Advance your technical skills in composition, color, drawing, painting in oil or watercolor.  One day or multi-day workshops in a variety of subjects with this award winning certified art instructor.

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ART WORKSHOP MENU

1 Day Workshops

Unblocking critique:

 Bring in an artwork that has you stuck.  Let's talk it through and get your creative juices flowing again.  Working with the power of your intention I can get you from frustration to inspiration.

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Five steps to stronger composition:

 1) Value, 2) Placement (rule of thirds), 3) Notan,  4) Viewfinders, 5) Complementary color harmonies.  How, when and why to use these tools to improve your compositions.

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Making Space the 10 Rules of Depth:  

During the early Renaissance artists discovered a series of rules that combine to create the illusion of deep space on a flat surface.  Learn these secrets and practice applying them in your own artwork.  

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Finding your Artistic "Voice" 

According to the Japanese, everyone has an "Ikigai" ( a reason for living). Finding your Ikigai is the key to living a longer, happier life and being a better artist.  Ikigai is the place where passion, mission, vocation and profession intersect such that every day is infused with meaning. Working through a series of thoughtful questions, creative exercises and inspirations you will illuminate your purpose and discover what it is you want to communicate through your art.

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Antonio Ortega Perez Trees:

Get loose and painterly and have fun learning to create wet in wet trees in the style of Antonio Ortega Perez.

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Gustav Klimt’s Golden Phase:

Who was the “Woman in Gold”?  Who created her and why is this artwork so appealing?  Have some fun creating your own version of this iconic artwork.

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Neurographic Drawing for Peace and Relaxation:

Allow your mind to relax and unwind as you create beautiful art.  This style of drawing links your unconscious and conscious mind and can be either image-based or abstract.

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Notan for Better Design:

Notan is the Japanese system of alternating light and dark shapes to create a unified visual image.  Used by artists like Arthur Dove and Georgia O’Keefe to create artworks that tell a complete visual story in only two values.  This is the skeleton on which your finished artwork rests.  If your composition works in only two values, it will work even better when you add color and subtlety.

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How to use a Composition Grid:  

What is a composition grid?  Who uses them and why?  How will it strengthen your visual statement?

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Create Better Still Life Arrangements:  

Still Life is a great subject matter for a painting, fabulous objects are everywhere in your home.  But a poor arrangement will never make a powerful painting.  Learn some tips and tricks for arranging your objects, lighting them and taking photographic references.

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What is the Golden Mean and how does it apply to Art?  

What is the Golden Mean?  Where do we see it in nature?  Where do we see it in art and architecture?  Where is it in the human body?  Where do we see it in modern design?  How can you apply the Golden Mean to your own compositions?

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Phi - Art’s magic irrational number & other fun math tricks:

What is Phi, how does it relate to the Fibonacci sequence, nature, architecture?  Fun geometric tricks, like,  how to divide a circle into 6 slices, How to create a one point perspective checkerboard floor.  How to create a Fibonacci spiral.  How to create a Metatron Cube and an impossible triangle.

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Acrylic Pouring:

Create modern abstract art using special fluid acrylic paints poured over a canvas.  No drawing ability required.

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Mono Printing with Natural Objects:

Create one-of-a-kind prints using natural objects, stencils and textured lines and thread.  No drawing ability required.

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The Power of Complements:  

What are complementary colors? When were they discovered? How do they interact and why?  Why would I want to use them in my artwork? How can I mix them to make hundreds of harmonious colors.   Create a color chart showing an array of 25 possible mixtures using watercolor.

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Get Painting Faster:  

Shortcuts to better drawing from photographs using proportional grids,  photocopies, tracing paper, lightboxes and graphite paper.

All groups should have a minimum of 8 participants and must be booked well in advance.  Please contact me for a price quote and availability for each course.