Combining Figuration and Abstraction (Online Workshop) Summer 2024 w/ Sean Oswald
June 6 to June 20 (Thursdays), 1:00 PM to 4:00 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.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/luzULJ-e-yM
Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite.
Workshop Description
In this workshop we will focus on drawing and painting from observation, memory, and photograph both figuratively and abstractly. During our three weeks we will work from traditional subjects, but in varied ways. This way we will be able to explore multiple modes of the language of painting to create original works. Lectures will be spent looking at the works of historical and contemporary master artists and learning about spatial relationships, cubism, and abstract expressionism, and theorize how they might be synthesized with observational painting. Classes will be a combination of lecture, demonstration, and practicing our own paintings and drawings.
Students should expect to create one painting per week for the three weeks and to submit them for feedback. Some painting experience is beneficial, but not necessary.
Workshop Outline
Week 1 - Still Life Abstraction
Introduction and overview
Lecture on Abstraction and figuration
Demonstration
Painting and drawing from Still Life (11 x 14” canvas)
Exercises
Painting
Week 2 - Landscape
Introduction and Overview
Critique and feedback on work
Lecture on historical and contemporary artists
Demonstration
Painting and Drawing Landscape Subject (11 x 14” canvas)
Week 3 - Figure or Portrait
Introduction and Overview
Critique and feedback on work
Lecture on historical and contemporary artists (and various visual concerns)
Demonstration
Painting and drawing from figurative/ portrait subject (16 x 20” canvas)
Dismissal and encouragement to ongoing exploration
Workshop Materials List
Brushes
4- 6 bristle brushes (synthetic or natural)
Various sizes from 1-12
Various types (Round, flat, bright, filbert)
Paints (recommended oil, acrylic is permissible)
Ivory or Mars Black
Burnt umber
Burnt Sienna
Ultramarine Blue
Viridian
Cadmium Red
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Yellow
Titanium White
Other Optional colors
Sap Green
Permanent Green Light (Windsor newton)
Cobalt or Cerulean Blue
English Red
Cadmium Yellow Light or Lemon
Palette (wooden, plastic, glass, or disposable, etc.)
Palette knife (standard style)
Cups for linseed oil and mineral spirits (metal palette cups recommended)
Rags (old t-shirts, paper towels, etc.)
Mineral spirits
Linseed or stand oil
Canvases/surfaces (at least- may want one or two more in case you want some flexibility to start and stop more than one)
2 x (11” x 14”) canvases (canvas boards, panels, stretched canvas, etc.)
1 x (16” x 20”) canvas (canvas board, panel, stretched canvas, etc.)
Sketchbook (9 “ x 12” minimum, ideally 80 pound paper or better)
Charcoal (soft willow pack will be sufficient, but having various kinds of the following could be helpful if you so wish)
Compressed charcoal sticks
Generals charcoal pencils
Kneaded eraser
Pencils (HB, 2B, 4B, 6B +)