A Course of Action for the Beginner Painter (Online Course) Winter 2025 w/ Tom Balderas
March 4 to March 25 (Tuesdays), 1:00 PM to 3:30 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
New to painting? Have you been struggling on your own? Always wanted to learn how to paint? Not sure how to start?
This four session course with Tom Balderas will answer all your questions about how to get started on your journey to becoming a painter. You will learn which tools and materials are best to suit the needs of a beginning painter. You will learn the fundamentals of the two big approaches (value and color) to creating paintings. Tom will demystify as well as simplify the process of painting. This course will provide you the know-how that if put into regular use is guaranteed to aid you in becoming a competent painter. Questions are strongly encouraged and appreciated. Participants will paint at their own pace in between sessions and post work for input.
Course Outline
Week 1 -
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
A discussion about the essential painting tools - paint, brushes and supports.
Learn the essentials of simple drawing.
Seeing objects as simplified shapes.
The idea of painting is akin to simple note taking.
The simple painting starts to finish.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 2 -
Beginners look at the simplified approach to painting through the “value” system.
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
What to look for in order to simplify the concept of “value” painting.
Developing a critical eye for observation of light.
A word about brush work - How to develop gestural or an impressionistic hand.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 3 -
Beginners look at the simplified approach to becoming a colorist painter.
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
Further discussion about the ideas of the “painterly” painter.
The primary colors.
How relating big differences in objects becomes the foundation for the colorist painter.
The mindset or thinking in color.
Mixing paint/color.
Keeping the process of constructing a painting a simplified matter from start to finish.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 4 -
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lessons of the day.
Building upon the lessons of the previous sessions Tom will show how to approach more complex subject matter.
How the study of still life can be a springboard to painting seemingly more difficult subject matter such as the figure and landscape.
How to set up still life arrangements that will enable the painter to create more ambitious works of art.
Course Materials
Paints:
Your choice of either student or professional grade.
Oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, gouache
Blues
Ultramarine Blue
Cerulean
Greens
Phthalo Green or Viridian
Reds
Alizarin Crimson
Cadmium Red Light or Medium
Yellows
Ochre
Cadmium Yellow Light or Medium
Titanium White
black
Palette (Preferably at least a 16x20 palette / Glass is great with a neutral gray paper underneath, wood. Paper palettes are cost effective and work well but not highly recommended.)
Palette knife (optional) size and shape of your choice.
Brushes:
Sizes - your choosing but I recommend at least three. Numbers 2, 8, 12 (I use Hog Hair bristle filbert brushes)
Odorless turpentine/paint thinner
1 - Decent size jar or can for cleaning brushes
1 - Decent size jar or can for clean turpentine mixing
Paper towels
Paint scraper (or cleaning palette)
Supports:
Cotton or linen canvas, gessoed paper, cardboard and/or masonite. Recommend size: 6x8, 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, 20x24 or larger.
Pencil, charcoal or conte
Sketch or note book.
Easel
March 4 to March 25 (Tuesdays), 1:00 PM to 3:30 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
New to painting? Have you been struggling on your own? Always wanted to learn how to paint? Not sure how to start?
This four session course with Tom Balderas will answer all your questions about how to get started on your journey to becoming a painter. You will learn which tools and materials are best to suit the needs of a beginning painter. You will learn the fundamentals of the two big approaches (value and color) to creating paintings. Tom will demystify as well as simplify the process of painting. This course will provide you the know-how that if put into regular use is guaranteed to aid you in becoming a competent painter. Questions are strongly encouraged and appreciated. Participants will paint at their own pace in between sessions and post work for input.
Course Outline
Week 1 -
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
A discussion about the essential painting tools - paint, brushes and supports.
Learn the essentials of simple drawing.
Seeing objects as simplified shapes.
The idea of painting is akin to simple note taking.
The simple painting starts to finish.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 2 -
Beginners look at the simplified approach to painting through the “value” system.
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
What to look for in order to simplify the concept of “value” painting.
Developing a critical eye for observation of light.
A word about brush work - How to develop gestural or an impressionistic hand.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 3 -
Beginners look at the simplified approach to becoming a colorist painter.
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
Further discussion about the ideas of the “painterly” painter.
The primary colors.
How relating big differences in objects becomes the foundation for the colorist painter.
The mindset or thinking in color.
Mixing paint/color.
