In this 4 day painting retreat, participants will be exposed to a number of unique painting techniques under the guidance of Daniel Bilmes. Working with live models in a north light studio—participants will work in oil to explore and understand different strategies for painting the human form. Subject matter will include composition, color mixing, value control, glazing, mood and expression--as well as the artists analysis and interpretation. In this intensive observation, participants will explore the uniqueness of individual features and their relationship to each other as part of a coherent whole. Multiple live demonstrations as well as one-on-one critiques will cover a variety of stages in the painting process--from the initial block in, to color, texture, focal points and finishing touches.
Daniel Bilmes Bio:
Daniel Bilmes is a contemporary painter, working in Los Angeles. His approach is characterized by deep personal exploration, combining realism with elements of symbolism and abstraction. Through tactile textures and delicate expressions, his paintings weave together the magical and mundane. His work is at once hopeful and brooding. Realistic and symbolic. Somewhere between the vitality of the Russian circus and the gravitas of a Churchill speech. Daniel began his art education at the age of 8 under the tutelage of his father, the respected artist and educator, Semyon Bilmes. Being immersed in art from such an early age had a profound impact on his personal growth and creativity, laying a lasting foundation of curiosity that continues to drive and inform his work today.
Hours: 11:00 am to 4:15 pm Long Break: 1:30 pm - 2:10 pm
Cost: $590
This workshop will focus on a long pose figure drawing with a side-by-side comparison drawing of the human skeleton. Drawings will be made from direct observation of the live model as well as from a reference skeleton. Students will be able to cement their knowledge of the skeleton and the surface structure that it is overtly responsible for. Discussion topics will include the Anatomy of the Skeleton, Proportion, and Bony Landmarks. The workshop will also investigate figure drawing tactics of Gesture Drawing, Volumes-in-Space, and strategies for deep perception of the model. Much time will be spent in thinking about the effects of light and shadow on form, as well as techniques used for rendering.
All tuition fees are non refundable and non transferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted.
Please send cashiers checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS
969 G Edgewater Blvd Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070
SPRING WORKSHOP: Fridays March 5, 12, 19, 26, April 2, 2021 (5 sessions) Fridays April 9, 16, 23, 30, May 14, 2021 (5 sessions) Hours: 3:00pm-6:00pm PST
Fall Workshop Fridays September 17, 24, October 1, 8, 15, 2021 (5 sessions) Hours: 3:00pm-6:00pm PD
Course Description:
In this course we will explore concepts of color theory and color mixing, which are fundamental to creating the convincing illusion of reality in our paintings. In addition, we will be looking right away at practical ways in which we can apply these ideas to real life painting scenarios so that students don’t suffer from any type of “disconnect” between the theory and the practical application. Over the course of five weeks, we will be discussing: -The three dimensions, or qualities, of color and how we can conceive of color as a three dimensional “color space”. By using these three terms, we can accurately describe and identify any color which we can mix. -How light interacts with form to create gradients and what that means for us in terms of color when it comes to rendering form.-The difference between diffuse reflection and specular reflection (understanding highlights, reflections on shiny objects and much more!). -Shadows and reflected light: How to figure out what color the shadows are and why they look the way that they do. -How to accurately identify and organize colors within a composition.
Over the course of this five week class, students will set up a series of small, simple still life arrangements and complete weekly “color studies”. By creating small, simplified paintings we can make the most of our time and get in the most practice mixing and identifying colors. By the end of the five weeks students should feel more comfortable with both identifying and mixing colors. This class will pack a lot of information in to a relatively quick amount of time. Whether you are brand new to oil painting or are an experienced painter wanting to understand light and color in a deeper way, this will be a great opportunity to take you skills and understanding further.
All tuition fees are non refundable and non transferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted.
Pay now via PayPal or Credit Card (PayPal and Credit Card payments include an extra administration fee)
Figure Drawing-One, Two, or Three Weeks:
All tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable.
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be signed prior to attendance
Course Description
10 Day Workshop
Cost: $1250.00
Extra Critique after Workshop (30 minutes each)
Cost: $95.00
All tuition fees are non refundable and non transferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted.
