Intro to Realism

Welcome!

In this class you will learn techniques to help you strengthen your drawing and painting skills.

The emphasis will be placed on finding ways to develop your own unique style while getting closer to visual truth. Just as each person has unique handwriting, your own way of drawing and painting will become your strength.

Each of you will pick your own 3D object — a toy, a tool, or something that interests you — and render it multiple times, building from quick sketches all the way to a color painting. We will work with color and value and pay close attention to light and shadow to create dimensionality.

So when you’re ready, let’s get started!

Karine

Supplies

1. A Sharpie marker (or similar) Black, fine point or a ballpoint pen.
2. Compressed charcoal – get the softest, darkest one you can find.
3. Either drawing pencils or charcoal pencils ranging from 2B to 5B and one white charcoal pencil, white conte crayon or white charcoal. You can also use conte crayons. You can often buy a set that includes a range of darkness with an eraser or blending stump. These sets are often more economical than buying separate pencils. If you find a set of charcoal pencils with a blending stump, eraser and sharpener, that’s great and it will take care of the next couple of items!
4. A kneadable eraser
5. A blending stump or tortillon
6. Pencil sharpener
7. One drawing pad, 11″x14″ inches, spiral bound is best.
8. Toned charcoal paper. Buy one or two sheets at least. I use Global Arts Kona Classic or Strathmore 500 series charcoal paper
9. Paint: I will be using oil paint. You can work with whatever paint you are most interested in – acrylic, oil, watercolor, gouache or even soft pastels. Colors: titanium white, mars black, ultramarine blue, red, yellow, green, purple & orange. If you are going to work in acrylic, buy Open Acrylic paints to extend drying time (or get a slow-dry medium).
10. Palette – a place to mix colors. A paper palette works fine for oil or acrylic. I use a glass palette for ease of cleaning.
11. Water or solvent for thinning paint. I use Turpenoid Odorless mineral spirits. If you are using oil, you can use Gamsol or walnut oil to thin the paint.
12. Brushes – get a variety of sizes ranging from #2 to #10. I use mainly flats or rounds, but you can use your favorite shapes if you have them.
13. Palette knife to mix paint colors.
14. At least three surfaces to paint on. (If you are using acrylic or oil that would mean either stretched canvas, canvas board, birch panel, or similar.) For watercolor or gouache, I recommend springing for high quality watercolor paper. You can buy single sheets, 100% cotton rag, at least 140 lb. paper. I prefer cold press. If you wish, you can buy a watercolor block. Get a decent size – at least 9″x12″ inches. If you are going to work in pastel, buy a good quality paper like Wallis sanded pastel paper, Sennelier La Carte pastel paper or something similar. Good quality materials will make things easier!
15. A light source you can control. (For example: a desk lamp that you can direct at your subject)
16. Start thinking about what you would like to draw or paint. I highly recommend working from a real, three-dimensional object rather than a photograph. We will be emphasizing how to make a three-dimensional object look 3 D on a flat surface and it is easier if your subject is three dimensional. Besides, it’s hard to lay a grid on a 3D object! 😉 Choose something you really like. You will be looking at it a lot, so make it something you already find interesting or beautiful.
17. Optional items: nitrile gloves or barrier crème to protect your hands while working in charcoal or pastel, an apron, rags, paper towels, mixed media book, drop cloth, one larger painting surface if you would like to work large, etc.

Nuts & Bolts

Here’s how this online class works:

• As a self-study class, so you have access to all of the lessons right now and can work the lessons on your own timetable.
• You have indefinite access to this class.
• You can (optionally) share your work with Karine via email or via the class Facebook page. Since this is now a self-study class, you will need to let Carla know if you upload work, as she doesn’t check the Facebook page as regularly. Click this link and ask to join the group!
• Class fee is good for participants living in a single household.

Questions?

Thank you so much for being here! We are here to help in any way:

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CLASS CONTENT: If you have questions about this class and would like to contact Karine directly at [email protected].