temptation to include details that detract from the core strength of the image, followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 4th painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: Do your 4th painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 5 -
We will talk about the emotional aspect of using figure/ground. Certain combinations of shape and form as well as color can express a powerful sense of emotion and feeling in an image. We will review some examples from art history, followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 5th painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
We’ll have an end-of-class discussion, sharing some of our observations and additional questions.
Course Materials List
5 small pre-primed stretched canvases or canvas boards (i.e. 11 x 14”, 12” x 16”, 14” x 18” or similar)
Acrylic paints ( I use Golden Artists, but you can use whatever brand you like or have)
Acrylic retarder (additive that extends the drying time) – important
Acrylic modeling paste – optional
Brushes (variety of sizes)
Water (for mixing and cleanup)
Palette (can be anything from an acrylic sheet, store-bought palette, old container lid, etc.)
Your reference photos (can be printouts or photos on a laptop, tablet, smartphone screen, whatever works for you)
September 6 to October 11 (Saturdays), 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM, Eastern Time
*The course will skip September 27
**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.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/8V8vdsjQSeM
Course Description
The class will delve into seeing, recognizing, and painting the visual phenomena we experience in the process of perception — specifically, the use of figure/ground in landscape painting. We will explore the history and design principle of figure ground related to the visual arts, and we’ll apply this knowledge to painting the landscape. The class will also touch on color relationships, abstraction/observation, and composition. In terms of materials, we will also discuss how to work with acrylics such that the paint behaves more like oil.
We will work on 5 small, acrylic paintings (one per week). We will work from photographs of landscapes (i.e. photos you’ve taken or scenes you have observed or sketched). Participants may paint during the class, or just watch and take notes, and paint during the week. Participants are expected to post their assignment paintings on their designated Padlet pages for this class before the next week’s class. I will comment on their posts via Padlet, and also discuss them during the first part of each class.
Course Outline
Week 1 -
Introduction: I will give a brief overview of the course, discussing “Figure/Ground” and show a few works by artists such as Bonnard, Lois Dodd, Morandi, Fairfield Porter, Katherine Bradford, and a few others, and others followed by a 10 minute Q&A. We’ll also touch on the importance of going to see and experience art in galleries and museums.
I will start on the 1st painting demonstration, discussing our materials and set up, painting a quick color “ground”, and working through the painting, followed by a 10 minute Q&A.
Homework: Do your first painting based on this demonstration if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 2 -
I will discuss the idea of “gestural form” in relation to positive and negative space, and also review some examples of this in both graphic design and art history. We’ll cover ways to look for instances of this gestural form and counterform in the reference photos we use., followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A. We will start on the 2nd painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: do your 2nd painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 3 -
We will cover how simple color choices and color relationships can enhance the visual phenomenon of figure/ground in a painting. Using an intentional “limited color palette” can provide a greater understanding of how colors react to neighboring colors and provide an additional level of depth to an image. We will look at examples of artists who have used a limited color palette and to what affect — followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 3rd painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: Do your 3rd painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 4 -
We will discuss intentionally simplifying an image in order to create an almost symbolic representation of the subject— focusing on the essential form and composition, resisting the temptation to include details that detract from the core strength of the image, followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 4th painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
Homework: Do your 4th painting if you haven’t already done so in class.
Week 5 -
We will talk about the emotional aspect of using figure/ground. Certain combinations of shape and form as well as color can express a powerful sense of emotion and feeling in an image. We will review some examples from art history, followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A.
We will start on the 5th painting, working through the painting, discussing the process as we go.
We’ll have an end-of-class discussion, sharing some of our observations and additional questions.
Course Materials List
5 small pre-primed stretched canvases or canvas boards (i.e. 11 x 14”, 12” x 16”, 14” x 18” or similar)
Acrylic paints ( I use Golden Artists, but you can use whatever brand you like or have)
Acrylic retarder (additive that extends the drying time) – important
Acrylic modeling paste – optional
Brushes (variety of sizes)
Water (for mixing and cleanup)
Palette (can be anything from an acrylic sheet, store-bought palette, old container lid, etc.)
Your reference photos (can be printouts or photos on a laptop, tablet, smartphone screen, whatever works for you)