Please send cashiers checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS
969 G Edgewater Blvd Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070
Non-symbolic painting represents what we see with our eyes, not substituting ideograms, like present day ‘emojis’. In learning to paint non-symbolically we develop an understanding of the building blocks of visual experience: the form of things, and the light by means of which we see this form. We become aware of the fact that in all of nature in general, in particular the human figure, there is a certain wonderfully beautiful kind of formal structure about which there has for centuries been a special knowledge and language.
We who practice the art of painting from life study this knowledge.
Form painting is a way of painting that is one with the understanding of form and light. It is a methodical way of processing and representing our perception of the appearance of the model. Through the agency of light, a great quantity of information shines from the model. In form painting we learn how to format and sequentialize that information, and bring it into our painting one brushstroke at a time.
In this figure painting workshop Tony demonstrates form painting on a toned ground, beginning with a medium-value ochre brush drawing. He illustrates the block-in and refinement of the drawing. He shows and explains how he sees, mixes and applies colors. He explains and demonstrates the logic of the method of painting from dark to light. He describes in great detail the forms of the head, their fluid shapes, convex surfaces and how they fit together. He shows how he builds the painting from the drawing up, again and again with each form, unified by the perception of the organization of the form of the model and the coherent action of the light.
Cost: $1425 Summer 2019 (10 Days) Cost: $2200 for Combined Figure Drawing and Painting (15 Days)
All tuition fees are non refundable and non transferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted.
Pay now via PayPal or credit card (PayPal and Credit Card payments include an extra administration fee)
Figure Painting
Combined Drawing and Painting
Partial Payments are not accepted.
We do not accept cash.
All tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable.
One week course - an overview of basic principles and practices.
Drawing from the live model.
Two hour general demonstration each morning.
Art of Drawing
Drawing is an art that integrates and coordinates various ways of seeing. At the same time, it is something we do with pencil and paper. We make the mind into an instrument of attention, and then into several more, and then we teach them to play together while we lead the pencil about on the paper in a balletic movement.
Life Drawing
Drawing from life is patterned after the shapes of life, and the movement of life is in it. It is a way and expression of life. This life grows through practice in a supportive environment. We learn to draw by making many drawings, being in the studio, hearing the teaching, and focusing attention.
Point, Line and Tone
We use the pencil differently at different times in the process. Long light strokes and careful curves, hatching and cross hatching. It follows the way that the mind is thinking at that stage of the drawing. The drawing progresses through various stages, and the pencil adapts to the thought process in each one.
Process
In this approach, we begin with the block-in, the structure of the drawing, judging proportion with point to point vision. We infuse the block-in with movement and fullness, and work with it, and gradually refine it and develop it into a convex contour. In this way we make it into a containing shape into which we bring light and shadow. These we elaborate according to our sense of form and understanding of light. This process is demonstrated in class, and the principles explained and illustrated repeatedly.
Study and Practice
The rest of the class is given over to study and practice with personal instruction.
A highly intensive and enjoyable learning experience. A good workout! Recommended to all levels.
All tuition fees are non refundable and non transferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted.
Pay now via PayPal or Credit Card (PayPal and Credit Card payments include an extra administration fee)
Figure Drawing
Combined Drawing and Painting
All tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable.
In this 4 part workshop series, we will approach drawing the figure through several different lenses that build upon each other. In the first workshop, we will study how movement informs the body and how we can draw more graceful, life-like figures. From there, the second workshop will focus on structure, form, and proportion, giving our figure drawings weight and anatomical naturalism. In the third workshop, we’ll delve into light and shadow, learning how to shade our figure drawings accurately and luminously. In the final workshop, we’ll focus on refining our figure drawings by studying the more complex areas of the portrait, hands, and feet. Together, these concepts and theories will help you explore the beauty and poetry of the human body.
Each workshop will be a combination of demonstration and practice time from a live model. This series of classes is designed to leave you feeling more confident in your ability to draw more dynamic, evocative, and naturalistic figures and provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to continually push yourself forward as an artist.
Workshop Descriptions
March 25-27, 2022
Figure Drawing Part 1: Grace & Movement
When we’re learning to draw, students often assume that proportion is the most important thing we need to improve our figure drawings. While this can lead to perfect measurements, it doesn’t lead to a sense of dynamic inner life.
We want our drawings to feel alive and full of movement: as if they could get up and walk away at any moment. Understanding movement and the shape of organic form is how we can infuse our drawings with this deep sense of life. Without these foundations, drawings can become blocky, stiff and feel not quite “human”.
