Students begin by drawing a plaster cast or still life in charcoal, developing their ability to render accurate proportions and value relationships. As students progress, they are introduced to the fundamentals of oil and/or pastel techniques, composition and color.

Life drawing is at the core of any serious program of fine arts. In these classes, students draw from the figure in pencil, charcoal, including an option of painting. Each drawing or painting is created over a period of sessions, developing the student’s eye for accurate gesture, proportions, and anatomy. With a single sustained pose, students will have the option of either taking one drawing/painting to a high degree of finish or completing several drawings from different positions around the model.

Working with a model in a single pose, students will be able to sculpt the entire figure. Starting with the model, we will pose your armature to match the model's pose with a focus on weight distribution, proportion, and anatomy. Once the armature is posed to match the model, we will start applying water-based clay. By gradually building up the masses, we will rely on the sight-size method to match the model's contours. Once the volumes are achieved, we will shape the volumes into planes while still focusing on proportion and anatomy. The third stage will focus on surface-modeling techniques and finishing styles. Whether it's academic realism, rough, or refined, bringing emotion and movement to your sculpture is the goal.

Tools: You may borrow tools such as calipers and modeling tools, but bring your own plumb line.

Class meets twice per week for 8 weeks.

Prerequisite: Landscape Painting Workshop 

This class will discuss the golden hour and sunsets, but the focus of class time will be an opportunity for students to practice plein-air painting with more instructor assistance at their easel. Bridget’s Landscape Painting Workshop is a prerequisite to this course as it is important to have received a strong foundation of knowledge from which to work.

John F. Carlson, in his groundbreaking 1929 book, Elementary Principles of Landscape Painting, urges us to study the expressive properties of line, mass, and color. He states that it is a delusion to think that if a painter can merely “copy nature” well enough, he is creating a work of art, that he has to merely get a certain “likeness” of the things before him. He states that, rather, a painter must see through his motif, into its significance, and then choose his means accordingly. But how does one do that? This workshop is designed to answer that question. We will plant the seeds of creative expression; we will impart a solid means to analyze and consider the quality of interest that a motif holds for us: the IDEA! We will learn how to single out that transmittable, personal impression of some ONE QUALITY in the quantity before us, and get closer in our quest to understand and create true works of art! Each day begins with lecture and/or demo. Afternoons we paint outdoors. All levels welcome.

John F. Carlson, in his groundbreaking 1929 book, Elementary Principles of Landscape Painting, urges us to study the expressive properties of line, mass, and color. He states that it is a delusion to think that if a painter can merely “copy nature” well enough, he is creating a work of art, that he has to merely get a certain “likeness” of the things before him. He states that, rather, a painter must see through his motif, into its significance, and then choose his means accordingly. But how does one do that? We will plant the seeds of creative expression; we will impart a solid means to analyze and consider the quality of interest that a motif holds for us: the IDEA! We will learn how to single out that transmittable, personal impression of some ONE QUALITY in the quantity before us, and get closer in our quest to understand and create true works of art! All levels welcome.

If you'd like to learn more about the convenience and possibilities of digital tools like Photoshop, then this workshop is for you. Christine will teach you some of the essential digital skills she uses for her digital and traditional art making. Learn about different color modes for making art for print or on screen, “frankensteining” your reference, using a pencil drawing as a base for a digital painting, altering your sketch digitally to explore composition and value design, and drawing and painting digitally. We will not be using any AI/ML image generation tools. You will also be given suggestions to continue to practice on your own. About a week before the workshop, registrants will receive access to the workshop files.

The majority of our projects will be done using Photoshop. To avoid getting locked into a year-long Photoshop subscription, I recommend using the 7-day free trial of Photoshop for this workshop. We'll also look at alternatives to Photoshop that cost less.

Please direct questions to Christine.Mitzuk@TheAtelier.org

Some technical assistance will be available. The workshop does not include any software or hardware.

Experience our full-time program in a week-long workshop.

Students begin by drawing a plaster cast or still life in charcoal, developing their ability to render accurate proportions and value relationships. As students progress, they are introduced to the fundamentals of oil and/or pastel techniques, composition and color.