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Drawing & Painting
The drawing and painting department at Lillstreet is home to artists working in a wide range of media and disciplines. From traditional techniques of observation and representation to the expressive realms of non-objective abstraction, our courses examine the different modes of art-making that define drawing and painting as a contemporary practice. Whether you are a total beginner, a casual novice, or an advanced student, our drawing and painting studios provide a fantastic environment for you to create fearlessly.
First-Time Artist
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First-Time Drawing 5 Weeks This entry-level class is ideal for those with little or no drawing experience. Students will explore an array of traditional drawing approaches as they learn to create realistic drawings. Concepts of line, value, and proportion are covered.
Students should plan to purchase a drawing kit at Lillstreet on the first day of class.
First-Time Painting 4 or 5 Weeks This class will introduce you to the process of painting in acrylics. Starting with an introduction to the basic materials, students will learn how to use brushes and paint together to begin, develop and finish a painting so even a novice will find success in this direct and engaging class. Students should plan to purchase a First-Time Painting kit at Lillstreet on the first day of class.
4 Weeks Sunday 10am- 1pm Caleb Smith Session I: Starts April 5 (No Class April 12) $145, Members $140 $45 First-Time Painting Kit
Saturday 2- 5pm Patrick Wilkins Session I: Starts April 4 Session II: Starts May 9 $180, Members $175 $25 Drawing Kit 5 Weeks Monday 10am- 1pm Steve Amos Session I: Starts March 30 Session II: Starts May 4
Sunday 10am- 1pm Caleb Smith Session II: Starts May 10 $180, Members $175 $45 First-Time Painting Kit
Beginner
Painting Sampler: Acrylic, Oil and Watercolor 10 Weeks
Are you interested in painting but don’t know which medium to try first? This class will cover the basics of acrylic, oil and watercolor painting techniques. You will have opportunities to create paintings in each medium to discover which one resonates with you. Lessons in color theory, composition and drawing will help you build confidence in your painting skills. Supplies are provided and are covered by the material fee.
Monday 6:30- 9:30pm Amanda Mulcahy Starts March 30 $340, Members $330 $35 Material Fee
Beginning Acrylic Painting 10 Weeks Learn to mix colors, determine ideal brush types, and explore techniques specific to working with acrylic paint. You will also discover how to control value and color, paint from still life, and complete a self-portrait. This class is perfect for those who have taken First-Time Painting or have previous experience and want to expand their skills in acrylics. An acrylic painting kit is available for purchase for $75 on the first day of class but is not required.
Tuesday 10am– 1pm Melanie Brown Starts March 31
Beginning Drawing 10 Weeks If you are new to drawing or would like to refresh your drawing skills, you will discover something useful in this in-depth class. The fundamentals of value, line, and proportion will be expanded upon, and you will be introduced to the concepts of linear perspective, composition, and use of color. You will learn the skills to draw what you see confidently. A drawing kit is available for purchase for $25 on the first day of class but is not required.
Wednesday 10am- 1pm John Fleck Starts April 1
Drawing in Pen and Ink 10 Weeks Learn how to draw in ink – from line-drawing and shading with pens to creating rich ink washes. You will discover different value-building techniques, such as cross-hatching and stippling, and discuss how to draw complex textures and patterns. Prerequisite: First-Time Drawing or equivalent experience.
Beginning Figure & Portrait Drawing 4 or 5 Weeks Venture beyond the still life and explore the fundamentals of drawing portraits and figures while working from a nude model. Weekly demonstrations and structured exercises will emphasize observation, proportion, measuring, anatomy and seeing the figure and face as a combination of integrated shapes. You will work in charcoal and conté and must supply your own materials. Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing
5 Weeks Tuesday 6:30- 9:30pm Ken Minami Session I: Starts March 31 Session II: Starts May 5
Sunday 2–5pm Emmett Baggett Session II: Starts May 10 $185, Members $180 $40 Model Fee
Beginning Oil Painting 10 Weeks Learn the fundamentals of oil painting, a standard for professional painters since the 12th century. Experiment with color mixing and painting techniques that accumulate to enhance your skills and provide a foundation for confident painting with oils. An oil painting kit is available for purchase for $90 on the first day of class but is not required. Prerequisite: First-time Drawing or Beginning Drawing is recommended
Thursday 10am–1pm Patrick Miceli Starts April 2
Beginning Oil Pastels 5 Weeks Oil pastels, with their bright colors and gooey texture, offer artists a visceral way to create vibrant works. You will employ various techniques including optical blending, layering and creating washes to take advantage of some of the unique properties of this medium. Please bring a medium pastel drawing pad and a small set of artist-quality oil pastels to the first class. Prerequisite: First-Time Drawing, Beginning Drawing or equivalent experience
Beginning Watercolors 10 Weeks Explore the art of watercolor painting and discover how to paint wet into wet for expressive painting. In this class, you will learn to define shapes with color, create a color plan, and establish value from color. We will also delve into exercises that will teach about composition, color mixing, brush style, shape and form, light and value, paint application, and layering. A watercolor kit is available for purchase for $90 on the first day of class but is not required.