The workshop will be a combination of demonstrations of various exercises and practice time for these exercises. There will be individual support and critique as well.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
· Inner movement and how it dictates everything the body does
· How to think in three dimensional space
· How to build a dynamic block in
· The rules of organic form
· How the body is structured and designed
May 13-15, 2022
Figure Drawing Part 2: Structure and Proportion
Once our drawings have a sense of movement (see Workshop 1), we want to give them a strong framework and structure so that our drawings have both movement and muscle. Building upon what we covered in the first workshop, this class will delve more deeply into building form, proportion and the construction of the human body.
The workshop will be a combination of demonstrations of various exercises and practice time for these exercises. There will be individual support and critique as well.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
· Structural thinking and how to think in three-dimensional space
· How to effectively use your block in
· What are the elements of an accurate and beautiful contour
· The rules of organic form
· Proportion
· How the body is structured and designed
Oct 14 – 16, 2022
Figure Drawing Part 3: Light & Shadow
Once we have a foundational understanding of how to draw a figure that is both dynamic and anatomically accurate, we move on to investigating light and shadow more deeply. How does light work? How does it interact with the shapes of the human body? How do we build both the largest light effect and learn how to light the smaller, more detailed shapes? This class will cover all of your burning questions about how to shade your figure drawings, giving you the knowledge you need to understand light deeply and create luminous drawings.
The workshop will be a combination of demonstrations of various exercises and practice time for these exercises. There will be individual support and critique as well.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
· The physics of light
· How light and human form interact
· The four orders of light effects
· The rules of organic form
· Why you want to think about eggs when you’re lighting the figure
· The importance of wedging and tapering light shapes
· How to make your figures look full and round
Dec 9-11, 2022
Figure Drawing Part 4: Refining the Figure (Portrait, Hands, Feet)
Once we have a figure drawing filled with movement, structure and light, we can turn to the more detailed aspects of refining our drawings. This class will tackle the “fiddly bits” - an overview of portrait drawing, hands and feet so that we can create drawings that feel “finished”. These aspects of the figure will build upon everything else that we learned this year, taking the underlying theories and concepts and applying them to the more complex and detailed parts of the body.
The workshop will be a combination of demonstrations of various exercises and practice time for these exercises. There will be individual support and critique as well.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
· Structure of the portrait and the proportions of the face
· Using the theories we’ve been studying to analyze and understand the eyes, ears, nose and mouth
· An effective approach for drawings hands & fingers
· The structure of feet and toes
· General principles and ideas for refining your figure drawings
Bio:
Sarah Marie Lacy is an award-winning artist and teacher based in Canada’s capital city of Ottawa. Known for her accessible, effective and humorous teaching style, she ran the popular figure drawing atelier “The Drawing Room Studio” for 5 years, and is highly sought after as a teacher. She has been an invited demonstrating artist at the National Gallery of Canada on multiple occasions, particularly for exhibitions with an 18th century drawing focus. Trained in classical realism at Studio Escalier, her intimate portraits and nudes explore the silent stories that are written on our bones and skin. She has received several awards and grants, including first place in The Artist Magazine’s Annual Competition and a Certificate of Excellence in the Portrait Society of America’s International Competition.
Garden roses are some of the most beautiful forms in the botanical world. They have been cultivated for centuries and bear little resemblance to the stiff generic varieties that are commonly available. In this intensive workshop painters will have an opportunity to study their complex geometry and exquisite color subtlety. The course will Include an indirect method of painting and the introduction of a specific limited palette. A brief slide lecture on the history of the genre will inspire us as we explore this timeless motif.
All tuition fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Zelle®, Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted. Pay by Zelle® via info@bacaa.org
Pay now by PayPal or Credit Card
Please send checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS:
969 G Edgewater Blvd Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070 Contact: info@bacaa.org 650-832-1544
This 5 day workshop will focus on painting the nude figure from life.
Starting with limited palette, and working up to a more extended color palette, students will be developing their painting by focusing on strong painting , building form with correct values, and honing their skills with naturalistic color application. Color sketching, anatomical principles, and composition will be discussed as we progress with our figure painting. Students will have the full ten days to complete one painting. .
Kamille will be painting alongside the students and giving individual critiques daily.
