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.
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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.
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All materials will be provided: canvas paper, limited palette oils, palette knife, brushes, solvent, rags.
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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