Painting I: Colour Mixing and Theory

Instructor: Robin Adair
Mondays 9am-12pm
10 weeks: September 29 to December 8 (no class October 13)
Location: Online
$387.50 (supplies not included)
Prerequisite: None

This course is for anyone who feels that colour mixing is akin to stumbling around in a dark forest. Robin will shed some light by introducing students to the fundamentals of colour theory through hands-on practice and engaging discussion. Students will study a selection of colour theories from art history, including the famous Anders Zorn palette, and Paul Cezanne’s groundbreaking system for utilizing warm and cool colour dynamics to render form and depth in his paintings. Robin is adept at distilling a potentially complex and, lets be honest, frustrating subject matter into understandable concepts and concrete exercises so that colour mixing can become the enjoyable activity it should be.

Syllabus

  • Introductions — getting to know your pigments
  • Colour value
  • Colour temperature
  • Colour saturation
  • Triadic colour palettes
  • The Zorn palette
  • Seurat and optical mixing
  • Cézanne and temperature dynamics
  • O’Keeffe and colour intensity

Supplies

  • Acrylic Heavy body paint. Recommended Brands: Golden; Holbein; Tri-Art Pigments:
    • Titanium White; Bone Black, Ultramarine Blue; Cobalt Blue; Primary Cyan; Cadmium Red Light; Cadmium Red Medium; Alizarin Crimson; Quinacridone Magenta; Cadmium Yellow Light; Cadmium Yellow Medium; Yellow Ochre; Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber
  • Acrylic Brushes: 2 square (#8 and #12); 2 round (#6 and #8) 2 Filbert (#8 and #10)
  • Palette knives for mixing paint: 3 palette knives, either plastic or metal, I recommend finding different sizes of the trowel (diamond shaped) blade
  • Wet palette (12" x 16") You may buy one from a store or I will also teach you how to make your own wet palette. For this you will need a regular tray palette, paper towel, parchment paper, and bulldog clips
  • Colour wheel
  • Cotton rags
  • Masking Tape
  • Pad of 9x12 Bristol board (vellum)

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