Atelier Marchant

Bill Perkins, Color Boot-Camp 5-Day Workshop : LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER

2011-04-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Bill Perkins, Color Boot-Camp
5-Day Workshop &

CTN Expo Registration info!

Date: 5/4-5/8 2011
Time: 9am-7:30pm daily
Cost: $575
Address: 15414 Cabrito Rd.
                 Van Nuys, CA 91406
marchantatelier@gmail.com
or call Matt Marchant @
661-350-1579 to register

Hello Artists and Friends,

We only have a couple of spots still available in this amazing workshop experience! Students who have attendced the past two workshops have left with rave reviews! DONT MISS OUT!

Here's a quote from one of the attendee's of the last workshop

"I was at the last boot camp and came away with more knowledge and enthusiasm for painting then I did after four years of art college. I highly recommend that if you can take the time to take this session, you should do it! If I could have taken the time off work I would do again. I had a great time."

-Scott Seeto: Concept Artist at Disney Toons studios

If you’re interested in improving your ability to see color more simply and paint it more directly this workshop is for you. In five days you will paint approximately 30 paintings from life and cover multiple variations of seven basic contrasts of color theory. Critical aspects of color theory and design are presented and practiced through painting from real life situations. By creating model set-ups specific to aspects of color theory rather than color swatches, you don’t just learn color theory, you see it, paint it, and own it!
            Demos and critiques will be ongoing throughout the five days. This is not a portrait, or technique class, it is all about pushing your limits to improve your ability to perceive and understand the effect of light through color relationships.
During each workshop I document each pose, then present the specific color theory, along with notes on the process and procedures for each set-up. Artists are encouraged to upload their paintings into the document to create their own personal color journal of their workshop experience. For more information or if you are interested in seeing examples of past journal pages contact me at: billperkinsart@yahoo.com or
(805) 231-4728.

Sincerely,
Bill Perkins
Where:
Atelier Marchant

Contact:
Matthew Marchant
E-Mail: marchantatelier@gmail.com
Phone: 661.350.1579
Website: www.ateliermarchant.blogspot.com

Bill's Fine Art Portfolio: Click Here
Bill's Commercial Work: Click Here

REGISTER FOR THE CTN Expo NOW!!!

Atelier Marchant highly recommends the Creative Talent Network’s Animation Expo (CTN-X) as it returns for it's 3rd year to the City of Burbank beginning Friday, November 18th – Sunday, November 20th. This is the ONLY place where you’ll meet so many animation industry icons under one roof and make contacts, learn new techniques and meet with recruiters. Hurry and join in NOW where “X” marks the spot to connect with renowned artists from around the world including some of our own talent from Atelier Marchant. Register online or call (800) 604-2238 and save. CTN-X takes place at the Burbank Marriott Convention Center with ample discounted parking and is conveniently located across the street from the Burbank Airport and Amtrak Station. Early bird tickets are $50 for a day pass and $130 for a 3-day pass. Discounted rates are available to Atelier Marchant students when registering online using this code   ATEMARX11.

To register online NOW, please visit: www.regonline.com/ctnx2011 or call, (800) 604-2238.
Check out what you missed last year ... http://vimeo.com/18502169

I have attached some graphics that can link to either
The Creative Talent Network (CTN) http://www.creativetalentnetwork.com
The CTN animation eXpo http://www.ctnanimationexpo.com

Bill Perkins, Art Director of the Disney classic Aladdin and lifelong Fine Artist is teaching a 5-day Color Workshop 5/4-5/8

2011-03-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Bill Perkins, Color Boot-Camp 5-Day Workshop

