Acrylic Studio course at ACAD

I was asked to teach a week long acrylic studio course at ACAD.
What an exciting way to spend a week in the summer!!!

 I bring in new samples and examples with each lecture and demo every mroning and start of the afternoon.

We start in a blank room, as fitting as our black canvases.

The majority of the students have never painted before so we start with handling and mixing basics.

Light to dark, the values in paint. Then simple shading of a sphere to show the highlights, core, cast and reflected shadows in straight forward vlaues.

We then begin mixing the colours of acrylic paint. There is a strong air flow quickly drying the pigments, another challenge for the participants to face early in their studio experience.

The challenge is to use only the three primary colours to make the remaining colours on their colour wheel sampler for practice and future reference.

They then discover what adding complementary colours can do around their wheel.

The students gather their reference materials and rub in their supports in order to make a practical colour study for future reference to create a larger finished painting.

Each student transfers their image in a different way, some are doing portraits, others landscape....

 Some are gridding and painting busses or gem stones.....

Others have fun getting abstract!

The study allows them time to experiment and practice their strokes, values, mixing and application.

 First timers face challenges with a smile and plenty of support.

Their skills quickly improving with each lesson and minute put into studio practice.

I look forward to seeing how their pieces continue to develop during the week long course.