Painting Flowers in Acrylics

Painting Flowers in Acrylics

Five Tuesdays, April 2-30, 6:00-9:00pm

Cost: $200-$275, sliding scale* (Plus supplies, listed below)

Paint gorgeous flowers to celebrate spring! This class will be structured so that beginners, as well as those with more experience, can explore the basic drawing, lighting, color, and composition principles for painting flowers. Arranging flowers so as to make a pleasing and effective painting will also be discussed. Particular attention will be paid to the practical aspects of painting, including techniques for achieving different effects, both transparent and impasto, that are inherent in acrylic painting.

To register, email programs@nohoarts.org or call the Center at 413-584-7327. Please include your name, address, and telephone contact. Course fees are payable in advance by check to “NCFA” and can be mailed to the Northampton Center for the Arts, PO Box 366, Northampton MA 01061, or by Paypal here.

*Payments on the upper end of the scale help support our commitment to sliding scale rates, as well as our low teacher/participant ratio. Financial aid is available through our Community Fund.

Jeffrey Gatrall received his BFA in painting from Rhode Island School of Design, and spent his senior year abroad in Rome as part of the school’s European Honors Program. The following year he completed the Scottish Post Diploma at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, where he studied painting under Alberto Morrocco, and print making under Sheila Macfarlane. After deciding to enter the realm of commercial art, he had a thirty-five year career, primarily in animation, where he worked for Warner Bros., Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Universal, and Atari, among others. For the last fifteen years Jeffrey has been devoting his time to painting. He participated in NCFA’s En Plein Air Festival during the time the Center had no physical location, and he’s shown work at Historic Northampton. Jeffrey maintains a studio in Easthampton.

PAINTING FLOWERS IN ACRYLICS SUPPLY LIST:

PAINTS:

This is a list of the basic acrylic colors you will need. By all means, get a small, inexpensive starter set of colors, just to get going. You can always buy the colors individually in tubes later, once you know what you are comfortable using. The starter sets will have most, if not all, of the colors on the list. 

• Alizarin Crimson 

• Cadmium Red Medium

• Cadmium Yellow Medium 

• Hansa Yellow

• Cerulean Blue 

• Ultramarine Blue 

• Burnt Sienna

• Titanium White

• Ivory Black

Additional, but not necessary, colors. 

• Yellow Ochre 

• Raw Umber 

• Phthalo Green 

• Dioxazine Purple

PAINTING SURFACES:

This is a partial list of suggested surfaces that will take acrylic paint well. Acrylic paint will stick to most things, including wood, plaster, cement, and glass - with varying degrees of permanence - but this is a practical list of affordable and portable surfaces, to help you get started.

• PAPER 

MIXED MEDIA PAPER - comes in pads of various sizes and textures. I would suggest the rougher textured paper, the thicker the better, as it will warp less and present fewer problems than the smooth variety. Try to find a pad that specifically says it will handle paint. The pad size should be from 9 X 12 up to 16 X 24 or so.

•CANVAS

STRETCHED CANVASES and CANVAS COVERED PANELS - also come in various sizes and are sold in packs.  The size should also be from 9 X 12 up to 16 X 24 or slightly larger. Depending on your preference, canvas surfaces can be used as is, or you can apply one or two coats of Gesso, sanding lightly between coats, to get a smoother finish.

BRUSHES:

• ACRYLIC BRUSHES will be marked as such, although some brushes are sold as suitable for oils AND acrylics, or suitable for watercolors AND acrylics. Plain, synthetic brushes, meant for just acrylics,  is all you need. Inexpensive brushes are often sold in packets. You will need three flat brushes, small,  medium, and large, for blocking in and general painting. You will also need three round brushes, also small, medium, and large, for detailing.

OTHER MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT:

• PAPER TOWELS - for blotting water or paint from your painting, wiping brushes, and for general clean-up.

• A MIXING TRAY, PALETTE, or STA-WET PALETTE - for mixing paint. Some people use an old ceramic plate, or aluminum pie pan.

