Tonal Figure Painting Deconstructed
In this three-day workshop, students will explore the tension between construction and deconstruction through the arrangement—and rearrangement—of figures. This workshop will guide students in moving beyond simply recording what they see through editing, cropping, rearranging, layering, and reinterpreting their source material. Drawing inspiration from both historical and contemporary painters, students will investigate how observation can become a point of departure for invention.
Day 1 will begin with “gathering our data” by doing multiple quick oil sketches directly from the life model. We will use tone relationships to build form and create dynamic compositional relationships.
Day 2, we use our oil sketches from the previous day and begin finding connections by cutting, gluing, and using tracing paper to find how various forms may connect in order to create a new dynamic composition. And finally, on Day 3, students will use their newly stitched-together composition and apply it to a larger ongoing oil painting surface. Whether working representationally or pushing toward abstraction, participants will develop a deeper understanding of compositional design and the expressive possibilities of figure painting.
All levels welcome, though some prior drawing or painting experience is helpful.
Students may also choose to use water-based media such as acrylic if they are more comfortable in that medium, yet all live demos will be done in oils.
Required Supplies
- Suggested Oil Pigments*
- Mars Black
- Ivory Black
- Titanium White
- Glass Palette for mixing oil pigment (preferred) or disposable Palette Paper Pad, Large (16”
x20” ish) - Assortment of bristle (rough) and smooth oil brushes*
- I prefer Princeton’s Synthetic Mongoose brushes for my smooths (round size 4 & 6)
- I prefer Princeton’s Natural Bristle Brush (round 4 & 6)
- *Please bring whatever you already have/prefer. No need to spend a lot of $ on brushes
- Palette knife - I prefer Blick’s Medium Trowel #30
- Small squeeze bottle
- Gamsol Odorless mineral spirits*
- Linseed oil
- Pad of Arches Oil paper 12”x16" or primed canvas paper
- One larger surface 18”x 24”*
- Students can use whatever they have ie stretched canvas, primed canvas paper; they could even paint over an old painting if they would prefer
- Artist Tape
- Foam core board to attach oil paper to
- Paper towels or old rags for oil paint cleanup
- Baby wipes
- Disposable gloves
- Vellum and/or tracing paper pads*
- Graphite Transfer Paper
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Cheap glue sticks
- Pencils
- Sharpies
Ashley Johnson
Ashley is a painter, writer, nurse, and teacher based in Bremerton, Washington. She recently graduated with her MFA at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts...