Short to Long: Painting the Figure
Sarah Bixler
$730
Instruction Media: Gouache
In this color first approach to the figure you will learn strategies to simplify what you see and to create effective and dynamic studies from the figure. Weeks 1-5 will focus on shorter single session studies using different limited palettes. Working ala prima, you will practice seeing abstractly and applying paint quickly and intuitively. During the final weeks we will slow down, developing a painting over a series of five weeks. You will use value, color and proportional studies to assist your longer painting. Lectures, and demonstrations on art History, anatomy and color theory will help to structure your observations and deepen your approach to the figure.
In this color first approach to the figure you will learn strategies to simplify what you see and to create effective and dynamic studies from the figure. Weeks 1-5 will focus on shorter single session studies using different limited palettes. Working ala prima, you will practice seeing abstractly and applying paint quickly and intuitively. During the final weeks we will slow down, developing a painting over a series of five weeks. You will use value, color and proportional studies to assist your longer painting. Lectures, and demonstrations on art History, anatomy and color theory will help to structure your observations and deepen your approach to the figure.
Required Supplies
Painting
For brands I recommend Holbein water-based gouache and windsor and newton gouache.
(All colors 15 ml tubes, except white 40ml)
Paper
9x12 or 14x17 vellum or smooth bristol
Hot press water color paper also works well, as does any smooth lightly sized paper. Canson’s XL Mixed Media paper is another good alternative. I also like using the thick, moleskine sketch notebooks.
Some light weight sketch paper for loosening up
Primary Colors
Flame Red OR Cadmium red
Primary Red OR Alizarin Crimson/Magenta
Ultramarine
Primary Blue OR Cyan
Cadmium Yellow Medium OR Permanent Yellow Deep
Cadmium Yellow Light OR Primary Yellow
Earth Tones
Burnt Sienna
Yellow Ochre
Ivory Black
Optional: Secondary Colors
Permanent Green Deep
Sap green/moss green
Violet/Purple
Permanent White 40-60ml
For brushes I prefer synthetic bristles ranging in size from 0-6
2 round ?” or size 1 or 0 brushes
2 round ¼”-?” size 4-6 brushes
2 flat ½” brushes
1 small spray/fine mist bottle like for facial toner
1 pack of 9x12 palette paper
Paper towels
A few graphite pencils, a sharpener and an eraser for sketching
Cup for water
Ruler
Scissors
Sarah Bixler
Sarah Bixler is an observational artist living and working in Seattle Washington. She studied analytical figure drawing and sculpting...