Date: 5/4-5/8

Time: 9am-7:30pm daily

Cost $575

Van Nuys, CA 91406

marchantatelier@gmail.com or call Matt at 661-350-1579 to register

Hello Artists and Friends,
In June of 2010 Atelier Marchant kicked off with our first workshop being Bill Perkins' newly designed Color Boot-Camp 5-Day intensive. Bill is a master in color understanding and he is genius in his ability to simplify the complexity of color perception. The workshop was such a success and students gave such overwhelmingly positive feedback, that we decided to offer the workshop again this May 4th-8th!
Perkins has extensive knowledge and experience when it comes to color, working in the commercial Art field as well as a Fine Artist...
In 1990 he became the Art Director on Disney's Aladdin. As Art Director he designed the style and developed the first discrete style guide which was designed to mine the collaborative process and secure predictable outcomes. An avid lifelong student himself, Bill began teaching color, composition and design at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art in 2002. When he left Disney in 1994 he worked as a Visual Development artist, Art Director, and Concept Artist for Warner bros, DreamWorks, then moved to San Anselmo to work for ILM. When he returned to southern California in 2001, Bill opened High St. Studio as a pre-production and concept design studio with the following clients, DNA Productions, Character Builders, Disneytoons, Walt Disney Animation Studio, Hot Donut productions, 9th Ray Studio, Mass Media, Sprite Entertainment, Spark Unlimited, THQ, and Paramount Studios. In 2007 Bill returned to Disney to finish development on Bolt and continued on to art direct a short project and joined the visual development team designing for Walt Disney Animation Studios on future projects.
This workshop will be a great learning experience for Artist at all levels of their personal artistic growth... Don't miss this opportunity to advance your skills!

Here's a quote from one of the attendee's of the last workshop
"I was at the last boot camp and came away with more knowledge and enthusiasm for painting then I did after four years of art college. I highly recommend that if you can take the time to take this session, you should do it! If I could have taken the time off work I would do again. I had a great time."
-Scott Seeto: Concept Artist at Disney Toons studios

If you are serious about improving your color sensitivity, this is an intense, five-day painting workout that will do just that. I have carefully designed the format, aids, and procedures to challenge right brain processing which allows many artists to experience startling rapid growth in color perception, color mixing, and color vibration. Because we are painting from life I will unveil color theory, not through exhaustive lectures and painting color chips but through experiencing and painting these effects as they reveal themselves in real life situations. I will set-up situations that clearly express all seven basic contrasts of color in various combination's and mutations. As a bonus, the paintings produced by each artist during this course will be labeled with the specific applied theory, which it captures, and these will serve as documents of their personal journey, to study from and reflect on for years to come!
This course is suggested for students, professional artists, Illustrators, Designers, and digital painters. The course will be conducted in oil paints but your experiences will translate to other mediums directly. Some familiarity with alla-prima approach and basic color mixing is recommended.

Contact:

Matthew Marchant

E-Mail: marchantatelier@gmail.com

Phone: 661.350.1579

Website: www.ateliermarchant.blogspot.com

Bills Fine Art Portfolio: Click Here

Bill's Commercial Work: Click Here

Bill Perkins Color Boot-Camp 5-Day Workshop 10/27-10/31

2010-10-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

Bill Perkins, Color Boot-Camp 5-Day Workshop
Date: 10/27-10/31
Time: 9am-8:30pm daily* (*ends at 5pm on Halloween)
Cost $575
Location: 15414 Cabrito Rd. Unit. F
Van Nuys, CA 91406
marchantatelier@gmail.com or call Matt at 661-350-1579 to register

Hello Artists and Friends,

In June of 2010 Atelier Marchant kicked off with our first workshop being Bill Perkins' newly designed Color Boot-Camp 5-Day intensive. Bill is a master in color understanding and in his ability to simplify the complexity of color perception he is genius. The workshop was such a success and students gave such overwhelmingly positive feedback, that we decided to offer the workshop again at the end of this month!

Perkins has extensive knowledge and experience when it comes to color, working in the commercial Art field as well as a Fine Artist...

In 1990 he became the Art Director on Disney's Aladdin. As Art Director he designed the style and developed the first discrete style guide which was designed to mine the collaborative process and secure predictable outcomes. An avid lifelong student himself, Bill began teaching color, composition and design at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art in 2002. When he left Disney in 1994 he worked as a Visual Development artist, Art Director, and Concept Artist for Warner bros, DreamWorks, then moved to San Anselmo to work for ILM. When he returned to southern California in 2001, Bill opened High St. Studio as a pre-production and concept design studio with the following clients, DNA Productions, Character Builders, Disneytoons, Walt Disney Animation Studio, Hot Donut productions, 9th Ray Studio, Mass Media, Sprite Entertainment, Spark Unlimited, THQ, and Paramount Studios. In 2007 Bill returned to Disney to finish development on Bolt and continued on to art direct a short project and joined the visual development team designing for Walt Disney Animation Studios on future projects.

This workshop will be a great learning experience for Artist at all levels of their personal artistic growth... Don't miss this opportunity to advance your skills!

Here's a quote from one of the attendee's of the last workshop
Scott Seeto: Concept Artist at Disney Toons studios

"I was at the last boot camp and came away with more knowledge and enthusiasm for painting then I did after four years of art college. I highly recommend that if you can take the time to take this session, you should do it! If I could have taken the time off work I would do again. I had a great time."

If you are serious about improving your color sensitivity, this is an intense, five-day painting workout that will do just that. I have carefully designed the format, aids, and procedures to challenge right brain processing which allows many artists to experience startling rapid growth in color perception, color mixing, and color vibration. Because we are painting from life I will unveil color theory, not through exhaustive lectures and painting color chips but through experiencing and painting these effects as they reveal themselves in real life situations. I will set-up situations that clearly express all seven basic contrasts of color in various combination's and mutations. As a bonus, the paintings produced by each artist during this course will be labeled with the specific applied theory, which it captures, and these will serve as documents of their personal journey, to study from and reflect on for years to come.

This course is suggested for students, professional artists, Illustrators, Designers, and digital painters. The course will be conducted in oil paints but your experiences will translate to other mediums directly. Some familiarity with alla-prima approach and basic color mixing is recommended.

Where:

Atelier Marchant

15414 Cabrito Rd. Unit. F

Van Nuys, CA 91406

Contact:

Matthew Marchant

E-Mail: marchantatelier@gmail.com

Phone: 661.350.1579

Website: www.ateliermarchant.blogspot.com

Bills Fine Art Portfolio: Click Here

Bill's Commercial Work: Click Here

Bill Perkins Color Boot Camp Workshop 10/27-10/31 9am-8:30pm each day $575 total

2010-10-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

The last Color Boot-Camp was a great success! Students were overwhelmingly pleased with the amount of information and color knowledge they left the workshop with.

Color Boot camp

5-Day Intensive Workshop

October 27th-31st 2010

9:30am to 8:30pm (each day, except "Halloween" we end at 5pm)

Where:

Atelier Marchant

15414 Cabrito Rd. Unit. F

Van Nuys, CA 91406

Cost:

$575

Contact:

Matthew Marchant

E-Mail: marchant07@sbcglobal.net

Phone: 661.350.1579

Website: www.ateliermarchant.blogspot.com Also visit Bill's Websites: www.billperkinsstudio.com and www.highstreetstudio.com

New Workshops!!! for Fall 2010...

2010-09-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce a listing of Fall 2010 workshops with Atelier Marchant. We have a couple great artists visiting from New York, in October James Gurney and in November Master Painter Steven Assael, as well as some local Artists Bill Perkins and Danni Shinya Luo teaching a Color and Watercolor for Illustration workshops respectively. Here is the information on all of these great workshops listed below!

Call 661.350.1579 or email marchantatelier@gmail.com to register!

James Gurney: 3 Part Lecture Series October 10th, 2010 from 1pm-5pm

$30 for each lecture or $65 for the entire day.

in October, the esteemed James Gurney, creator of www.dinotopia.com and the creator of the best art blog on the internet, will be joining us to share his knowledge with you, covering three important topics, lectures, and presentations. James' BLOG (This is a must read blog for all artists so if you have not clicked that, do it now! You will learn and see a lot of great stuff). We are very fortunate to have James offering these lectures and I hope everyone will take a deeper look at his world and art.

Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn’t Exist

This digital slide presentation examines the practical methods that will help intermediate and advanced artists translate an imaginative scene into a realistic image. The content of the talk is almost entirely updated since my 2007 lecture: Dinotopia: Behind the Scenes, which I shared with over twenty art schools and five movie studios. The topics include research, thumbnail sketches, models posing, maquettes, photo reference, and plein air studies. A slightly modified version of this talk works well with audiences that include a lot of kids.

Color and Light

The subject of color often seems like an abstract science, but it really comes to life for the realist artist when it is related to light and atmosphere, the central tools of any realist painter. An understanding of color and light is also fundamental to artists who need to create color scripts for sequential works—such as graphic novels, video games, illustrated books, or animated films. I’ll show a practical method for color organization called “Color Wheel Masking,” which involves placing one of a set of uniquely shaped templates over the color wheel to create an infinite variety of reduced triads and complementary schemes. In the course of discussing this unique method, I’ll cover most of the standard fundamentals of color: hue, value, and chroma; as well as limited palettes, warm and cool color, and perceptual effects of color vision.

Pioneers of Plein Air

Many professional artists have found enormous benefits from painting outdoors. This fast-paced digital slide presentation starts by taking a look at how plein-air painting was practiced in the 1830s and 40s by the American landscape painters Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, and Frederic Church. I show how they achieved remarkable results, and how they contended with insects, wind, and direct sunlight. I then bring the story to the modern day, discussing materials and methods of both drawing and painting media. If the talk is in range of car travel, I’ll typically bring in the actual paint set-up so that people can take a close look at the equipment.

Steven Assael: Alla-Prima Figure Painting

Wednesday Nov.10th-Sunday November 14th (5Days) 11am-5pm $750 total

Steven Assael is one of the most inspirational and original masterful realist painters of our time. His poignant renderings of the details of life’s struggles leave the viewer agape at not only their own immortality, but also at the lush surfaces he deftly creates with the flicks of his brush. Add to that his warm personality, and you have the makings of an incredible artist and instructor.

Understanding drawing, tone and value and color with a unified direct application of paint is stressed. Simplification of form and the gradual development of the parts in context with the whole are produced through the observation of light and shadow and warm and cool colors.

This class will pursue direct painting from the model over a week. Some time will be devoted to a painting demonstration (approximately six to eight hours). Students are to develop rapid immediate starts establishing the whole at once. Understanding how to develop an initial structure that’s flexible to change and develop are stressed.

Students will gain an understanding of materials and basic craftsmanship from establishing ground supports to a variety of techniques in oil paint using fat over lean principles.

Bill Perkins: Color Boot Camp Workshop

Wednesday, October 27th-Sunday October 31st 9am-5pm (each day) $575 total

Danni Shinya Luo: Watercolor for Illustration Workshop

Friday November 5th - Sunday November 7th $245 total

An introduction to steps and ways of creating paintings or illustrations using watercolor mediums. By exploring the property and behavior of the medium, students will learn to come up with their own appropriate styles and processes using watercolor.

Day 1:

Introduction to watercolor surface and tools.

Exploring of Painting Process and Basic Methods

Day 2:

Sketching, Portrait demo

Practice in Class, Reference book discussion, Art work sharing

Day 3:

Exploring different surfaces, textures, and mediums

Students share art works, Painting in class.

Call 661.350.1579 or email marchantatelier@gmail.com to register!

