ART & PHOTOGRAPHY   

Class Overview

The camera does not make the photograph, it takes the photograph. Only the person behind the camera makes the photograph -- deciding where to point the camera, what to include and what not to, and when to press the shutter button.

Knowing the many principles of design in all visual art, from painting to photography, makes the difference between simply a technically sound photograph and one that is compelling and evocative.

Learn to improve your photography experience and results by practicing with guidance from a professional. You'll have the opportunity to explore what makes compelling composition and great design in images.

Gain experience through photography assignments and an experience a session shooting photo out "on location," when possible. You'll benefit from sharing your results with the class and receiving new perspectives on your images through group feedback.

We'll also look at how to adjust your camera settings to get the results you want or to experiment with creative techniques.

To start, please bring five of your own photographs on a flash drive or as small prints to the first class to share as part of your introduction.

Supplies Needed

• Any digital camera, ideally a point and shoot, digital SLR or mirrorless camera. A smart phone can work, too, either as a supplemental or primary camera.
• You will also need a flash drive for bringing photographs to class for in-person classes -- or the ability to share your photos for online classes

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will gain a broader understanding, familiarity and knowledge of:

• The principles of evocative design from painting and photography.
• Basic camera handling and settings.
• Creative camera settings and techniques.
• A higher visual literacy.
• Composing images.

Who Should Take This Class?

• Anyone with a passion for photography, young and old.
• People who uses photography to capture travel or local experiences for sharing, showing or selling.
• Everyone who uses photography as an artistic reference to render later in the medium of their choice, from painting to drawing to print making, or for elements in collage and mixed media.

Class Overview

Do you admire the paintings of the Impressionists? Learn their unique brushstroke method to make your own beautiful paintings! 

Discover how lines of color can make a complete and memorable painting. Explore textures, color theory, the impressionist color wheel, composition, space, light and shadow, texture and movement. 

Learn about tools, materials and techniques. Enjoy class discussions about art history and impressionist artists. Immerse yourself in landscapes, figures and still life. 

We will paint landscapes, still lives and figures, and explore originality. Enjoy using what you learn to make your own unique painting masterpiece. A museum trip will be incorporated into the course, if possible. 

Your painting instructor is a professional teacher and working artist in both the US and Italy, who has exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. No painting experience or formal art training is needed, just a willingness to learn.

Supplies Needed

Click here to see the supply list.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

• Understand the tools and techniques to paint in the style of the Impressionist painters. 
• Apply texture and impressionist colors to your paintings for personal expression. 
• Use observation, linear perspective, and originality to explore composition, color, space, light and shadow in textures. 
• Express different ways to observe and document art by developing an art vocabulary. 
• Understand art as a form of personal expression.
• Create a unique finished painting using the impressionist style.

Who Should Take This Class?

• Anyone who wants to learn how to paint.
• Painting students or painters who would like to improve their painting skills. 
• People interested in Impressionist painting and would like to learn to paint in this style.