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Discover the Best Oil Painting Classes in Los Angeles
Oil painting is a popular painting style. This process involves using oil paints, which are a mixture of powdered pigments and some type of drying oil. Different oil types are mixed with the pigment depending on the consistency and color you are looking to achieve with your paint.
Oil paintings are characterized by their long drying times, which make it easier for the painter to fix mistakes more easily than other painting styles. There are two oil painting techniques: alla prima (also known as wet-into-wet) and layered painting. The first technique is more conducive to correcting mistakes, as it requires you to apply paint to still-wet layers on your canvas. The second technique, layered painting, requires the previous layer to dry to some degree before adding another layer.
Oil painting is a highly respected form of painting, in part because of the number of famous paintings that were made with oil paints. Artists like Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet are known for their oil paintings like Starry Night and The Water Lily Pond. Oil painting is also popular among artists because the color-mixing process allows for a wide range of colors to be created.
Why You Should Learn Oil Painting in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is home to several art museums displaying beautiful oil paintings. It’s easy to become inspired by the works of great artists. Oil painting is an easy painting process for beginners to use compared to other mediums like watercolor and acrylic, which are less forgiving of mistakes.
Whether using the wet-into-wet technique or the layered painting technique, oil painting is an effective way of practicing patience thanks to its long drying time. It is also a great way to work on regulating your emotions. Painting has been found to help alleviate stress and anxiety. When working on an oil painting, you will also be exercising your imagination and creativity as you decide what your project will look like and determine the correct color mixtures.
Well-known oil paintings that have been created and lauded throughout history have given oil paintings a positive reputation to those both in and outside of the arts.
In-Person Oil Painting Classes in Los Angeles
Start your oil painting journey by taking an in-person class in the Los Angeles area. In-person classes offer expert one-on-one instruction allowing you to jump right into learning about oil painting and other mediums. These classes offer detailed demonstrations and individualized feedback.
The use of raw materials when oil painting can be intimidating. If you’re looking to learn safe handling practices when creating your own paints, consider taking Water-Soluble Oils 401, a class offered by Pastimes for a Lifetime in Van Nuys, California. Water-soluble oil colors are a non-toxic substitute for traditional oil colors. They dry more quickly than traditional colors as well. In this class, you will learn the basics of mixing water-soluble oil colors and work on your own Grisaille or tonal painting.
If your family is looking for a fun painting class to take together, The Art Studio in Westminster, California offers weekly oil painting and drawing classes for adults and teenagers. A professional artist will guide you or your group through a small, medium, or large project. Aside from choosing project size, this class also offers you the choice of medium.
Another class that allows you to choose between mediums is Paint Anything at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California. You’ll learn how to use multiple painting mediums on one project, with the choice of using acrylic and oil paints or watercolor and gouache paints. This is a beginner-level class, but if you take the class again you can choose to explore new methods of painting each week, like spray painting.
If you’re interested in learning about oil pastels and soft pastels, the Art School of SF Bay in San Jose, California hosts a two-week class that focuses on those mediums. The first week of the class is centered around oil pastels, with one class focused on techniques and another on texture before you will begin working on your own sketch.
Virtual Oil Painting Classes
Virtual classes are a more accessible option for learning how to oil paint. They are taught around the country and focus on a variety of oil painting techniques and methods while allowing you to work on creating a finalized project. Remote learning allows you to take an online class from anywhere, including the comfort of your own home, eliminating the need to commute to a studio or school.
Unlike in-person classes which often provide you with the necessary materials, virtual ones will not. Your instructor will, however, provide you with a materials list ahead of the class start date. These items can be purchased from your local art shop or craft store.
There are a few online oil painting classes available for you to register in through CourseHorse. If you’re interested in creating your own abstract piece and are an intermediate-level painter, the Richmond Art Center offers Abstract Painting. This multi-medium painting class is taught by a live instructor who will guide you through the creation of an abstract painting over Zoom. You will have your choice of medium, including oil paint.
More advanced painters looking to take an online class should check out Dare to Paint, a class offered by The Art Studio NY. You will have the opportunity to explore acrylic or oil painting while working on a project of your choice. Advanced painters can look forward to pushing the boundaries of their expression and learning important art techniques like symbolism and emotional connection.
Private Group Oil Painting Classes in Los Angeles
Is your organization or business looking to schedule an oil painting class as a team-building event? CourseHorse offers private painting classes they can deliver to you.
Watercolor is a popular medium for painting. CourseHorse offers several virtual watercolor courses, including a Virtual Watercolor Workshop that teaches the techniques of modernist painter Georgia O’Keeffe. In this private class, you and your group will learn the foundations of watercolor painting while working on a landscape project inspired by O’Keeffe’s paintings. Another painting class available to groups is CourseHorse’s Virtual Acrylic Painting class. Up to 500 people can be accommodated in this class where your group will learn how to paint with acrylics and complete a painting on canvas.
If you’re looking to take a class that uses oil colors or another medium, you can reach out to CourseHorse through the contact form on their website to learn about class options. All necessary materials like paint and canvas are provided to participants by CourseHorse ahead of the session date. The materials you need will depend on the class you are taking but rest assured that CourseHorse’s event fulfillment team will make sure your group is prepared for your class.
CourseHorse offers classes for a range of group sizes. If you’re not sure of your exact group size, you can book the minimum group size and update your headcount up to a week before your class. There are no booking fees for CourseHorse classes, and they allow free cancellations up to two weeks before the class. CourseHorse supports several online video platforms, like Zoom, Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx, although they recommend Zoom.
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