This oil painting lesson course is being held online via video calls (mostly Zoom). Each lesson lasts around 1 hour and it is a deep dive into the basics of oil painting, painting in general and the methodology of the medium.
It is suitable for beginners and or even professionals who want to rationalize the oil painting process. It is being hosted by the visual artist Miltos Despoudis. You will need check the upcoming events to see which lesson is listed at the moment. There will be a restart of the lesson course once it reaches the end. Upon request there is also the possibility to start a second group parallel to the one that is already going on.
Creative Sessions is an art group based in Berlin, Germany. We organize events that were mostly in-person but now also online.
The total lessons listed below are not finalized. This means that at the moment that many more are being added at the end of the list each month.
Lesson Plan
#1 The Palette
In this lesson we will cover the basics with preparing the pallete. We will try to check out some works from the participants also. We will have an overview of the painting process and find solutions to the most common problems. You might want to have some of your art materials ready just to experiment with us live or just watch and take notes.
#2 The Color Creation
In this painting lesson we will explore the ways we can create oil colors and test them on the canvas. We will have an overview of the painting process and find solutions to the most common problems. You might want to have some of your art materials ready just to experiment with us live or just watch and take notes.
#3 The Oil Painting Surface
In this painting lesson we will explore the possible painting surfaces. We will learn in brief how to prime the canvas cloth and frame it, the differences in the texture and how to choose what is best for us. Also we will check the other common surfaces such as wooden panels.
#4 Structuring and Layers
In this lesson you will see a basic workflow of working with layers.
We will find out how to understand what kind of structuring could be used.
#5 From Draft to Canvas
In this lesson you will learn how to transfer a draft drawing or an idea to the canvas. This is not only about the technique but also about the logic.
#6 Subject Matters
In this lesson we will try to rationalize the process of deciding what to paint. Many people might be stuck at the early stages of deciding what to paint. This lesson will inspire you and make things clearer in the way you can approach things.
#7 Color Management & Hues
In this lesson you will learn to organize your oil colors and how to understand their effects in the painting. It is about defining a color arrangement by for example Saturation-Tone-Hue and trying to apply it on to the oil colors.
#8 Objects in Space
In this lesson you will learn the basics of object formation in painting. How to be consistent in the overall repetition and how to spot the effects of depth inside a painting.
#9 Skin & Flesh
In this lesson you will learn how to handle the most commons problems regarding painting skin and flesh. We will explore the ways someone can create the illusion of skin.
#10 Face & Balance
In this painting you will learn to create and manipulate the human face. You will learn how balance the characteristics and solve the common problems that come up in the process.
#11 Plasticity
In this lesson you will learn a few tricks about toning, shadows and light. You learn the power of using tones and plasticity in your paintings.
#12 Form Balance
In this lesson you will learn how to balance the color of the forms in relations to each other. This is a way or recognizing what color form qualities have more weight inside a painting. A common problem is that an artist adds too many variations in color hues, tone, and saturation and there is nothing happening apart from creating chaos.
#13 Repetition of Forms
In this lesson you will learn how to manage a consistent repetition of forms within a painting. Repetition can be the thing that bind all elements together. Commonly it will make the creator to make decisions over the smallest brushstrokes he needs to use.
#14 Focus & Sharpness
In this lesson you will learn how manage and create focus and sharpness. This is an overview of how to balance Sharpness in essence. In addition, you will see what kind of role such a variation can play.
#15 Illusion of Movement
This is a lesson about the illusion of movement within a painting, with a special focus on a figurative one.
#16 Attention Points
This is a lesson about attention points and structuring a painting according to that.
#17 Series of Works
This is a lesson about planning, connecting creating series of works. This is an overview of how to create a group of works that act as one piece.
#18 Works on Space
This is a lesson about working with painting forms that have an important effect in the surrounding space they are exhibited.