• PALETTE KNIFE - mostly used for scraping off an unwanted section of your work, or for cleaning your palette. It can also be used for painting, if you are so inclined.

• A PLASTIC JAR with a LID - that you will fill with water, for washing out brushes. The jar should be fairly big, like a large size peanut butter jar. Some people like to use two jars—one for washing out brushes, and one with just clean water to mix with the paint.

• PENCILS - should be erasable. They are useful for quick sketches, lightly blocking in your composition, and for writing down notes or ideas. 

• A PORTABLE PENCIL SHARPENER

• A KNEADED ERASER - to avoid getting red eraser marks, or eraser dust, on your paper or canvas.

• A SMALL SKETCHBOOK or NOTEBOOK - for taking class notes, making quick sketches, or jotting down ideas.

• A LIGHT, PORTABLE BACKING BOARD OR DRAWING BOARD—if you are working on paper and want to have a firm surface to work on. 

• MASKING TAPE - for holding down the edges of mixed-media paper, if you are painting on individual sheets on a backing board.

If you have any questions regarding materials, please email the instructor at: jeffrey.gatrall@gmail.com

The Imaginative World of Collage with Sara Gately

The Imaginative World of Mod Podge Collage

Four Wednesdays in March, 2:00-4:00pm

Cost: $100-$175 sliding scale*

Collage is a form of art that uses images from a variety of sources such as paper, photos, fabric and more. These materials are glued together on a flat surface to create an original art piece. Practice overlapping realistic and abstract imagery to illustrate a theme or simply be playful with a variety of textures. In this class, you will explore how to construct chosen topics, consider negative space, juxtapose themes, or just experiment! Be prepared to get messy and use mod podge, a high gloss glue used to create a shiny surface that lasts longer than your average Elmer’s. You may have a specific object or surface that you want to collage. Feel free to bring those items to class to cover with your art! If not, surfaces will be provided such as canvas panels or oak tag paper. If you already have an idea about collage materials you want to use, feel free to bring those in, as well. If not, magazines and other types of paper will be provided. Delve into the power of your imagination with collage!

Materials List

  • A large and a small inexpensive paint brush that will only be used for glue

  • A surface, such as a box or bottle (optional)

  • Collage materials such as magazines, photos, fabric pieces, newspaper, letters, tissue paper (optional)

To register, please email programs@nohoarts.org with your name, address, and phone number. Payment can be made via PayPal here, or by mailing a check made out to NCFA to PO Box 366, Northampton, MA 01061.

*Payments on the upper end of the sliding scale help support our continued commitment to accessibility, including sliding scale models and the NCFA Community Fund.

Sara Gately is Massachusetts based 2D Visual Artist and certified K-8 Art Teacher. She has been a practicing Visual Artist and educator for over twenty years and has exhibited in group and solo shows throughout the New England area. Gately attended Hampshire College where she received a B.A. in Comparative Religion and Visual Art in 2003. In 2008, Gately received her M.Ed for Teaching Visual Arts PreK-8 from Lesley University. Gately is familiar with a plethora of different fine art techniques and materials, utilizing her skills as an elementary art teacher to create mixed media work and instruct students of all ages and abilities.

Center for the Arts Drawing Group

20181119_090225.jpeg

Wednesday mornings, 9:45am to 12:45pm, $15/session ($10/session if the month is paid in advance)

The Northampton Center for the Arts Wednesday Morning Figure Drawing Group is looking for artists to join us. Please email Steve at artfromsteve<at>gmail<dot>com if you're interested in joining us.

Each Wednesday morning session begins with a nude model assuming a series of short poses that increase in length from 2 minutes to 30 minutes.  There are no requirements other than a desire to draw, so bring your paper and pencil, water colors, crayons…whatever medium you choose.  Beginners and experts and all in between are welcome.  No critique or instructions, just drawing. Tables, chairs, and easels are provided.  

Please, no fixatives sprays or other materials with noxious odors.

The Drawing Group will begin meeting in Eli’s Room at 33 Hawley again on January 10, 2024.