Oil Painting Basics

Build confidence and develop your painting skills in this comprehensive 7-week oil painting course designed for both beginners and experienced artists. Whether you’re picking up a brush for the first time or looking to strengthen your technique, this class offers personalized instruction and guided exercises that will help you grow as a painter. Students will explore the essential materials, techniques, and principles of oil painting, including color mixing, composition, value, light, and brushwork. Through a variety of subjects—including still life, landscapes, self-portraits, and live models—you’ll learn to move beyond drawing what you think you see and begin painting from direct observation. This shift from symbolic thinking to perceptual seeing is the foundation for creating more accurate, expressive, and compelling paintings. By the end of the course, participants will have completed several original paintings, gained a solid understanding of oil painting fundamentals, and developed the confidence to continue painting independently. For the first 2 classes, we will be limiting our palette to black and white. Supplies Needed: 1 LARGE tube white oil paint 1 LARGE tube black oil paint 1 PALETTE KNIFE the approximate size and shape of the one in the picture. I find the pointed tips easier to clean than the round tips. 1 OIL PAINTING BRUSH, size 10. I prefer synthetic brushes as they are easier to clean. I also prefer FILBERT brushes as the bristles are longer. 1 OIL PAINTING BRUSH, size 6. Synthetic/filbert. 1 PAPER PALETTE PAD. Disposable 1 PAD CANVAS PAPER, 10 sheets 1 ROLL PAPER TOWELS Instructor will provide odorless mineral spirits.