This online course explores a range of innovative mark-making, painting and drawing techniques using acrylic paint. Weekly, you’ll be introduced to different methods that demonstrate the exciting potential of this super versatile and quick-drying medium. Along the way, you’ll be shown the work of relevant artists to both inspire and illustrate the refined application of the techniques covered.

 

Focusing on abstraction and experimentation, this open-ended, hands-on, short course is suitable for total beginners or for those with some experience who want to refresh or further develop a current painting practice. By the end of six sessions each student will have created a collection of finished abstract works on paper.

 

Course requirements:

Reliable desktop computer/ smartphone/ laptop

Internet connection/wireless

Webcam/Microphone

Zoom account (can use free version)

Materials:

Acrylic paints: a variety colours i.e. primary colours: yellow, red, blue, black and white (minimum) Students are also encouraged to use additional favourite colours if desired

A4 drawing/sketch pad

A4 watercolour pad: 250-300gsm (12 sheets) cold-pressed

Low-tack lilac masking tape

Brushes: 1x small 1x med. sized round brush, 1x med. flat brush (10-15mm), 1x med. flat hog hair/bristle (10-15mm), 1x toothbrush

Everyday items: bamboo sticks/skewers, drinking straw(s), sponge, rag, toothpicks, cotton buds, old credit card (piece of cardboard/rubber paintbrush), table salt, sheet of newspaper, feather, fork, hair comb

Palette knife or spatula

Optional: extra paintbrushes various shapes/sizes, acrylic modelling paste, gel and/or gloss medium, additional watercolour paper in a variety of sizes

 

Schedule:

Session 1 Course introduction and materials overview, followed by brushwork and colour: a slideshow overviewing artist examples, then a tutor demonstration of different brush techniques, followed by student practice.

Session 2 Non-traditional brushes: tutor demonstration of mark-making using less conventional drawing/painting tools, followed by student practice.

Session 3 Adding water: tutor demonstration on how to make washes, stains, and faux watercolours, then student practice.

Session 4 Alla prima: slide presentation of selected contemporary and 20th Century artist examples, tutor demonstration then student practice. 

Session 5 Impasto: slide presentation showing the work of selected artists specialising in this application, tutor demonstration then student practice.

Session 6 Putting it all together: tutor overview and then the time to create some more fully resolved works on paper that explore a combination of some of the techniques covered.