Sequential Art Course with Marshall Vandruff

2010-07-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

Atelier Marchant
www.marshallart.com
Friday thru Sunday
Aug. 6th-8th 11am-6pm each day
Cost: $295
Hosted by 3Kicks Fine Art Studio
55 Wavery Dr. Suite #109
Pasadena, CA 91105

This course is for anyone who tells stories with pictures. We begin with the old wisdom about what makes a character interesting and a story worth telling, then we get into how to compose and arrange pictures to make a story emotionally powerful. Whether you are designing shots for a film, pages for a children's book, or panels for a graphic novel, you have two problems: making the story clear, and bringing it to life. We will study how great masters of pictorial storytelling use their craft to move an audience's emotions.
Click here to sign up or to check if this course is now open for registration.
This is a three-day Intensive course

SESSIONS & TOPICS
Character Development	Types, Casting, Complexity & Transitions
Story Development	Structure, Unity, Reversals, Tension & Timing
Shot Design	Camera, Image, Shot Structure, Clarity & Impact

I've taught this course over thirty times at Laguna College of Art & Design and (formerly) at Cal State Fullerton. I've also taught it to the cinematics team at Blizzard Entertainment. This is a boiled-down version of the course for professionals and beginners. The sessions will be packed with instruction, so be prepared to learn.
The first sessions are a concentrated, foundational course on storytelling. The final sessions are a concentrated course in sequential shot design. I will explain some differences between various media, such as illustrated books, graphic novels, comic strips and films, but I will emphasize the fundamental discipline behind them all: how to tell the story with pictures, not words.

Materials:

Bring a sketchpad and a mechanical pencil or pen or some other non-messy point media. No charcoal or dusty media or anything that leaves shavings.

Call Matthew Marchant @ 661.350.1579 to register. Or email marchantatelier@gmail.com.

Marshall's workshops are very popular so register soon! It will fill fast...

Aaron Westerberg Workshop July 7th-11th

2010-07-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

Aaron Westerberg Five-Day Oil Painting workshop!

Where: 15414 Cabrito Rd. Van Nuys, CA 91406
When: July 7th-11th , Wednesday – Sunday
Cost: $595

This five-day workshop will focus on the fundamentals of picture making and direct painting from a live model.

We will discuss various starting techniques as well as color studies, value schemes, and the preliminary work involved in starting a painting. The first part of the workshop will focus on the portrait the second we will focus on the figure and setting up a scene. There will be daily instructor demonstrations and critiques.

There will be two long demonstrations the first day and the third. Students should bring at least four canvases. I like to have more so I have more options for composition.

One for portrait either 11x14, 16x12, 20x16 one for the figure pose 20x16, 24x18 and two smaller canvases for color/compositional studies 5x7, 4x6, or 10x8 are good.

visit Aaron's Website!

www.westerberg-fineart.com

To Register or for more details please Call Matthew Marchant 661.350.1579 or e-mail: marchant07@sbcglobal.net

Sean Cheetham Alla Prima Portrait Workshop June 24th-28th

2010-05-20T00:43:00.000-07:00

This Workshop will focus on learning to paint a portrait from life. The Instructor will be going over composition, drawing, likeness, organizing your palette, color mixing, value, edges, and producing a completed portrait. This will consist of one day costumed or semi- nude poses. Students can work in any media. Instructor will be working in oil.
Sean Cheetham uses a very distinct palette, called a "mud-Palette" when working on Alla-Prima Portraits. This palette will be discussed extensively throughout the workshop. The benefits of working with this palette are value and color control. Harmony and unity in you final piece and a simple step by step process to painting alla-prima portraits. Don't miss this opportunity to study with one of the great Portrait Painters of this time.

Sean Cheetham has been recognized by many Galleries, Magazines, Museums, and Art Collectors as a valid and important Artist in today's representational Fine Art world!

