Abstract Acrylic Painting I: Basic Techniques and Fundamentals

Instructor: Lia ter Heide
Mondays 1:00-4:00pm
10 weeks: January 20 to March 31 (no class February 17)
Location: In-person Williams Building room 243
$387.50 (supplies not included)
Prerequisite: None

This course is a survey of techniques for producing a variety of abstract acrylic paintings, based on abstract movements primarily from the early twentieth century onward. The work of significant abstract artists such as Paul Klee, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler, Richard Diebenkorn, Yayoi Kusama, and others will be explored. The intention is to create a toolbox of skills which can be combined or further refined in future work by the individual artist. Each class will include a short contextual discussion and slideshow, technical demonstration, guided active studio work, and constructive group discussion of student works. Creative freedom, exploration, and discovery are emphasized.

Syllabus

  • Introduction to abstract materials: supports, surface preparation, tools, specialty mediums, pigments
  • Movements and artists in abstract painting
  • Composition, intention, conceptual foundation, inspiration, refinement
  • Masking and resist: hard edge and geometry
  • Foundations and building: gesso, underpainting, staining, layering
  • Action techniques: strings
  • Action techniques: splatters, drips, drops and blobs
  • Additive and reductive processes: layering and scraping
  • Tools and mediums: texture and relief elements

Supplies

  • Sketchbook
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Charcoal
  • Several soft synthetic acrylic paint brushes, suggested:  2” flat 1” flat, ½” flat, , #8 round, #4 round, ¼” dagger striper, 3/4” round hog bristle
  • Supports: students may choose to paint on heavy paper (Strathmore 300, 140lb stock is recommended) 4 sheets should be enough for this course. We will tear the sheets into halves or quarters for projects.
  •  Masonite panels, birch veneer panels, canvas boards,or stretched canvases are preferable to paper for heavier textured pieces.
  • Acrylic paints (fluid or heavy body) in a variety of hues, including mars or bone black, titanium white, ultramarine and/or pthalo blue, cadmium or napthol red, cadmium or primary yellow, pthalo green, burnt umber, dioxazine purple. Other colours are optional, as desired (Golden or Liquitex Acrylic paints are recommended, but brand is optional) 
  • White gesso
  • Mediums: Clear Tar Gel, Molding Paste, Soft Gel
  • Variety of offset palette/paint knives in different shapes
  • Spray bottle
  • Painter’s tape
  • Acrylic palette or substitute tray/plastic lid
  • 36” x 36” or larger drop cloth (canvas, old bedsheet, small tarp, or butcher paper are options)
Optional:
  • Set of either coloured pencils, markers, oil or chalk pastels for preparatory sketches
  • Airtight plastic resealable containers 2-4oz size (for storing mixed paints)
  • Nitrile gloves
  • Apron or work shirt
  • Utility knife

 

* For a brief list of frequently used suppliers, please see Where can I purchase supplies? on our FAQ page.