Academy of Realist Art

In the Studios of the French Academies

26 May, 2025
-
30 May, 2025

Duration: 5 days
Location: ARA Toronto
Instructor: Fernando Freitas
Full Price: $650
Deposit Required: $200

In the Studios of the French Academies

$200.00

Immerse yourself in the world of classical art with our engaging and immersive 5-day oil painting workshop. Join us on a journey through the techniques of celebrated French Academic Painters such as Jacques-Louis David, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, and William-Adolphe Bouguereau.

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Immerse yourself in the world of classical art with our engaging and immersive 5-day oil painting workshop. Join us on a journey through the techniques of celebrated French Academic Painters such as Jacques-Louis David, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, and William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Throughout the week, participants will delve into the meticulous process of copying these masterpieces, gaining invaluable insights into their painting methods and styles.

This workshop is designed to not only enhance student’s technical skill in working with oil paint but also to provide them with a structured painting system. The layering process in oil painting is a technique that artists employ to bring depth, texture, and complexity to their artworks. It begins with the imprimatura, a foundational wash of color that sets the tone for the painting. The drawing stage follows, allowing the artist to sketch out the composition and establish proportions. The ebauche, or underpainting, comes next, providing a base of colour to describe the “big look” of the painting. As the artist progresses to the first painting layer, solid colours are applied, gradually building up details and bringing the composition to life. The finishing layers done in glazes involve refining, adjusting colors, adding highlights and shadows, and enhancing the overall visual impact of the artwork. Through this sequential layering process, artists create luminous paintings that captivate viewers with their depth and artistry. By the end of the workshop, students will have a solid foundation that they can apply to their future painting endeavors.

Whether you are a novice looking to explore the world of oil painting or an experienced artist seeking to refine your techniques, this workshop promises to boost your confidence and elevate your artistry to a new level. Join us for an unforgettable creative experience that will leave you inspired and empowered in your artistic journey.

The class will meet at our studio from 10 am – 4 pm ET each day.

Full workshop price is $650, and a $200 deposit is required to save your easel. The balance will be due on the first day of the workshop.

Materials

Oil Colours

Required colours
  • Titanium White
  • Cad Yellow Med
  • Yellow Ochre Light or Pale
  • Cad Red Med
  • Alizarin Crimson&amp;lt;/li><li>Burnt Umber
  • Ultramarine Blue
  • Ivory Black or Lamp Black
Optional colours
  • Lead (Cremnitz) White
  • Red Umber (Williamsburg, Old Holland, Michael Harding)
Students who don't have an existing collection of paints can consider purchasing a starter kit like this one from Williamsburg and adding a tube of black to complete their palette for the workshop. Note: Purchase only Artist Grade paints. Do not use Winton or water soluble paints.

Solvent

  • Odorless mineral spirits (GamSol). Turpentine is NOT permitted in the studio.

Canvas

  • Primed acrylic panel or canvas 16″X20″ or 18″X24″ (size depends on image selected; panel preferred). Ampersand or Raymar are suggested brands.
NOTE: Your canvas for this workshop should be prepared ahead of time with a mid-value grey imprimatura: an initial stain of oil paint diluted with mineral spirits, and applied over the entire surface of the canvas. We suggest trying to match the swatch below as best you can using a mixture of white, black, and raw umber, well mixed with a palette knife. You will need approximately half a ping pong ball-sized amount. You can transfer this to a disposable pie plate to dilute slowly with mineral spirits until the mixture is the consistency of house paint. Apply it with a brush over the entire canvas and set aside for at least 2 weeks to dry completely. To speed up drying, you can add a drying agent, like Liquin or another alkyd dryer, before applying.

Mediums

  • Linseed oil

Tools

  • Palette (Select one of the following): Glass, wood or paper (Grey Matters)
  • 2 Palette knives; long blades
  • 2 Medium cups
  • 2 Small jars for cleaning brushes
  • Mahl stick (a ½ inch diameter dowel approximately 30 inches)
  • Rags or paper towels or shop towels
  • Knitting needle

Brushes (either natural or synthetic hair)

Note: No flats or round brushes needed; these are the minimum brush requirements – please feel free to bring more.
  • 2-3 Bristle hair filbert brushes – ranging in size from #2 to #8
  • 10-20 Soft hair filbert brushes – ranging in size from #2 to #12
  • 2-3 EACH of #2, #4, #6, and #8
  • 1 EACH of #10 and #12

Policies

About ARA Workshops

Each participant gets lots of one-on-one attention from our superb instructors. ARA instructors teach year round so, unlike many artists who offer summer/holiday workshops our instructors are professional teachers as well as accomplished artists. Whether you are an award-winning experienced artist or have never painted before, our instructors will tailor to your skill level. If you have any questions or are having trouble with online registration, please contact us.