All tuition fees are non-refundable and non-transferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Zelle®, Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted. Pay by Zelle® at info@bacaa.org
Please send checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS:
969 G Edgewater Blvd #106 Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070
Dates: October 28, 29, 30, 2022 Hours: 11 am - 5:00 pm Demo: 11:00- 1:30 Lunch: 1:30-2:15 Afternoon: 2:15-5:15 pm
Description:
In this workshop, students will create a finished portrait painting from life using traditional techniques over the course of three days. Emphasis will be placed on large shape drawing, value control, and accurate form-based color Painting the portrait can happen in many different ways from very loose Alla Prima studies to fully rendered paintings and we’ll explore the benefits of each. Class discussions will include how to accurately judge values, value compression, handling of edges, and using simple and complex forms while working from life as well as anatomy and abstract facial structure Darren will demo from the model for the first few hours of class and the students will work the remainder of the day with guided instruction. Schedule: Day 1
All tuition fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Zelle®, Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted. Pay by Zelle® via info@bacaa.org
Please send cashiers checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS
969 G Edgewater Blvd Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070
Painting flowers provides a unique challenge for an artist. Because of their translucent petals, bright colors and quickly changing shapes, artists are forced to be more decisive than ever in order to capture their subject before it has changed. In this class, students will spend three days making their own floral painting which we will use as a vehicle for discussing various concepts relating to oil painting in general.
The first day will start with a demonstration by the instructor to get people started. In this first days demo, emphasis will be put on how to begin our paintings well, so that we can set ourselves up for success throughout the painting process. We will also be talking extensively about color mixing, paint handling, materials and how our light source interacts with the unique qualities of flower petals, giving them the special characteristics that make us so drawn to their beauty. Whether you are brand new to oil painting, or a more advanced painter looking to refine your skills, this workshop will be a great opportunity to take your understanding to the next level.
All tuition fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Zelle®, Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted. Pay by Zelle® via info@bacaa.org
Please send cashiers checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS
969 G Edgewater Blvd Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070
In this weekend workshop series, we will explore figure drawing by deepening our understanding of structure and anatomy. The class will build from the ground up, working from the live model with strategies that will help us understand the dynamics of the body. We will study key skeletal landmarks and see how they are organized in volumetric perspective via the active and passive rhythms of the body. The movement curve will guide the proportion of our block in, unify the major masses of the body, and help us to anticipate formal pathways. Ultimately, light will lead the way as we ground and reinforce our perceptual experience with a better conceptual realization of the figure in our drawings.
Content breakdown:
The Movement Curve - The dynamic energy of the body
The Envelope & Block in - The perceptual foundation of our drawing
Anatomical Landmarks, Volume and Perspective - Realizing the figure in three dimensions relative to our point of observation
Planarity and Tone - The woven relationship of structure and light
My goal for the course is for each student to strengthen their understanding of these ideas while exploring the figure drawing process.
Bio:
M. Tobias Hall (b. 1981) lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Tobias has an MFA in Painting from the New York Academy of Art (Class of 2017), and received his BA magna cum laude in Fine Arts (with a focus on Animation) from Arizona State University.
He has taught drawing and painting as an instructor at the Ryder Studio (Santa Fe, NM), Studio Escalier (Paris & Argenton Chateau, France), and has taught online with several schools, including Studio Incamminati, the New Mexico Art League and the Teaching Studios of Art.
Portrait Drawing: Steven believes drawing is the cornerstone of painting and sculpture. It is a selective process that gives meaning and expression to a drawing that influences our skills as painters.
The workshop will include:
Discussion of materials and craft
Discussion of the construction of the head
Strategy for planning and placement + composition
A simplified method of measuring proportions
The development of light and shadow and the reflective properties of flesh
He will start with thinking about the skull as a form in space and how it operates in space and then proceed to the development of the head from the inside out.
This workshop will be devoted to the construction of the head in both form and color.
We will cover issues of proportion, form ,light and color along with ideas associated with portraiture and its history.
Learning to see is a selective endeavor. Understanding is an extension of our mind's eye. We will look at color as value , and temperature as form.
The following will be discussed
Lecture and discussion of materials, Strategies for planning placement and composition.
Basic proportion and construction of the head.
Observation of color as value.
Demonstration of underpainting and block in using limited palette.
Demonstration of final painting using full palette.
One single pose with various light possibilities.
We will start with thinking about the skull as a form, in space and how it operates in space and then proceed to development of the head, from the inside out.
This workshop will explore both an analytical and emotive approach to painting; emphasizing color and value relationships and the psychological tension created through observation and interpretation.
Costs: Painting $640
Portrait Commissions:
As a special offer Steven will be offering the exciting opportunity for two portrait commissions on two different evenings. These opportunities will be open to any interested parties. Please contact BACAA at info@bacaa.org to inquire about purchasing a portrait commision.
All tuition fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Zelle®, Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted. Pay by Zelle® via info@bacaa.org
Please send cashiers checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS
969 G Edgewater Blvd Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070
This workshop will be devoted to the construction of the head in both form and color.
We will cover issues of proportion, form ,light and color along with ideas associated with portraiture and its history.
Learning to see is a selective endeavor. Understanding is an extension of our mind's eye. We will look at color as value , and temperature as form.
The following will be discussed
Lecture and discussion of materials, Strategies for planning placement and composition.
Basic proportion and construction of the head.
Observation of color as value.
Demonstration of underpainting and block in using limited palette.
Demonstration of final painting using full palette.
One single pose with various light possibilities.
We will start with thinking about the skull as a form, in space and how it operates in space and then proceed to development of the head, from the inside out.
This workshop will explore both an analytical and emotive approach to painting; emphasizing color and value relationships and the psychological tension created through observation and interpretation.
Costs: Painting $640
PORTRAIT COMMISSIONS:
As a special offer Steven will be offering the exciting opportunity for two portrait commissions on two different evenings. These opportunities will be open to any interested parties. Please contact BACAA at info@bacaa.org to inquire about purchasing a portrait commission.
All tuition fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Zelle®, Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted. Pay by Zelle® via info@bacaa.org
Please send cashiers checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS
969 G Edgewater Blvd Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070
In this course, students will go step by step through the process of creating a still life painting from beginning to end.
We will begin with a linear drawing, or “block in” which will be transferred on to the canvas. From there we will discuss how to:
-Set ourselves up for success with the underpainting or “ebauche”
-Establish our large color relationships using a preliminary color study
-Model form convincingly in full color
- Come up with a logical plan of action to help us work most efficiently
- Come back in to correct areas that have already been painted
- Add finishing touches at the end to bring it all together
A good deal of time will be spent discussing paint handling, palette organization, how to depict different types of surfaces, textures and light effects, how to achieve accurate color relationships, and how to accurately model form in full color.
Because emphasis will be put on completing the painting within the week, students are encouraged to keep their subject matter relatively simple.
At the end of the week students should walk away with a clear sense of how the entire process works. With that understanding, the method and newfound skills can be taken back to their own studios and easily applied to more complex projects.
Devin Cecil-Wishing Still Life Registration
All tuition fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Zelle®, Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted. Pay by Zelle® via info@bacaa.org
Please send cashiers checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS
969 G Edgewater Blvd Foster City, CA 94404
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACAA STUDIO ADDRESS 345 Quarry Rd San Carlos, CA 94070
Portrait Painting in Oil An Introduction to Form Painting, a Complete Method of Painting the Portrait in Oil, in Five Stages
The Five Stages of Form Painting
Poster Study The poster study is the first exercise in the form painting process. It is a postcard-sized, simplified, abstract color sketch that represents the major tonal elements and tonal relationships of the composition. The world that we see, which is the light that enters our eyes, consists of many-colored beams of light, related to one another in a delicately balanced harmony. We call this tonal balance of the reality of the model in the space, the ‘Poster’, and we see it in terms of hue, value and chromatic intensity. We build the poster study from dark to light, ignoring details. The poster study is the foundational exercise in Form Painting in seeing and mixing color.
Charcoal Drawing and Ink-In We carry out the remaining stages of the form painting process directly on the panel that is to be the support of the finished painting. The second and third stages are the Charcoal Drawing and the Ink-In.
The drawing is done in vine charcoal. As a precursor to oil painting, because it’s easily removed, vine is a variety of charcoal that lends itself to drawing on canvas and panel. Once the drawing is finished, its lines are inked in with a fine small brush, using a dilute mixture of oil paint and solvent. This ‘ink’ drawing dries to the touch by the following day, and the charcoal is brushed away.
