Woodstock Arts

“Afternoon in the Glen” –A peaceful, whimsical landscape featuring the interplay between a lush valley and enduring stone by capturing a mountain landscape.

This course is for first-time beginners in Oil paint. Students will learn how to balance welcoming foreground elements—crimson maples, winding paths—with the austere, timeless presence of distant peaks under a clear blue sky.

Curriculum: Session 1: Welcome & Foundations • Introduction to materials and workspace • The magic of oil: how it differs from other mediums • Color wheel basics and color mixing • Composition exercise: sketching thumbnails for landscape ideas

Session 2: Blocking the Big Shapes • Value studies using color picking and tinting • Underpainting and tonal blocking • Starting on the 16x20 canvas with large compositional areas

Session 3: Color Harmony & Brush Control • Building color with a limited palette • Warm vs. cool tones • Brushstroke practice and creating texture • Laying in sky, background elements

Session 4: Depth & Atmosphere • Linear and atmospheric perspective • Highlights and shadows • Working on mid-ground (trees, path, small structure)

Session 5: Focal Point Fun • Refining details and adjusting values • How to draw the eye: focal point creation • Adding personality (wildflowers, clouds, birds)

Session 6: Final Polish & Celebration • Glazing and subtle effects • Finishing touches and artist signature

Supplies will be provided by instructor.