Oil Painting

Program Overview

This dynamic oil painting course provides an introduction to the medium and explores various styles and techniques through landscape, seascape, and still life painting. With individual guidance and supportive critiques, participants will develop the skills and confidence to continue their oil painting journey beyond the course.

Program Outline

You’ll be part of a design community in our creative studio culture; one that promotes discussion and collaboration, and encourages experimentation and the constant swapping of ideas. With a limited class size you'll have the one-to-one attention you need to ensure you leave with the skills to continue developing your designs at home or work. Benefit from learning with an experienced tutor who has established links to the profession and significant experience working in varied practice. On successful completion of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance.

Outline:

This course is a comprehensive introduction to painting in oils that will build your confidence and encourage expressive mark making. You’ll learn a variety of tricks and techniques to achieve vibrant colour, textural detail and contrasting tone through the classic subjects of Sky and Landscape, Expressive Seascape and a Still Life. You will complete three paintings, supported by one to one tuition, demonstrations of specific materials and techniques, and supportive group critiques. During this course, you will:

• Explore various styles in oil painting through landscape, seascape and still life.
• Experiment with texture using a variety of tools and techniques
• Practice creating depth and tactile qualities to your painting
Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll study during the course. You’ll explore each of these subjects before applying the skills you’ve learnt to your own choice of subject matter.
• Great Big Sky: colour and mark-making
• Introduction to big brushes and mark-making into wet paint (alla prima)
• The sky is the perfect subject to learn the basics of oil painting, whilst enjoying a multitude of expressive techniques without the danger of getting ‘muddy’.
• Using expressive mark making and creating depth, working with palette knives and brushes on a pre-painted coloured canvas.
Developing your paintings as the day progresses, you’ll work from dark to light tones.
• Wild, Expressive Seascape: expressive action
• Still Life: texture
• Discover how you can replicate the glossy smoothness of a grape, the fuzzy softness of a peach, and the pulpy texture of a sliced orange in your paintings.

Teaching:

This is a practical course and the subject is underpinned by theory and demonstrations. This course will be delivered in person on Nottingham Trent University City Campus. You will receive 15 contact hours of quality tuition with an experienced tutor.

Careers:

The course could be a means to progress within fine art into different materials or approaches. On successful completion of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance, which will further enhance your CV.

Other:

You will be based in the Nottingham School of Art and Design on the City Campus. You'll find bright painting studios in which to develop your ideas.