Oil Painting from a Reference
We are looking forward to painting with you in our upcoming two-day oil painting workshop! We’ll explore how to see and mix color, how cameras differ from our eyes, and how to paint loosely from a photo reference.
Our focus will be on learning, not perfection — think of your paintings as experiments, not masterpieces.
We’ll start each day with demos and exercises to loosen up, then move into painting sessions where you’ll apply what you’ve learned. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of how to mix, apply, and see color like a painter.
All materials will be provided: canvas paper, limited palette oils, palette knife, brushes, solvent, rags.
What to bring:
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Your own lunch and plenty of water
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An apron or clothes you don’t mind getting paint on
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A roll of paper towels
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A photo reference — ideally a printed image, but you can also use one on your iPhone or iPad
Workshop Schedule
Day 1
9:00 – 9:30 Welcome & Setup
Intro to materials, safety, and workshop philosophy: process over product, “disposable paintings,” experimentation.
9:30 – 10:15
The Camera vs. The Eye
We will compare a photo with viewing the same scene and discuss how camera flattens the image and distorts colors, and interpreting a scene vs. copying a photo.
10:15 – 11:30 Color Theory
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Basic hue/value/saturation overview
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Warm vs. cool, complementary pairs
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Value scales
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Palette exercises
11:30 – 12:00 Mixing Practice
Mix to match swatches and color blocks from the reference photo
12:45 – 2:15 Small Studies – Applying Color
10-minute studies of one color shape (block-in approach)
2:15 – 3:00 Group Review & Discussion
Discussion of what worked: accuracy vs. expression, color temperature shifts, we're learning to see, not making art to keep
Day 2
9:00 – 10:00 Choosing & Simplifying a Reference
How to select a workable photo (clear light, simple composition), how to crop and simplify into big shapes.
10:00 – 10:30 Demo: From Block-In to First Layer
Instructor demo of full start-to-finish “sketch painting”
10:30 – 12:00 Student Sketches
Students complete 2 sketches focusing on color block-in, big brushes and speed
12:45 – 2:30 The "Good Enough" Painting
Students develop one painting from start to “good enough,” emphasizing not overworking it
2:30 – 3:00 Group Reflection
Group discussion and reflection