COURSES IN ACRYLICS, by Susan Kemp

Art-for-All offers two courses in acrylics - one for beginners, and another for more advanced artists -

• Acrylics for Beginners.

• “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop.

Our fully equipped, air-conditioned studio in Storms River Village offers easels, table workstations and other basic studio equipment. Materials required for your courses can be supplied through the studio if you cannot get hold of everything you need to bring with. Please arrange with us before the time!

ARYLICS FOR BEGINNERS (3 days)

Content

This course is an introduction to acrylic paints. It is a popular a belief that oils are superior to and easier than acrylics, but it is merely a matter of becoming familiar with your medium. The longer drying time of oils is regarded as an advantage because it gives you more time to blend and manipulate the paint. The fast drying time of acrylics, however, enables you to quickly get around to what you want to do or change. You just repaint when you want to make changes. It also safeguards you from the pitfalls of overworking, or blending too much.

We start out with practical exercises in paint techniques and colour mixing, which familiarizes you with the medium at the same time. Basic art principles such as observation, composition, perspective, depth, and value are discussed as the course progresses. When we get to the basic steps of creating a painting, you will have found your way with acrylic paint, and you will know how to mix the colours required. Personal assistance is given all through the course.

Subjects like creativity, criticism, marketing, admin, how to handle commissions, and the practical problems of organizing workspaces are also touched upon. Every student gets a course manual, as well as handouts on canvas preparation and photographing your art.

Post-course support is also supplied via monthly critique of your home-completed work (always constructive!) resulting in a discounted, advanced mentoring course. We just love seeing our students blossom and achieve their artistic goals! We can supply, at cost, much of what you'll need, but do bring all your own equipment (see requirement list under Art Courses on the website), because evaluation of individual paints sets is a valuable part of the course. We all learn from each other, even regarding the materials we use.

Materials

Please refer to the album “Art Course Materials” on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/art4allgallery/photos/?tab=album&album_id=3119835451405788

1. Bring all your art materials for acrylic painting (paints, mediums, brushes, pencils, sketch books, erasers, palettes, palette knives and painting knives), as discussion and advice regarding these will form part of the course.

2. Canvases & paper. We’ll be painting on size A3 canvas (stretched, or not). Canvas off the roll can be purchased from the studio. Colour exercises will be done on 200g/300g size A3 drawing paper or watercolour paper. If you need to get this through the studio, please advise us in advance.

3. Acrylic paints. The three primaries (yellow, red, blue) + black (ivory) and white (titanium). Refer to the Facebook album mentioned above. Ask advice from your art supplies store about which red, yellow and blue to buy as a beginner. The studio sells a basic range of Dala acrylics, but you can also pay per “squirt” or “scoop” of paint as required.

4. Gesso, for preparation of paper and canvasses. It can also be used as a white with your other paints. The studio sells small containers of gesso - or you can pay per “squirt” or “scoop”.

5. Acrylic mediums (gloss or matt glaze medium, or gel medium). Water on its own is not a suitable medium to mix into acrylic paints! Also available through the studio - or pay per “squirt” or “scoop”.

6. Brushes (bristle & synthetic). Nrs 2, 4, 6 and 10 flat, and a thin synthetic round (e.g. nr 1 or 2). We’ll help out if you do not have all the correct brushes, or you can buy from the studio supplies.

7. Paint rags/paper towels/toilet rolls for cleaning.

Please call Susan at (083) 467 9388 if you need advice.

“PAINT WITH SUSAN” MENTORING WORKSHOP (3 days)

Not for beginners.

Content

In this workshop, every person works on his/her own project, under guidance of the tutor. It starts off with critique sessions of existing work. Bring along a maximum of three artworks for constructive criticism: One you hate, one you love, and one you got stuck with, for example. You can do further work on these during the workshop in addition to starting a new project of your choice. Bring reference materials for your new project, choose from our reference materials, or take photos in the village.

NB: Please be careful of using copyrighted photos or artworks by other artists. Painting the artwork of another person merely limits you to mistakes already made by the artist and restricts you to information about the subject matter as already adapted and interpreted by them. Rather choose or set up similar subjects and take your own photographs. Remember, composition starts with setting up or choosing a subject - but you can change it in any way you want when you do your painting. Please bring printouts, as the village does not offer colour printing facilities, or you can work from your tablets.

Materials

Bring along your usual art materials and canvases. Also refer to the “Materials” section above. Please call Susan at (083) 467 9388 if you need advice.

COSTS

• R3000 per 3-day course (including refreshments during breaks and 3 lunches).

• Costs are the same for both courses.

• Discount of 5% for groups (two or more people)

• Discount for local residents. Please enquire.

• Regular weekly classes can be arranged.

• A deposit of R1500 is required upon booking, with the balance due when the course starts; or we can arrange a monthly payment plan. Fifty per cent of the deposit can be refunded if a cancellation is received up to one month before the course starts; no refunds if cancelled less than a month before the course or if the course has been postponed already.

2024 SCHEDULE

JAN. 8 - 10 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. JAN. 22 - 24 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. FEB. 12 - 14 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. FEBR. 26 - 28 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. MAR. 11 - 13 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. MAR. 25 - 27 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. APR. 8 - 10 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. APR. 22 - 24 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. MAY 13 - 15 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. MAY 27 - 29 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. JUN. 10 - 12 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. JUN. 24 - 26 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. JUL. 8 - 10 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. JUL. 22 - 24 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. AUG. 12 - 14 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. AUG. 26 - 28 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. SEPT. 9 - 11 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. SEPT. 23 - 25 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. OCT. 7 - 9 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. OCT. 21 - 23 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. NOV. 11 - 13 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners. NOV. 25 -27 (Mon. to Wed.) “Paint with Susan” mentoring workshop. DEC. 9 - 11 (Mon. to Wed.) Acrylics for Beginners.

By arrangement after Dec. 15.

(Tailor-made courses are also available.)

ACCOMMODATION & ACTIVITIES

Storms River Village is a popular adventure tourism destination that offers adventure and outdoors activities, nature trails, birding, restaurants and a spa. Selected accommodation options are available to our students at preferential rates - all within walking distance of the studio. The relevant information will also be supplied to you.

Give us a call - we would love to share our art and our village with you. Also, have a peek at our Facebook page and website:

https://www.facebook.com/art4allgallery

https://wwwartforallgallery.co.za

Enquries: Susan at (083) 467 9388 / susankemp1@gmail.com

RECOMMENDED ARTICLE:

The Art of learning Art - https://www.artforallgallery.co.za/post/the-art-of-learning-art