Workshops

Stan Miller
Composition and Design in Painting
All watermedia (watercolor, acrylic, water-based oils)
www.stanmiller.net
October 16, 17, and 18, 2008
All water media welcome / also drawing media /ALL LEVELS
$325

Drawing, values, color, technique are important principles in painting.  The most important principle and the most difficult to understand element in all the visual arts is composition and design.  Up to 80% of points given in juried competition can be given to effective and powerful design.  If one wishes to get into galleries, art fairs, or into national painting societies, one better know how to design.

Everyone can learn how to be a good designer if properly instructed.  In this workshop we will do some exercises that will help us understand how the eye moves through a painting or any work of art.  As the eye moves, it thinks and feels.   Keeping track of our eye movement and the emotions that follow this movement is key to gaining control of design and composition fundamentals.

Students should come ready to paint.  Bring whatever supplies you normally use when you paint.  If watercolor, bring your watercolor supplies:  Brushes, paints, paper, etc.  If acrylic or water based oils: bring your paints, brushes, paper, canvas…whatever you normally use to paint with and on.  If drawing or doing pastels, bring whatever supplies you normally use.  This is not a class in technique so your materials are relatively unimportant.  All students will need a drawing pad and a pencil or charcoal.  Also, all students should bring L mats(if you know what that is.  If you don’t, the instructor will have a few).   What is important is your subject matter.  Do you use photos?  Imagination?  Work from still life?  Plein air?  How a student approaches their subject can have a powerful impact on the design of their painting or project.  All students should bring at least 5 to 10 photos of subjects they think they might like to paint (even if they don’t normally work from photos).  This will be an indoor workshop, for the most part, so we will have to use photos at times throughout the class.  The instructor will also have handouts for students to use. 

Students should also bring at least 2 to 3 paintings or drawings that they have done in the past.  We will critique the design of these works during the workshop.   Students should also bring examples(photos, a book, magazine) of artist’s work they enjoy.  The instructor will do a painting demonstration each morning.  Students will be working from their own photos, the instructor’s photos and handouts, or the student can work from imagination or, depending on the weather, go just outside the studio and paint outside. 

If a student has painted for a while and has no art supplies, the instructor’s watercolor supply list for beginners, is available.