Keeping the process of constructing a painting a simplified matter from start to finish.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 4 -
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lessons of the day.
Building upon the lessons of the previous sessions Tom will show how to approach more complex subject matter.
How the study of still life can be a springboard to painting seemingly more difficult subject matter such as the figure and landscape.
How to set up still life arrangements that will enable the painter to create more ambitious works of art.
Course Materials
Paints:
Your choice of either student or professional grade.
Oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, gouache
Blues
Ultramarine Blue
Cerulean
Greens
Phthalo Green or Viridian
Reds
Alizarin Crimson
Cadmium Red Light or Medium
Yellows
Ochre
Cadmium Yellow Light or Medium
Titanium White
black
Palette (Preferably at least a 16x20 palette / Glass is great with a neutral gray paper underneath, wood. Paper palettes are cost effective and work well but not highly recommended.)
Palette knife (optional) size and shape of your choice.
Brushes:
Sizes - your choosing but I recommend at least three. Numbers 2, 8, 12 (I use Hog Hair bristle filbert brushes)
Odorless turpentine/paint thinner
1 - Decent size jar or can for cleaning brushes
1 - Decent size jar or can for clean turpentine mixing
Paper towels
Paint scraper (or cleaning palette)
Supports:
Cotton or linen canvas, gessoed paper, cardboard and/or masonite. Recommend size: 6x8, 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, 20x24 or larger.
Pencil, charcoal or conte
Sketch or note book.
Easel
March 4 to March 25 (Tuesdays), 1:00 PM to 3:30 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
New to painting? Have you been struggling on your own? Always wanted to learn how to paint? Not sure how to start?
This four session course with Tom Balderas will answer all your questions about how to get started on your journey to becoming a painter. You will learn which tools and materials are best to suit the needs of a beginning painter. You will learn the fundamentals of the two big approaches (value and color) to creating paintings. Tom will demystify as well as simplify the process of painting. This course will provide you the know-how that if put into regular use is guaranteed to aid you in becoming a competent painter. Questions are strongly encouraged and appreciated. Participants will paint at their own pace in between sessions and post work for input.
Course Outline
Week 1 -
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
A discussion about the essential painting tools - paint, brushes and supports.
Learn the essentials of simple drawing.
Seeing objects as simplified shapes.
The idea of painting is akin to simple note taking.
The simple painting starts to finish.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 2 -
Beginners look at the simplified approach to painting through the “value” system.
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
What to look for in order to simplify the concept of “value” painting.
Developing a critical eye for observation of light.
A word about brush work - How to develop gestural or an impressionistic hand.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 3 -
Beginners look at the simplified approach to becoming a colorist painter.
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lesson of the day.
Further discussion about the ideas of the “painterly” painter.
The primary colors.
How relating big differences in objects becomes the foundation for the colorist painter.
The mindset or thinking in color.
Mixing paint/color.
Keeping the process of constructing a painting a simplified matter from start to finish.
Watch Tom demonstrate these ideas in action while he paints at the easel.
Week 4 -
Keynote presentation of paintings that will inspire and speak to the lessons of the day.
Building upon the lessons of the previous sessions Tom will show how to approach more complex subject matter.
How the study of still life can be a springboard to painting seemingly more difficult subject matter such as the figure and landscape.
How to set up still life arrangements that will enable the painter to create more ambitious works of art.
Course Materials
Paints:
Your choice of either student or professional grade.
Oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, gouache
Blues
Ultramarine Blue
Cerulean
Greens
Phthalo Green or Viridian
Reds
Alizarin Crimson
Cadmium Red Light or Medium
Yellows
Ochre
Cadmium Yellow Light or Medium
Titanium White
black
Palette (Preferably at least a 16x20 palette / Glass is great with a neutral gray paper underneath, wood. Paper palettes are cost effective and work well but not highly recommended.)
Palette knife (optional) size and shape of your choice.
Brushes:
Sizes - your choosing but I recommend at least three. Numbers 2, 8, 12 (I use Hog Hair bristle filbert brushes)
Odorless turpentine/paint thinner
1 - Decent size jar or can for cleaning brushes
1 - Decent size jar or can for clean turpentine mixing
Paper towels
Paint scraper (or cleaning palette)
Supports:
Cotton or linen canvas, gessoed paper, cardboard and/or masonite. Recommend size: 6x8, 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, 20x24 or larger.
Pencil, charcoal or conte
Sketch or note book.
Easel