What: Sean Cheetham Portrait in Alla-Prima Workshop
Where: Atelier Marchant
15414 Cabrito Rd.
Van Nuys, CA 91406
When: June 24th-28th 10am-5pm each day
Cost: $695 total

www.seancheetham.blogspot.com

To Register or for more details please Call Matthew Marchant 661.350.1579 or e-mail: marchant07@sbcglobal.net

Aaron Westerberg Monochromatic Painting workshop article Summer 2010 issue of "American Artist" Workshop

2010-05-20T00:28:00.001-07:00

Here is the text from the Article I wrote for American Artist on Aaron Westerberg's Monochromatic Painting workshop... This was prior to the editors cut.

Aaron Westerberg

Title: Smooth Transition: Bridging the gap from Drawing to Painting

By: Matthew Marchant

“For all artists, taking that leap from Drawing to Painting can be an intimidating and daunting challenge. With his Monochromatic Painting workshop, Southern California Artist Aaron Westerberg is offering students the tools and techniques necessary in making it a smooth transition!”

Aaron Westerberg has become known for his monochromatic “Red” paintings, as he calls them. The 2007 publication “Strokes of Genius” featured his Monochromatic Painting “Belena” on the cover; “Belena” was also the first painting Aaron ever sold nearly ten years ago. This coupled with the fact that his “red” paintings are noticeably sensitive and delicate has made them popular amongst fans of figurative art, and students looking for that edge in training!

Westerberg learned this technique and approach to creating “under-paintings” as a student of the Watts Atelier from Instructor Jeffrey Watts. An under-painting is the initial layer of paint applied to the ground, which serves as the base for subsequent layers, under-paintings are usually monochromatic and help the artist define values for the final painting. Watts Atelier being a school more focused on Illustration at the time, taught this as a method for creating paintings quickly and efficiently. By using an Open Grisaille under-painting Aaron was taught that he could solve his value scheme and structure of the drawing, therefore having the problems solved with value, composition, and drawing before simply tiling the color palette onto the piece.

The warm atmosphere and energy in the studio as Aaron Westerberg’s recent two-day monochromatic workshop was about to begin, was in stark contrast to the cold and rainy day students struggled through in getting there. Needless to say everyone involved was happy to be inside and enthusiastic to begin the creative process.

Since this is the first step into painting for many of these students, Aaron made them feel comfortable about the tools and the process right away. Aaron has a way of putting his students at ease throughout the process, “anyone can do this, it’s just drawing with a brush!” He doesn’t take himself too seriously and keeps the mood light. Which was great for the beginning students in the course as they worked their way into painting. One student who is a beginning painter, Ruth Ann said “ I was very impressed by Aaron’s ability to address every level of artist in the workshop, for a new artist like myself it’s a whole new terminology as well as body of information that many accomplished artists forget to address, and Aaron did a fabulous job of simplifying it all. I believe the key for all artists is to simplify!” It’s this ability to simplify and communicate clearly that has made Aaron a great Teacher for the past ten years, since his start with California Art Institute in 2000 “He has a few little tricks to just make you feel a little less awkward and comfortable and now I’m excited to go home and start practicing more.”

Aaron started the workshop by introducing the students to the tools they would be using. He had “keyed” or toned his canvas with a thin wash of Terra Rosa two days earlier. He then had all of the students stain their canvas with the Terra Rosa key, so that it would be ready to paint on in the afternoon. Aaron stated, “It is very important that you simply stain the canvas with this keying and keep it light.” Aaron would use this Mantra of “keep it light” throughout the workshop. After introducing the students to the canvas preparation and the brushes, he talked about the colors to be used. Aaron explained when he first started using this technique as a student transitioning into painting himself he was taught what he now knows as “Open Grisaille” method. He would use Burnt Umber alone to copy Frank Frazetta illustrations, because this was the method used by Frazetta in creating his finished illustrations. Aaron explained open and closed grisaille to the class. Open and Closed Grisaille painting are two of the earliest traditional methods for creating under-paintings. Open Grisaille uses thin transparent washes and the white of the canvas, while Closed Grisaille uses white mixed with umbers and black to create an opaque monochromatic value scale, or as Aaron also put it simply “Open is transparent and doesn’t use white, closed is opaque and uses white.” Aaron told the students this, “Open Grisaille (if you want to get technical) is the way I was taught to paint, and I did tons of these before ever attempting to step into color.”

