Looking forward to working together. 

Day One

We will focus on color mixing and different methods of applying paint. We will start with a color mixing exercise to broaden an understanding and appreciation of color temperatures, as well as values.  Attendees will paint two small works of the same subject to explore warm and cool relationships. This will lead to better understanding of how to add a sense of light to images. This is a recent addition to my teaching. Many are surprised at how many colors can be mixed from just a few. (There is the option to more formally continue this exercise in the afternoon for those interested).

We will then work from still lifes, which will enable me to understand how you approach your work and discover in what ways I can best assist you–in color relationships, values, use of the available tools, edges, and ultimately your way of seeing and painting. I will bring fruit, flowers and some still life objects. (Feel free to bring your own if desired.)

Day Two

Painting landscapes from photos or continuing with still life paintings.  If you have a few photos or objects you would like to paint, please bring them to class. For those wanting to paint portraits, I will give a brief demo on proportions and approaches. I will also address how to break free from the constraints imposed when working from photos, as well as the importance of edges.

Attendees are then free to continue with still lifes, work on landscapes or a subject of choice from their own photos. In a short workshop like this, I will only have time to simplify perspective and light on buildings, so it is best to bring either a nature scene or one with a limited number of buildings. For those who want to paint outside/plein air, there are scenes immediately outside of the studio available. If desired, I will also give a brief plein air demonstration in the afternoon.

Day Three

Attendees will hone in on a personal form of expression and create a piece of finish quality. There will be no demo. Do you want to paint impressionistically with a huge focus on color sensitivity? Do you want to paint expressively capturing the essence of movement and emotion in your work? Do you want to explore pure abstraction, or do you want to just add more of yourself in your representational direction?  It is up to you. 

Materials

• Oil or Acrylic paints: 
  • Phthalo Blue
  • Ultramarine Blue
  • Purple Dioxazine
  • Cadmium or Quinacridone Red
  • Cad Orange
  • Cad Yellow Medium
  • Lemon Yellow
  • Zinc Titanium White or just Titanium
  • Black is optional 
  • (no greens or browns – I want you to mix them).  
  • Optional great other colors: Transparent Orange, Cobalt Teal, Gamblin’s Radiant Blue or Kings Blue or similar.
• If using acrylics: Please bring Retarder.  Bring gel medium (if you so choose).  I usually use acrylics directly without medium but medium allows for glazing.  I can do a mini demo/explanation of glazing for those interested.
• If using oils: Bring your medium of choice.  I use Galkyd and Gamsol mixed.
• Please bring rags we can lay flat to dry. I discourage paper towels as they increase the likelihood of studio fires.
  
• Painting surfaces: I like Ampersand Gessobord or similar, but canvas boards, canvas paper (Stonehenge is great), premade canvases, etc. all work.
  • 4 small (8×10”) 
  • 2 to 3 16×20 (or similar)                                                                                                                    

• Pizza boxes or Raymar boxes for transporting wet paintings home. If you are flying, talk to me about shipping them when dry.
  
• Brushes (I use acrylic brushes or soft synthetic even for oils): Sizes (these or similar),
  • 4
  • 7
  • 11

• Palette knife/knives: 
  • My personal favorite is Blick’s RGM #50 or similar
  • Princeton Catalyst Wedge (I like the palm wedge but they have good ones on brush handles and/or FX
• Spatchers of choice or similar (check out Jerrysarama).  I do not recommend the ones with fancy cuts unless wanting to go totally decorative. I would work with the flat edges ones to begin with.
  
• Palette or Pochade of choice
  • If you don’t have one, you could use Grey Matter’s palette paper. I always bring extra palette paper.
• Photos that you might like to paint from. 
• If you want to paint outside but don’t want to bring an easel and pochade, email me to reserve an inexpensive portable easel and fold-up table top. cynthiarosenart@gmail.com

Instructor Bio

Cynthia Rosen is an award-winning professional palette knife painter and experienced instructor whose work is widely exhibited. Learn more: cynthiarosenartist.com