Oil Painting
Adult Class | Available (Membership Required)
Ready to explore oil painting? This class introduces the fundamentals of working with this rich and versatile medium. Learn how to mix color, build an effective palette, and develop paintings from direct observation. Through exercises and projects, you'll explore techniques for creating depth, luminosity, texture, and surface variation while building confidence with paint. The focus is on oil painting, though students are welcome to work in acrylics.
A structured course for the beginning student that introduces oil painting materials and basic techniques. Previous drawing experience is strongly recommended.
What You Will Learn:
- Painting materials and tools
- Alla prima painting technique
- Basic color theory
- Chiaroscuro
- Glazing and scumbling
Please note: There is no class scheduled for 9/21 (Yom Kippur) or 10/12 (Indigenous Peoples' Day).
Essential, economical version here:
-2 large flat bristle (oil) or synthetic (water-based) brushes(sizes 8-6)
-2 medium flat bristle (oil) or synthetic (water-based) brushes (sizes 4-2)
-4 synthetic brights that roughly match the size of the bristle brushes
-3-4 various small synthetic rounds (sizes 2–000) (0 is my go to)
-A palette knife for mixing stretched canvas, canvas board, or panel (1 for each class) 9 x 12, is a good small 12 x 16 is a good for larger. I recommend having a variety of sizes
-Gamsol and container with lid
-Blue shop paper towels (or non-lint paper towels)
-Titanium white
-Ivory Black
-Burnt Umber,
-Yellow Ochre
-Ultramarine Blue
-Cadmium Red Hue or Permanent Red
-Cadmium Yellow Hue
-Light Cerulean or Light Turquoise
-Quinacridone Magenta
Expanded list:
-Palette with enough surface to mix colors (can be disposable)
-Suggested palette (less expensive alternatives in parentheses):
-Cadmium Lemon (Cadmium Hue, or Permanent version)
-Cadmium Yellow Medium or Deep (Cadmium Hue, or Permanent version)
-Cadmium Orange (Cadmium Hue, or Permanent version)
-(Naphthol Red [preferred]) or Cadmium Red Light
-Quinacridone Magenta
-Ultramarine Blue
-Cobalt Turquoise Blue Light
-Dioxazine Purple
-Ivory Black
-Flake White or Titanium White
-Yellow Ochre (Light)
-Burnt Umber
Optional helpful colors:
-Cobalt blue
-Permanent Green
-Viridian
-Raw Umber
-Raw Sienna
-Caput Mortuum
-Alizarin Crimson
-Indian Yellow Deep or Extra Deep
David Heshmatpour
Dave (he/him) is a multidisciplinary visual artist working in painting, sculpture, drawing, and digital photography. He earned a degree in Applied Science, specializing in welding technology, before graduating with a BFA specializing in painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 2020. He lives and works alongside his very good dog Ruskin in Philadelphia.