Introduction to Gouache 4 Weeks Learn to create with gouache, also referred to as opaque watercolor. Gouache is an extremely versatile and forgiving medium, great for those looking to build on their watercolor skills. We will cover color mixing, brushwork, paint application, layering, and blending. We will also touch on more general principles such as composition, shape and form, light, and value.
Prerequisite: basic skills in drawing and painting recommended
Sunday 2- 5pm Alex Boersma Session I: Starts April 5 (No Class April 12)
$145, Members $140
Understanding Color 5 Weeks
Learn to maximize your use of color to add vibrancy and depth to your work. Our focus will be on working with complementary colors, warm versus cool, color mixing, and blending. There will be demonstrations in both wet and dry media with various subject matters. Come prepared for the first class with a sketchpad and a set of nupastels (or equivalent). A supply list will be provided. Prerequisite: First-Time Drawing, First-Time Painting, Beginning Drawing or equivalent experience
Acrylic Studio: Still Life to Abstraction 10 Weeks Using a new still life set-up each class, we will have an emphasis on composition, color and the importance of equal attention to background and foreground. Through group discussion, we will build a common vocabulary and explore a variety of styles and methods.
Prerequisite: First-Time Painting, Beginning Acrylic Painting or equivalent experience recommended.
Botanical Watercolors 10 Weeks
Explore using watercolor to render botanical subjects with fellow plant lovers. You will paint in the studio using flower cuttings and live plants, and take a field trip to the local plant conservatory to sketch in the field. Increase your botanical knowledge, gain valuable observation of and appreciation for plants, and attain the skills needed to render plants beautifully, realistically and scientifically. Prerequisite: Introduction to Watercolor or equivalent experience.
The Traveling Sketchbook 5 Weeks The sketchbook is a site of brainstorming, experimentation and observation. We will utilize the sketchbook to its fullest potential by exploring all of these themes in various locations throughout the city as well as in the classroom. Using the sketchbook as your visual diary, you will draw directly from life, reference and your imagination in a variety of media.
Please bring a sketchbook and drawing medium of your choice to the first class. Experimental Collage 5 Weeks
Push the boundaries of representation and materials as you discover new techniques used in collage and multimedia work. Learn to create layers and excavate, create your own masks and stencils using analog and digital tools, and experiment with simple image transfer techniques. You should bring items and images from home to make your projects personally engaging.
Multilevel Figure 5 Weeks Open to beginning and continuing students of figure drawing, each session begins with instructor demos followed by long poses for individual development. The instructor will work with you one-on-one, at your level. Students supply their own materials. Charcoal, pastel, conte, or oil are all welcome.
Botanical Drawing in Pen and Ink 5 Weeks Discover techniques used to illustrate botanical subjects in pen and ink, including drawing with technical pens and using crow quill and ink wash. You will work from picked and potted plants in the studio, and take a trip to the local conservatory to sketch in the field. Your instructor will demonstrate new inking techniques each week, and guide you as you work on your own projects.
Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing, Drawing in Pen and Ink, or equivalent experience.
Introduction to Illustration 4 or 5 Weeks Become a master of your illustrative process. From thumbnail sketches to finished paintings, you will learn illustration techniques including sketchbook use and ideation, color theory, drawing fundamentals and multimedia painting techniques. You will work to create your own book cover, movie poster, or album cover.
Guided Painting Studio 10 Weeks This class is ideal for an advanced beginner or intermediate painter looking to establish a studio practice. You will work one on one with your instructor to develop projects of personal interest and to build your painting skills. Come to the first class prepared with your ideas, photos and painting supplies. Open to acrylic, oil and watercolor mediums.
Prerequisite: Beginning Oil Painting, Beginning Acrylic Painting, Introduction to Watercolor or prior painting experience
Contemporary Abstraction 10 Weeks Learn how to create abstract artworks utilizing contemporary painting techniques with oils and acrylics. Explore fundamental concepts such as form, composition, figure-ground relationships, and space. You will also experiment with color mixing and a variety of approaches to abstraction.
