Vero Beach Museum of Art
Museum Art School
2015 Class Description:

Floral/Still Life Oil Painting - Sound principles to build upon.
January 23, 24 & 25, 2015, 10-4 pm

A return of last season's highly successful and very popular class will cover the basic principles of oil painting with regard to painting florals, and still life - fruits and vegetables. Includes interesting and memorable discussions on composition, massing, building form, light and shadow: and depending on your own style, knowing when a work is finished (learning how to not overwork your painting). Douglas really delivers sound principles of painting that are an incredible foundation for your painting, whether a beginner or seasoned professional. After the brief morning intro, a very hands-on approach to the class, gets students mixing colors and preparing to paint. Students will work in their own style/technique so that the finished work is their own. Douglas will overview his palette and concepts that his work entails. Students will mix paints and learn to mix basic strings of color to help comprehend how this preparation makes the painting process a little simpler and gets a working understanding of the value/strings of color. Students will paint from Sunflower, Hydrangea, Tulips and some tropical floral that is available at this time of year in Central Florida. A few fruit and vegetable still lifes-with arrangements of bowls and china plates and bold graphic table coverings, with strong side lighting make for a wonderful alternative subject to the florals.The thought Douglas puts into these classic arrangements and timeless subjects is as important as the painting itself. He will show you how he does it and why he makes the choices he does. A discussion on the pitchers, vases and vessels he chooses along with the cloth and fabric samples he uses will be included. An incredible 3 day hands on painting experience will yield a good number of paintings and a logical thought process in a fun yet focused atmosphere to help you guide your future study. Your paintings can be as complicated or as simple as needed. Demos and individual discussions/instruction will help each student to start to begin to reach the preliminary goals they are striving to meet. Plan to produce several studies and at least one or two larger, more finished paintings, depending on skill level. Plan to bring notebook/sketchbook and enjoy some demos along with some great stories to help you remember the principles that are the foundation of Douglas' teaching. A small informal group show on easels in our class will end the class on a high note as we share our accomplishments in this condensed time of study.

Seascape oil painting - Capturing the atmosphere and the essence of the wave
February 27 - March 1, 2015, 10-4 pm

A return of last season's highly successful and very popular class will cover the basic principles of oil painting specifically with regard to seascape painting. Very focused on nothing but seascape makes this class a one of a kind and rarely offered. Painting out-of-doors, en plein-air will be a major focus of the study after the basics are covered. Discussions and lectures on basic composition, massing, building form, light and shadow, near and far, capturing and developing atmospheric distance, building the anatomy of the wave and depending on your own style, knowing when a work is finished (learning how to not overwork you painting). Students will work in their own style/technique so that the finished work is their own. Douglas will overview his palette and concepts his work entails and specifically and very focused on painting the beach and the surf. Students will mix paints and learn to mix basic strings of color to help comprehend the preparation/set up to prepare to paint out-of-doors. Students will work on small canvases and the emphasis will be on capturing the time of day, atmosphere and geographical elements along the coast in a quick concise way based on the covered principles. Douglas will help students pare down equipment so only the necessities are taken to the beach. The same beach will be the basis for all 3 days, so Douglas can show repeat areas of study as well as various viewpoints based on time of day. Depending on the skill level of each student, students are able to grow and develop at a rate that is to their comfort. Demos and individual discussions/instruction will help each student to begin to reach the preliminary goals they are striving to meet. Plan to produce several studies and at least one larger painting. For those students from last year, work on a really large painting from last year's smaller ones as Douglas is taking us back to the same beach with that idea in mind. Plan to bring notebook/sketchbook and enjoy some demos along with some great stories to help you remember these principles that are the foundation of Douglas' teaching.

Douglas' Biography:
Douglas David has painted his way across the country, capturing the beauty and spirit of the things he loves- tranquil country landscapes, sunrises and sunsets on his favorite beaches, a simple pitcher of spring lilacs or peonies, a lemon, lime or a slice of watermelon on a checked tablecloth. Paintings that reflect comfort, warmth meaning and simplicity: similar to everything important to him- his close knit family, life-long friendships, creatively fulfilling work and giving his best. A recipient of numerous regional and national awards and honors, Douglas' teaching is a way of giving back and sharing some of his journey with those who choose to study with him. For more detailed information, visit www.douglasdavid.com.

Class supply list:
(these are not absolute, just my way of getting to a good result)

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