Creative Approach to Still-Life Painting (Online Course) Summer 2025 w/ Susan Ashworth
July 8 to July 29 (Tuesdays), 10:00 AM to 12:30 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.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/s_y_2I7AVFo
Course Description
Be inspired to create original Still-Life paintings though demonstrations, slides and discussions. Investigate a sequence of techniques informed by Susan Ashworth’s artistic practice. By looking at other artists’ work explore ideas to create a series of exciting responses to a Still-Life set-up.
Course Outline
Week 1 - Suprising Colours - Limited Palette
Introduction to the artist’s studio and current work.Learning how to use a limited colour palette to create a convincing impression of light and form.
Assignment: Complete three or more studies using a limited palette.
Week 2 - Meaning With Objects
Discussion of previous weeks assignment.
Looking at ways of setting up a Still-Life by selecting objects which resonate with you. Making initial studies to find the most inspiring compositions.
Assignment: Complete 4-6 tonal compositional studies from your still-life.
Week 3 - Surface Texture and the Illusion of Depth
Following discussions of the best composition ideas, looking at how to use colour grounds and textures as a starting point for paintings. Starting own still-life paintings.
Assignment: Create a range of boards/canvasses by experimenting with background surfaces to use for still-life paintings.
Week 4 - Layering Tone and Colour to Create Depth
Continue painting in series on a group of your own compositions. Demonstrations of layering and glazing.
Assignment: Continue to refine paintings.
Course Materials List
10 – 20 sheets of A4 or A3 cartridge paper.
3- 5 plywood/ MDF boards 20x20cm or bigger. Primed with 3 layers of acrylic gesso or oil-based wood primer.
Set of gouache or acrylic paints;
Hot and cold primaries
White
Umber/ Burnt sienna
And if you want to work in oils; (recommendations)
White
Raw Umber
Ultramarine blue
Cerulean blue
Cadmium red
Magenta
Lemon yellow
Cadmium yellow
Davy’s Grey
Range of brushes;
Flat with soft bristles, usually sold as ‘for acrylics’
2-3 old t-towels or cotton t-shirts to cut up for rags
Odourless White Spirit (for cleaning brushes)
Pure turpentine
Thixatropic fast-drying oil paint medium
3-4 old china bowls or glass jars for holding spirits
Large palette – old piece of light coloured formica, or white coated particle board.
Objects for Still-Life; jars, bottles, coloured fabrics,
Directional table-lamp
July 8 to July 29 (Tuesdays), 10:00 AM to 12:30 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.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/s_y_2I7AVFo
Course Description
Be inspired to create original Still-Life paintings though demonstrations, slides and discussions. Investigate a sequence of techniques informed by Susan Ashworth’s artistic practice. By looking at other artists’ work explore ideas to create a series of exciting responses to a Still-Life set-up.
Course Outline
Week 1 - Suprising Colours - Limited Palette
Introduction to the artist’s studio and current work.Learning how to use a limited colour palette to create a convincing impression of light and form.
Assignment: Complete three or more studies using a limited palette.
Week 2 - Meaning With Objects
Discussion of previous weeks assignment.
Looking at ways of setting up a Still-Life by selecting objects which resonate with you. Making initial studies to find the most inspiring compositions.
Assignment: Complete 4-6 tonal compositional studies from your still-life.
Week 3 - Surface Texture and the Illusion of Depth
Following discussions of the best composition ideas, looking at how to use colour grounds and textures as a starting point for paintings. Starting own still-life paintings.
Assignment: Create a range of boards/canvasses by experimenting with background surfaces to use for still-life paintings.
Week 4 - Layering Tone and Colour to Create Depth
Continue painting in series on a group of your own compositions. Demonstrations of layering and glazing.
Assignment: Continue to refine paintings.
Course Materials List
10 – 20 sheets of A4 or A3 cartridge paper.
3- 5 plywood/ MDF boards 20x20cm or bigger. Primed with 3 layers of acrylic gesso or oil-based wood primer.
Set of gouache or acrylic paints;
Hot and cold primaries
White
Umber/ Burnt sienna
And if you want to work in oils; (recommendations)
White
Raw Umber
Ultramarine blue
Cerulean blue
Cadmium red
Magenta
Lemon yellow
Cadmium yellow
Davy’s Grey
Range of brushes;
Flat with soft bristles, usually sold as ‘for acrylics’
2-3 old t-towels or cotton t-shirts to cut up for rags
Odourless White Spirit (for cleaning brushes)
Pure turpentine
Thixatropic fast-drying oil paint medium
3-4 old china bowls or glass jars for holding spirits
Large palette – old piece of light coloured formica, or white coated particle board.
Objects for Still-Life; jars, bottles, coloured fabrics,
Directional table-lamp
July 8 to July 29 (Tuesdays), 10:00 AM to 12:30 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.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/s_y_2I7AVFo
Course Description
Be inspired to create original Still-Life paintings though demonstrations, slides and discussions. Investigate a sequence of techniques informed by Susan Ashworth’s artistic practice. By looking at other artists’ work explore ideas to create a series of exciting responses to a Still-Life set-up.
Course Outline
Week 1 - Suprising Colours - Limited Palette
Introduction to the artist’s studio and current work.Learning how to use a limited colour palette to create a convincing impression of light and form.
Assignment: Complete three or more studies using a limited palette.
Week 2 - Meaning With Objects
Discussion of previous weeks assignment.
Looking at ways of setting up a Still-Life by selecting objects which resonate with you. Making initial studies to find the most inspiring compositions.
Assignment: Complete 4-6 tonal compositional studies from your still-life.
Week 3 - Surface Texture and the Illusion of Depth
Following discussions of the best composition ideas, looking at how to use colour grounds and textures as a starting point for paintings. Starting own still-life paintings.
Assignment: Create a range of boards/canvasses by experimenting with background surfaces to use for still-life paintings.
Week 4 - Layering Tone and Colour to Create Depth
Continue painting in series on a group of your own compositions. Demonstrations of layering and glazing.
Assignment: Continue to refine paintings.
Course Materials List
10 – 20 sheets of A4 or A3 cartridge paper.
3- 5 plywood/ MDF boards 20x20cm or bigger. Primed with 3 layers of acrylic gesso or oil-based wood primer.
Set of gouache or acrylic paints;
Hot and cold primaries
White
Umber/ Burnt sienna
And if you want to work in oils; (recommendations)
White
Raw Umber
Ultramarine blue
Cerulean blue
Cadmium red
Magenta
Lemon yellow
Cadmium yellow
Davy’s Grey
Range of brushes;
Flat with soft bristles, usually sold as ‘for acrylics’
2-3 old t-towels or cotton t-shirts to cut up for rags
Odourless White Spirit (for cleaning brushes)
Pure turpentine
Thixatropic fast-drying oil paint medium
3-4 old china bowls or glass jars for holding spirits
Large palette – old piece of light coloured formica, or white coated particle board.
Objects for Still-Life; jars, bottles, coloured fabrics,
Directional table-lamp