Creative Painting Class

Instructor: Ilona Cutts

Open Creative Paint class is an ongoing session and is intended for beginner and advanced students. Ilona mentors students individually as they work on their personal project. Students who are not of a beginning level are expected to bring their own photo references to work from.

The first 30-40 minutes will be for individualized painting. 30-40 minutes into the class Ilona will check-in with each student individually and offer guidance on their project. Ilona will explain techniques enabling each student to find their own personal style and voice and occasionally demonstrate a technique or concept to watch or follow as a group exercise.

During class you can also observe Ilona working on a project of her own where she will discuss processes and painting tips. Each class is different, and a new topic will be discussed in each class. On some occasions there will be a still life to work from and if you don't have a project of your own, you can join in working from the prepared set-up.

Towards the end of the class Ilona will walk from one student to another critiquing their progress.

If you are an absolute beginner to painting, please arrive 15 minutes prior to class to get step by-step instructions for setting up your painting station.

Some of the topics covered in class:
- How to create composition and harmony
- Values of light and dark
- Linear perspective
- Color mixing and color harmony
- Drawing the human head and body
- Composing from life versus photo reference
- Learning to find your own voice
- Storytelling through your own individual voice

Friday's Open Creative Painting Class

Materials list (Students bring their own materials):

Please bring your own painting materials for these classes. Below you will find my preferred list of colors that I like to use. If you are planning to paint only in oil colors, I suggest you bring at least a few acrylic paints for the underpaint (they dry quicker) and a couple of brushes to be used only for acrylic paints. Please bring at least 2 projects you are working on to each class, so if one is still drying you can start another. You can bring your preferred brand but try to avoid the cheap ones as they are hard to work with. The standard quality ones I like are 'Winton' or 'Windsor and Newton'. 'Rembrandt', if you really want the good ones.

Oils and/or acrylic paint colors:
Titanium White
Lemon Yellow
Cadmium yellow
Cadmium red
Ochre
Alizarin crimson (or vermillion)
Violet
Cobalt Blue
Ultramarine
Prussian Blue
Burnt Umber
Vermillion green (optional)
Sap Green (optional)
Turquoise (optional)

Oil painters list:
-Odorless paint thinner
-Linseed and/or walnut oil
-This vine charcoal pack for sketching
-Palette of your choice (for mixing paints, the bigger the better. I like to use disposable palette pads)
-Canvas or Ampersand board, or paper for oils. (Big sizes preferred, at least 20 x 24 inches or larger.)
-Cotton rags for cleaning brushes
-Glass containers for cleaning paintbrushes
-Images you are working from. Please do not use your phone for looking at images, bring a laptop or iPad instead.)
-Palette knife for mixing colors
-Your preferred choice of brushes (I prefer sable brushes, but you can use hog or synthetic if you prefer). Bring flat and round ones, all sizes.
-1 large 2inch flat brush (a cheap painter's brush will do). (For laying down background washes)
-Sketchbook and pencils
-Anything else that you can think of that you absolutely need!

Acrylic painters list:
-Acrylic retarder (I prefer Golden by Blick Art Materials)
-This vine charcoal pack for sketching
-Palette of your choice (for mixing paints, the bigger the better. I like to use disposable palette pads)
-Canvas or Ampersand board. (Big sizes preferred, at least 20 x 24 inches or larger.)
-Cotton rags for cleaning brushes
-Glass containers for cleaning paintbrushes
-Images you are working from. Please do not use your phone for looking at images, bring a laptop or iPad instead.)
-Palette knife for mixing colors
-Your preferred choice of brushes for acrylics (Bring flat and round ones, all sizes.)
-1 large 2-inch flat brush (a cheap painter's brush will do). (For laying down background washes)
-Sketchbook and pencils
-Anything else that you can think of that you absolutely need

Cost:
$200 for not-yet members - $180 for members
$60 per individual session

All Sessions

Individual Sessions