Acrylic Art 101: Building a Painting Foundation
This 8-week in-person course introduces students to the vibrant and versatile medium of acrylic painting. Designed for those new to painting or looking to build their foundational skills, this course covers every aspect of acrylic painting—from priming surfaces to adding the final touches to your artwork.
With a personal practice rooted in acrylic painting, this course is under the guidance of educator Martha Johnson. Martha will guide students in developing a strong understanding of acrylics and the core principles of painting. Starting with composition and laying a foundation, students will move into understanding mark-making and how to build depth, texture, and dimension in their work. Through engaging exercises, students will also explore photographic references, focusing on how to break down images and translate them onto canvas effectively.
As part of the curriculum, students will discover the art of colour mixing, learning how to create a wide range of hues and shades. This course provides a solid foundation in acrylic painting techniques, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to expand their acrylic practice beyond the basics and into more advanced techniques in future projects.
- Composing a Painting: Learn how to plan and execute a painting from start to finish, understanding composition, perspective, and design.
- Mark Making Techniques: Explore various brush strokes and techniques to create different textures and effects.
- Colour Mixing: Master the art of blending and mixing acrylic paints to achieve the desired colours and tones.
- Surface Priming: Understand how to prepare various surfaces for acrylic painting to ensure the best results.
- Layering and Finishing: Learn the techniques of layering paints and adding final touches to make your artwork stand out
- Acrylic pigments (Ultramarine blue, Alizarin Crimson, Hansa Yellow, Yellow ochre)
- 8-ounce white Gesso
- Small Matte medium
- One canvas (no smaller than 14”x18”)
- Charcoal Pencils (medium) and Willow stick for drawing
- Sketchbook (no smaller than 12 x14″)
- Five acrylic bristle brushes including one 1” Bright style brush, two medium sized brushes, one small and one Rigor style brush for detail
- Printed landscape photocopy, one black and white, one colour, each 11” x 17”, if possible
- A few sheets of Bond printer paper
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- A couple of coloured pencils
- Ruler or straight edge
- Rags
- Nitrile gloves
- Water container
This course is not currently scheduled. Please check back for future dates or browse our other available programs.
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