Prerequisite: Beginning Oil Painting, Beginning Acrylic Painting, or prior painting experience
Introduction to Traditional Calligraphy 5 Weeks
Learn the fundamentals and history of traditional dip pen calligraphy. Using a variety of tools and materials, explore and practice several styles of alphabets and lettering and discover what works best for you. You will learn a few styles, such as copperplate, blackletter, and italic.
Scientific Illustration 10 Weeks Learn to render natural and scientific subjects with graphite, pen, and watercolor. We will work from specimens, photos, and live plants. A trip to the local nature museum will allow sketching in the field. Class time will consist of demos, practicing techniques, and working on individual projects. Discover a new way of connecting art and nature.
Intuitive Painting 5 Weeks Develop your own language of mark making through a series of activities structured to develop your painterly instincts. Learn to trust your intuition while generating original ideas and expressing the unconscious. Exercises will include color studies and experimentation, the use of non-traditional paint brushes, using gravity or other natural forces to move paint, adding “chance” to your creative process, and finding inspiration in sound.
Prerequisite: First-Time Painting, Beginning Acrylic Painting or equivalent experience recommended.
Build upon your existing watercolor skills and learn more advanced watercolor techniques while developing a personal direction in your work. Demonstrations and practical exercises will focus on the properties of paint, value, color, texture, and composition. Painting projects will be self-directed, and class discussions will allow the opportunity to discuss color choices and composition. A variety of subject matter and styles will be explored. Prerequisite: Introduction to Watercolors or equivalent experience
Landscape Painting in the Studio 10 Weeks
Create landscape paintings using photographs and your imagination. You will learn the best way to gather reference photos and how to modify your painting for success. Composition, value, and color principles will all be discussed as you bring together an effective landscape. We will also consider how light reveals form and how to accentuate that. This class will give you an understanding of the benefits and challenges of photo reference. Suitable for oils or acrylics. Prerequisite: First-Time Painting, Beginning Acrylic Painting, Beginning Oil Painting or prior experience
Friday 10am–1pm John Fleck Starts April 3
Learn to focus on rendering the model directly in color in either soft pastel or an alla prima painting style with oil or acrylic paints. There will be a 2-week portrait pose and a 3-week figure pose. You will investigate color relationships, the importance of relative values, and lost and found edges. Prerequisite: Figure drawing and previous pastel, oil or acrylic painting experience recommended
Problem Solving for Oil Painters 10 Weeks
Your ideas will guide your individualized instruction as you expand your skills as a painter. If you choose, a still life setup will be available each week to further develop your skills in representational painting. This class will build on and enhance your previous painting experience.
Please come to the first class prepared to work in oils on a 16” x 20” canvas. Prerequisite: Beginning Oil Painting, Beginning Acrylic Painting, Project Based Oil Painting or equivalent experience.
Independent Painting Projects 10 Weeks Work one on one with your instructor to develop a project of personal interest, be it a portrait of a family member, pet, place you have visited, or any project which needs further development. This class meets the needs of oil painters with an emphasis on classical painting techniques used in representational painting.
Come to the first class prepared with your ideas, photos and painting supplies. Prerequisite: Beginning Acrylic Painting, Beginning Oil Painting or equivalent experience.
In this model class, we will start each day with a half-hour of quick poses, followed by one long pose, which will last one or two classes. The instructor will work with you on a one to one basis to refine your drawing skills to render the form and light on the human figure. All drawing media are welcome, including pastels. Prerequisite: Beginning Portrait and Figure or previous drawing experience.
Intermediate Figure and Portrait 5 Weeks
This class focuses on long-pose sessions, (one or two weeks) so students can work from the nude model for more in depth portraits or figure studies. Individualized instruction at the students level. Previous drawing experience helpful. Students work in the material of their choice. Prerequisite: Beginning Figure and Portrait Drawing or equivalent experience
Abstract Acrylic Painting Studio 5 Weeks Expand your vision in a lively, interactive environment using all forms of abstraction and nonobjective painting. Our focus will be on formal issues, exploring and encouraging skill development, techniques, and materials. Individual needs will be addressed. Works of influential artists will be discussed and visits to galleries encouraged. This class will help you develop and refine your personal creative goals.
Prerequisite: Beginning Acrylic Painting, experience in abstraction or equivalent experience
Friday 10am–1pm Cynthia Vaicunas Session I: Starts April 3 $195, Members $190
