Painting Glowing Landscapes in Oil and Acrylic

Having an idea of what to paint is one thing but translating that idea onto a canvas is accomplished through your individual technique and process. During this workshop, Michael will focus on the fundamentals of good painting. He will cover the following topics: Composition, Value, Design, Choosing a Subject, Identifying and Mixing Accurate Warm and Cool Colors, Establishing a Focal Point, as well as Do’s and Don’ts for the studio and outdoor painter to consider. You will learn how to focus on a simplification process, the step-by-step method to creating a successful painting. The workshop will be complete with opportunities for plein air painting, informal lectures, instructor demos, group critiques, as well as individual advice. Michael will demonstrate techniques that work for him, but more importantly, he’ll guide you as you develop and adopt your own techniques and processes. This workshop will teach you how to communicate what you want to say through a painting.

Michael Orwick has been painting professionally (showing in 7 galleries) and teaching workshops and classes for over 20 years, with a focus on Landscape painting in oils and acrylics. Having an idea of what to paint is one thing, but translating that idea onto the canvas is accomplished through your individual technique and process.

Join award-winning artist and popular instructor Michael Orwick for this painting class, designed for oil and acrylics. Michael's painting classes are open to all levels of painting experience. In it, we will focus on the fundamentals of good painting.

We will cover the following topics:

Composition

Value

Design

Choosing a subject

Identifying and mixing accurate warm and cool colors

Establishing a focal point

Tips and do's/don'ts for the studio and outdoor painter to consider

Focusing on a simplification process, the step-by-step method to creating a successful painting

Oil Painting Supply List - Feel free to print this out and take it with you to the store, or if it is more convenient the instructor has made a list of the products that can be found on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/michaelorwickarts

• Easel and Tripod

o Note from your instructor: Sitka can provide tabletop and standing easels, if you do not have your own. I have a piece of glass cut to fit my easel so I can use it as a palette. I like to use tempered glass palettes to mix on because of the ease of cleaning - I just use a glass scraper (and rubbing alcohol for dried on paint). Please use what you have and are comfortable with.

• Canvas and Painting Surfaces

o For learning, cheap boards and canvas panels are just fine 8x10 and 11x14 are two good sizes to start with.

• Oil Painting Colors. No pure primary colors exist in pigment form, so we choose the colors that mix best to make clean secondary colors.

o Reds

 Quinacridone Red (PV 19) or Quinacridone Violet (PV 19) - Transparent red-violet

 Cadmium Red Light (PR 108) - Opaque orange-red

o Blues

 Ultramarine Blue (PB 29) - Transparent blue-violet

 Manganese Blue (preferred) or Cerulean Blue (PB 36:1) - Opaque blue-green

o Yellows

 Cadmium Yellow Light or Hansa Yellow or Lemon Yellow (PY 35) - Semi transparent green-yellow

 Cadmium Yellow Medium or deep (PY 37) - Opaque orange-yellow or/and Indian Yellow (HR 70) - A very transparent orange-yellow. I very much like Gamblin’s version.

o White

 Titanium White Opaque (PW 6) - A cool white

• Extra Colors. Note from your instructor: Please spend ample time learning about and acquainting yourself with the six split primary colors above and your chosen white before adding any of these to your palette.

o Indian Yellow (HR 70) - A very transparent orange-yellow. I very much like Gamblin’s version.

o Transparent Earth Red - A truly transparent version of Venetian Red. Excellent for glazing.

o Yellow Ochre (PY 43) - A neutralized semi-transparent orange-yellow. It's an easy color to mix but this paint is a great short cut.

• Brushes. Note from your instructor: I like Chungking Hog Bristle brushes for their strength and durability. I buy mostly flats in sizes 6, 8, 10, and 12 with one smaller size like 2 for detail work. I use these brushes for the whole painting. I order mostly Utrecht.com series 209 White Hog Bristle. Bonus tip: always buy flats because as you use them and wear them down they become Filberts and eventually shorts. 3 for the price of 1!

Other supplies

• Gamblin's GAMSOL Odorless Mineral Spirits for painting and cleaning.

• Gamblin's Galkyd Medium (I like the Gel Medium) to speed up drying time to as fast as 24 hours. Galkyd also makes a fantastic glazing medium.

• Gamblin's Gamvar Picture Varnish

• Paper towels

• A Round Point Painting knife, sometimes called a Spatula or Palette knife, for mixing colors and occasionally for painting

Plein Air Painting Checklist to reference before departing studio space:

Easel and Tripod

Palette, I inserted glass that I had cut to fit into my easel to use as a palette.

Paints

o White (I use Titanium White)

o Cadmium Red Medium

o French Ultramarine

o Lemon Yellow or Hansa Yellow

o Extra colors:

o Quinacridone Red

o Manganese Blue

o Cadmium Yellow Medium

 Extra extra colors:

• Indian Yellow

• Earth Red

• Burnt Umber, good for doing preliminary drawings (it dries fast)

• Gamsol - Odorless Mineral Spirits

• Paper Towels

• Bag for Garbage

• Sunscreen

• Bug Spray

• Drinking Water

• Sun Hat

• Painters Umbrella

• View Finder

• Value Finder Glasses

• Sketch Pad, for thumb nails

• Gloves, if the weather is cold

References to paint from