Color can excite or calm the viewer, create a sense of space and depth, emphasize mood, and direct focus within a work of art. Effective use of color comes from an understanding of its essential principles. This three-day workshop will develop participants’ color-mixing techniques, deepen their understanding of color relationships, and explore approaches to color choice. The goal is to help artists create images that have visual impact, whether working abstractly or realistically.

Known for her vibrant palette knife paintings, Cynthia will offer focused demonstration using the palette knife, along with instruction incorporating a variety of alternative art tools.

The workshop is open to artists working in all two-dimensional media, including oils, acrylics, pastels, gouache, watercolor, casein, etc. While the primary emphasis will be on color rather than the technical mastery of any single medium, Cynthia will reinforce foundational skills as well as core color concepts. 

Through the use of color charts, mixing exercises, exploration, and application, participants will leave with greater confidence and a deeper understanding of how to use color effectively in their work. Through individualized, hands-on instruction, the workshop is designed to accommodate a wide range of experience levels, from beginners to advanced artists.

Day One: We will explore color theory exercises and paint from a still life (representational or abstract).  A demonstration will include the use of the palette knife and spatcher.

Days Two and Three: Participants choose their subjects. Work from photos, recreate/interpret master works, paint more still-lifes or paint plein air directly outside of the studio, etc.  

Cynthia’s Suggested Supplies:

• Expect two surfaces per day. It is better to be safe than sorry, but if you are experienced, you know how fast or slow you work. For oils/acrylics/pastels, etc., I recommend approximately 12×16, 16×20, etc. If you like to work small, follow your preference. For those less experienced, I would not recommend going larger than the sizes above.
• Medium-specific solvents or gels as needed for your medium, etc.
• Rags: please use rags for oils and not paper towels, for fire safety reasons. (I will explain in class.)
• Containers for your medium
• Paint brushes (I suggest soft brushes. I like acrylic synthetic brushes even for my oils as they allow for more dense paint. We will discuss in class.)
• Palette knife for mixing colors if using oils or acrylics (my knife preference: RGM 52)
• Containers for transporting finished artwork home (pizza boxes if driving? Raymar carrying cases, tracing paper and art tape to cover pastel paintings or sleeves, etc.).
• If you plan to paint en plein air, bring sunscreen, hat, bug spray.
• General color recommendations: Titanium white, cadmium yellow medium, lemon yellow, cad orange, cad or napthol red, alizarin crimson, purple dioxizine, ultramarine blue, phtalo blue, cobalt teal. These are the general recommendations based on Gamblin’s colors.  You can look at these colors and come up with similar ones specific to your medium.  In all honesty, you can create a huge range of colors from basic white, red, yellow, and blue. Bring whatever other colors you want.
• Palette: A Mastersons Stay-Wet Palette set-up (12×16”) is a great set-up as it helps keep your paints organized and fresh overnights.  I recommend grey paper palettes for those using oils or acrylics.  These papers will fit inside the Mastersons set-up.
• Medium-specific recommendations:
  • If using acrylics, please bring ‘Retarder’ to slow down the drying time (if flying in, notify me and I will bring some for you).
  • If using watercolors, you may wish to bring a hair dryer to speed up the drying time (if you are flying in, notify me and I will bring one for you).
  • If using watercolors, I recommend a good mixing palette or butcher tray.
  • If using pastels, I recommend you bring isopropyl alcohol for intensifying an underpainting (if you are flying in, please notify me and I will bring some for you).  I recommend hard and soft pastels.  You do not need hundreds. Just some good colors as well as darks and lights.

If you are flying in and/or If you need medium specific suggestions, once you are registered, please contact Cynthia at cynthiarosenart@gmail.com. Never list your paints as paint when traveling, list them as “artists colors” and note that you can not fly with solvents! Contact me if you’d like info regarding flying with art materials.