Wash-In The fourth stage is called the Wash-In. The wash-in is a thin under-painting executed in dilute washes of oil paint and solvent. It somewhat resembles a watercolor. Unlike monochromatic under-painting techniques, the wash-in is fully chromatic.
The wash-in is an intermediate layer. It is the mediating factor that unites and reconciles the bare canvas and the finished paint surface.
The wash-in helps solve many of the problems that we would otherwise encounter if we were to paint a finished painting directly on white canvas. One such problem has to do with knowing whether or not the colors we’re applying to the painting are indeed the ones we want. Colors, by themselves, are never right or wrong. They can only be judged in their tonal context, i.e., in the painting itself. That context is never fully realized until the painting is done. Consequently, while the painting is in progress there is always a degree of uncertainty involved in the choice of colors. However, we can take steps to lessen the degree of uncertainty.
We already took one such step when we painted the poster study. In that exercise we began to acquaint ourselves with an accurate estimation of the tonal structure of the composition. The wash-in is another step in this direction. In it we gradually build up, through a series of quick drying layers, a thin under-painting that approximates a true painted version of the scene we intend to paint.
Against a white background nearly all colors seem very dark, and many of them seem much less intense than they would in the context of a finished painting. The tendency when painting on a white surface, is to make everything too light and too saturated. It is difficult to judge colors accurately. It is much easier to judge the colors of the final paint layer when they’re applied on top of the wash-in.
Another difficulty arises when we attempt to achieve certain color effects with only a single paint layer. Many tube colors are either transparent or semi-transparent. Consequently, many of the color mixtures we produce on our palettes are likewise somewhat transparent. It is difficult to cover the white of the canvas uniformly with such mixtures. The application of these colors over a white surface results in a mottled, uneven paint layer. In order to cover the white surface uniformly, such paint must be thickly built up. This makes it difficult to handle. By contrast, thin paint films are relatively easy to handle, and are preferable to thick paint films, especially when painting delicate passages in which intricate drawing and subtle shading play a part. The wash-in pre-tints each part of the canvas with a color foundation similar to the final color mixture to be applied in that place at a later time. Much of the work of covering the canvas is thus accomplished in the wash-in. It therefore enables us to paint relatively thinly in the final coat.
The wash-in is the dress rehearsal of the finished painting. It prepares the canvas (and the painter) for the exacting effort of finding and applying the precise color mixtures of the form painting process.
Form Painting The fifth and final stage gives its name to the entire process: Form Painting. It is a ‘direct’, ‘window shade’ method of painting ‘wet into wet’, and ‘into a dark base’. In form painting we mix individual colors with a brush on the palette, and apply them to the surface of the canvas, brush stroke by brush stroke, creating continuous, changing tonal progressions. These progressions mimic the changes of light and shade that we see on the model. Since the colors are applied directly, and opaquely, rather than being developed indirectly by the multiple transparent layers typical of glazing techniques, form painting is considered to be a ‘direct’ painting method.
This is not a ‘paint everywhere quickly’ approach. Instead, form painting is a ‘window shade’ technique. We paint one section at a time, finishing it completely, before we go to the next, adjacent section. The painting slowly reveals itself as if a window shade were being withdrawn to expose the scene hidden behind it. This approach necessitates careful control of value and color. It benefits from an accurate drawing.
We begin painting each section in the darker tonalities, at the bottom of the tonal progression, and then proceed up into the light, for which reason this method is referred to as painting ‘from dark to light’. Furthermore, we paint each section in two layers: an initial, somewhat generalized, and slightly darker layer, called the ‘dark base’, then, while the base is still wet, we brush in the ‘lights’. Thus, we paint ‘wet into wet’ and ‘into a dark base’.
Cost: $1590 (10 Days) Discount if you sign up for both Drawing & Painting ($2950)
All tuition fees are non refundable and non transferable
Registration form/Terms and conditions must be completed and agreed to, or signed prior and emailed prior to attendance
Pay by Cashiers Check, Bank Bill Pay, Zelle®, Credit Card, or PayPal We do not accept Personal Checks. We do not accept cash. Partial Payments are not accepted. Pay by Zelle® at info@bacaa.org
Pay now via PayPal or credit card
Portrait Painting
Combined Drawing and Painting
Partial Payments are not accepted.
We do not accept cash.
All tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable.
Please send checks and packets to the BACAA BUSINESS ADDRESS:
