Kandinsky:

“Every art has its own language, i.e. means particular only to itself. Thus, every art is something complete in itself. Every art is a life on its own. It is a realm in itself.”

Paul Cézanne:

“Drawing and colour are not separate at all; in so far as you paint, you draw. The more colour harmonises, the more exact the drawing becomes.”

Many teachers can't help but clone themselves because they have strong opinions about their tastes to the degree that they allow this to interfere with their objectivity. Having gone through two degree courses and having worked in a public institution together with other teachers has given me ample chance to observe this problem.

The ability to differentiate between formal observations and critique from content and individual concern of the student is a very important one if one is to support a student in their particular, individual development and nurture their personal potential and talents to fruition. This approach to guidance is constructive, whereas the dominating imposition of preferences in technique, approach and content tends to be destructive to real development of individuality in a student.

I have outlined a programme below, which embraces a range of important aspects to painting and/or drawing.

These will be covered during the course mostly during the practical work, but in-between we will also deal with theory aspects. Comprehensive, separate theory packs for painting or drawing with written issues along these lines will be available, so you can build on your new experience and knowledge after you return home.

The practical work suggested is:

Figure painting / drawing

• In the studio with a life model

Landscape painting / drawing

• In the country side in selected, beautiful and interesting spots (if weather permits)

Still life painting / drawing

• In the studio (in case of bad weather)

The focus of the course will be around your individual interests and personal development and certain subject areas can be selected for more emphasis in practical work.

The practical and most theory subjects will be accompanied by specific exercises in drawing and painting when needed to develop the particular skills involved and to break down global skills into separate steps and aspects of a focus.

·        Goal and purpose of course
·        view and discuss work to establish interests and direction / areas to work on
·        what does painting mean to you?
·        Establish projects / subjects for the duration of the course (decided along      the line of individual interest and inclination)
·        What is painting? Or What is drawing?

The Figure

• The importance of the figure in learning how to draw or paint anything
  
• Anatomy, The Importance of
  
• Close ups, The Figure in Gradient Approach
  
• Painting / Drawing the Figure 
  
• Painting / Drawing Face, Eye, Ear, Mouth, Nose
  
• Painting / Drawing Hands and Feet
  
• Painting / Drawing Hair

 Proportions:

• comparisons
  
• relations
  
• measuring / sighting
• The Law of Continuation of Lines
  
• Masses, ‘Spaces of Rest Between the Masses’ 
  
• Chief Line, Plumb Line, Line of Gravity, Axes
  
• Planes and the ‘Radiation of Lines’
  
• Form and Weight, Weight and Energy, Mass and ‘Core’ 
  
• Gesture    
  
• Expression

Landscape

• Landscapes – inanimate or animate?
  
• Space and aerial perspective
• Colour and expression in landscape

Still Life

• Objects in space
  
• Why paint a still life?
  
• Expression and meaning in still life painting

Abstraction

• What is abstraction?
  
• Use of abstraction vs. objective reality

 Oil painting basics:

• Materials, use and tips
  
• Stretchers
  
• Canvas
  
• Boards
  
• Brushes
  
• Paints
  
• Mediums

Painting techniques:

• Direct and Indirect Painting Techniques (direct result or built up in stages)
  
• Underpainting
• Alla Prima
• Glazing
• Impasto
• Palette Knife Painting
• Scumbling
• Dry-brush
• Blending
• Mixed media
• Traditional style painting technique
• Gestural painting with direct brushwork

Space:   

• Space vs. Environment
  
• Space
  
• Picture space
  
• Spaces, Open and Enclosed
  
• Negative Spaces
• Aura

 Perspective and Sighting: 

• scale
  
• position in space
  
• overlapping
• repousser
  
• Linear perspective / density gradients
  
• mathematical perspective / relative apparent size
  
• Renaissance perspective:
  
• 1-point perspective / vanishing point
  
• 2-point, 3-point, multiple, forced perspective
  
• aerial perspective
  
• perspective influenced by: value, colour, texture
  
• foreshortening / proportions / relative positions

Organising the Elements: Design / Composition

• Unity
  
• Balance
  
• Rhythm
  
• Proportion
  
  
  
  

What makes a good painting / drawing?

• Message
  
• Medium
  
• Tools
  
• Scale (enlarged scale makes paintings part of the environment)
  
• Style-in historical context
  
• Style-in personal context

 The process of painting / drawing

• Practical sequence in starting a painting
  
• Constant Cross Referencing, The Importance of
  
• ‘Bypass Technique’ in Drawing
  
• Formal vs. Technical Problems
  
• Generalisation vs. Simplification, How to Recognise Essence
  
• Structure vs Function
  
• Drawing / painting and Perception
  
• Importance of the senses:see, touch, smell, hear, taste, feel…
  

How to bring life to a painting / composition:

• contrasts
  
• planes
  
• tension
  
• balance
  
• rhythm / patterns
  
• motion

Problems in painting/drawing:

·        Is the whole the sum of the parts?
·        decorativeness
·        facileness
·         sameness
·         overworking
·        density or vacuum without contrast
·         “dishonesty” or contrivance
·        working with ‘formulas’
·        stylisation
·        lack of priorities
·        lack of focus

• Talent and Potential
  
• Concepts and Symbols, The Mechanism of
  
• Perception and Information in Drawing and Painting
  
• Perception vs. Senses
  
• Aura and ‘Presence’ of a Work
  
• Expression  of the Intangible
  
• Zen and ‘Becoming One’ with a Subject
  
  
• Composition and Design, Unity of Balance
• Compositional Devices in Drawing
• Expression, Motion and Emotion
• Generalisation vs. Simplification
  
  
• Creative Sequence in Art
  
• Creativity, The sequences of the Creative Process