Degas: Mastering Movement, Light, and Composition (Online Course) Summer 2025 w/ Yuval Yosifov
July 28 to August 25 (Mondays), 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/dxrdIRSYE1w
Course Description
In this course, students will immerse themselves in Edgar Degas' techniques, focusing on the use of oil paint and charcoal to capture movement, light, and dynamic compositions. Students will explore Degas’ mastery in portraying figures, whether dancers or everyday moments, using charcoal for sketching and oil paint for final rendering.
The course includes detailed demonstrations, critiques, and hands-on work sessions, where students will apply Degas’ methods to their own pieces. A key part of the course is completing a transcription of a Degas work, focusing on his layering techniques and attention to light and form.
Ideal for artists who want to refine their skills in capturing movement and working with oil paints and charcoal, this course offers both historical insight and practical application.
Course Outline
Session 1: Introduction to Degas
Slide Presentation: Introduction to Edgar Degas and selected works, focusing on his portrayal of movement and everyday life.
Working Time: Students create quick gesture sketches inspired by Degas’ themes (e.g., dancers, daily activities).
Homework: Complete a series of gesture sketches using pencil or charcoal, emphasizing motion and fluidity.
Session 2: Homework Review, Demo, and Tonality
Discussion: Group review of homework with feedback on gesture and movement.
Demo: Instructor demonstrates tonal drawing techniques using pencil or charcoal, focusing on light and shadow to create form.
Slide Presentation: Degas’ use of tonality to define depth and mood.
Working Time: Students create tonal studies from a new subject, practicing the techniques demonstrated.
Session 3: Homework Review and Composition Principles
Discussion: Review of tonal studies with group feedback on balance and depth.
Slide Presentation: Degas’ approach to composition—cropping, asymmetry, and dynamic framing.
Working Time: Students work on their own compositions, applying the principles of framing and balance discussed.
Session 4: Transcription, Slide, and Demo
Transcription Exercise: Students select a Degas work to study and reproduce using pencil or charcoal.
Slide Presentation: Analysis of Degas’ key works with emphasis on his techniques and approach to figure drawing.
Demo: Instructor demonstrates techniques for transcribing a masterwork, focusing on accuracy in proportion, texture, and tonal layering.
Working Time: Students begin or continue their transcription project with one-on-one guidance.
Session 5: Work Time and Final Critique
Working Time: Students finalize their transcription or original composition, applying final adjustments based on instructor feedback.
Final Critique: Each student presents their completed work for group feedback and reflection.
Wrap-Up: Discussion on lessons learned and future applications of Degas-inspired techniques.
Course Materials List
Fabric: linen fabric (only) gesso primed
Colors:
Company’s: winsor& Newton( the cheapest) / Williamsburg/ Michal Harding
Titanium white
Yellow lemon
Orange
Cadmium red /vermilion
Alizarin crimson
Dioxide purple
Ultramarine blue
Cobalt
Viridian green
Light green /pale green/ cinnabar green
Emerald /veronesee
Raw umber
Burnt sienna
Green gold /Indian yellow
Brushes : synthetic ones and filbert ones .
Palate knife: prefers long and narrow one.
July 28 to August 25 (Mondays), 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/dxrdIRSYE1w
Course Description
In this course, students will immerse themselves in Edgar Degas' techniques, focusing on the use of oil paint and charcoal to capture movement, light, and dynamic compositions. Students will explore Degas’ mastery in portraying figures, whether dancers or everyday moments, using charcoal for sketching and oil paint for final rendering.
The course includes detailed demonstrations, critiques, and hands-on work sessions, where students will apply Degas’ methods to their own pieces. A key part of the course is completing a transcription of a Degas work, focusing on his layering techniques and attention to light and form.
Ideal for artists who want to refine their skills in capturing movement and working with oil paints and charcoal, this course offers both historical insight and practical application.
Course Outline
Session 1: Introduction to Degas
Slide Presentation: Introduction to Edgar Degas and selected works, focusing on his portrayal of movement and everyday life.
Working Time: Students create quick gesture sketches inspired by Degas’ themes (e.g., dancers, daily activities).
Homework: Complete a series of gesture sketches using pencil or charcoal, emphasizing motion and fluidity.
Session 2: Homework Review, Demo, and Tonality
Discussion: Group review of homework with feedback on gesture and movement.
Demo: Instructor demonstrates tonal drawing techniques using pencil or charcoal, focusing on light and shadow to create form.
Slide Presentation: Degas’ use of tonality to define depth and mood.
Working Time: Students create tonal studies from a new subject, practicing the techniques demonstrated.
Session 3: Homework Review and Composition Principles
Discussion: Review of tonal studies with group feedback on balance and depth.
Slide Presentation: Degas’ approach to composition—cropping, asymmetry, and dynamic framing.
Working Time: Students work on their own compositions, applying the principles of framing and balance discussed.
Session 4: Transcription, Slide, and Demo
Transcription Exercise: Students select a Degas work to study and reproduce using pencil or charcoal.
Slide Presentation: Analysis of Degas’ key works with emphasis on his techniques and approach to figure drawing.
Demo: Instructor demonstrates techniques for transcribing a masterwork, focusing on accuracy in proportion, texture, and tonal layering.
Working Time: Students begin or continue their transcription project with one-on-one guidance.
Session 5: Work Time and Final Critique
Working Time: Students finalize their transcription or original composition, applying final adjustments based on instructor feedback.
Final Critique: Each student presents their completed work for group feedback and reflection.
Wrap-Up: Discussion on lessons learned and future applications of Degas-inspired techniques.
Course Materials List
Fabric: linen fabric (only) gesso primed
Colors:
Company’s: winsor& Newton( the cheapest) / Williamsburg/ Michal Harding
Titanium white
Yellow lemon
Orange
Cadmium red /vermilion
Alizarin crimson
Dioxide purple
Ultramarine blue
Cobalt
Viridian green
Light green /pale green/ cinnabar green
Emerald /veronesee
Raw umber
Burnt sienna
Green gold /Indian yellow
Brushes : synthetic ones and filbert ones .
Palate knife: prefers long and narrow one.
July 28 to August 25 (Mondays), 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/dxrdIRSYE1w
Course Description
In this course, students will immerse themselves in Edgar Degas' techniques, focusing on the use of oil paint and charcoal to capture movement, light, and dynamic compositions. Students will explore Degas’ mastery in portraying figures, whether dancers or everyday moments, using charcoal for sketching and oil paint for final rendering.
The course includes detailed demonstrations, critiques, and hands-on work sessions, where students will apply Degas’ methods to their own pieces. A key part of the course is completing a transcription of a Degas work, focusing on his layering techniques and attention to light and form.
Ideal for artists who want to refine their skills in capturing movement and working with oil paints and charcoal, this course offers both historical insight and practical application.
Course Outline
Session 1: Introduction to Degas
Slide Presentation: Introduction to Edgar Degas and selected works, focusing on his portrayal of movement and everyday life.
Working Time: Students create quick gesture sketches inspired by Degas’ themes (e.g., dancers, daily activities).
Homework: Complete a series of gesture sketches using pencil or charcoal, emphasizing motion and fluidity.
Session 2: Homework Review, Demo, and Tonality
Discussion: Group review of homework with feedback on gesture and movement.
Demo: Instructor demonstrates tonal drawing techniques using pencil or charcoal, focusing on light and shadow to create form.
Slide Presentation: Degas’ use of tonality to define depth and mood.
Working Time: Students create tonal studies from a new subject, practicing the techniques demonstrated.
Session 3: Homework Review and Composition Principles
Discussion: Review of tonal studies with group feedback on balance and depth.
Slide Presentation: Degas’ approach to composition—cropping, asymmetry, and dynamic framing.
Working Time: Students work on their own compositions, applying the principles of framing and balance discussed.
Session 4: Transcription, Slide, and Demo
Transcription Exercise: Students select a Degas work to study and reproduce using pencil or charcoal.
Slide Presentation: Analysis of Degas’ key works with emphasis on his techniques and approach to figure drawing.
Demo: Instructor demonstrates techniques for transcribing a masterwork, focusing on accuracy in proportion, texture, and tonal layering.
Working Time: Students begin or continue their transcription project with one-on-one guidance.
Session 5: Work Time and Final Critique
Working Time: Students finalize their transcription or original composition, applying final adjustments based on instructor feedback.
Final Critique: Each student presents their completed work for group feedback and reflection.
Wrap-Up: Discussion on lessons learned and future applications of Degas-inspired techniques.
Course Materials List
Fabric: linen fabric (only) gesso primed
Colors:
Company’s: winsor& Newton( the cheapest) / Williamsburg/ Michal Harding
Titanium white
Yellow lemon
Orange
Cadmium red /vermilion
Alizarin crimson
Dioxide purple
Ultramarine blue
Cobalt
Viridian green
Light green /pale green/ cinnabar green
Emerald /veronesee
Raw umber
Burnt sienna
Green gold /Indian yellow
Brushes : synthetic ones and filbert ones .
Palate knife: prefers long and narrow one.