For the purposes of this workshop students were instructed to use an Open Grisaille method. Using Winsor Newton Terra Rosa as their warm red and Winsor Newton Venetian Red as their cool red for dark accents, while using the keying of the canvas for their mid-tones and using kneaded erasers to erase out their highlights. Aaron explained to the students how this technique would keep them focused on the understanding of brushwork and value structure without muddling it with too much white, which only offers more opportunities to fail by creating mud. “This technique is really more about drawing than painting, and more about pressure control and brush technique than closed grisaille which is more about tiles of value turning form,” Aaron instructed. With Closed Grisaille students would be asked to do a much more basic drawing and get into value shapes quicker and focus more on texture and variation, where as in Open Grisaille the drawing is everything. Open Grisaille is really about bridging that gap from drawing to painting, where you are working on things like controlling a brush instead of a pencil, scumbling more than applying tiles of color, and refining your lost and found edges.

After describing the tools Aaron explained the origin of the Open Grisaille red paintings he would be demonstrating and how he began working this way. The figurative artist Titian was Aaron’s earliest influence in using this method of warm and cool reds to create a solid value scaled under-painting. Aaron was inspired by this method and incorporated it into his own under-paintings. Westerberg also showed the class John William Waterhouse’s studies where he would use warm and cool red Conte’ pencils in order to get the same effect, using his warms for the base of the drawing and the cool red was used mostly for the dark accents. The purpose of using the warm and cool reds is to create color vibration just as you would in a full palette painting but in a very limited way in order to make the learning process easier for the student. Though Waterhouse wasn’t actually painting on top of his value studies they were still used in the same way in order to work out the issues before going to full color.

Westerberg told the students, “When you achieve a balance with the two reds and a harmony in value, you can get color vibration and really get the painting to sing, with just two colors.” Another important thing he told the students to remember before starting this method is “we are restricting the value limit, and since we will not be able to achieve black with our darkest dark we must keep in mind that we are keying all of our values higher.” What that means is the half-tones will be much lighter than you may think they should be. Aaron showed students examples of under-paintings that used Open Grisaille, by Frank Duvaneck, and Waterhouse, and Closed Grisaille by Odd Nerdrum and Rembrandt to give them a solid example of what the differences are.

A major influence for Aaron is the artist Velazquez, Aaron explained to the class that some of Velazquez’ most famous paintings were “nearly 90% Open Grisaille under-painting and he was a master of simply painting the light opaque’s onto his transparent Open Grisaille under-painting, Frazetta would mimic this with his Illustrations!”

Aaron’s wealth of knowledge in Art History is apparent as he talks about his favorite artists, from Andrew Loomis, Dennis Miller Bunker, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Wilmer Dewing, and P.S. Kroyer to contemporaries such as Phil Hale, William Wray, and John Asaro… Offering fun factoids about each artist as he talks to the class. His enthusiasm for art is infectious as he goes off on tangents, many of the students looked eager to know more and feel the way he does about the art he loves. After working up in a frenzy over the art he loves, he puts his hands together and looks to the students all looking back waiting for the next anecdotal piece of information and says to them “O.K. Now I’m ready to paint!”

To start the demonstration Aaron used a Robert Simmons “Signet” filbert #4 bristle brush. He told the class to “Impregnate the brush with Terra Rosa and then pinch it with the paper towel, removing most of the pigment.” Aaron also made it very clear that it was important to stay as light as possible during this beginning blocking in stage. Aaron talked about the big shape of the model and her pose and said, “this is really just drawing with a paint brush, so all the principles of drawing still apply, start with big shapes ” Westerberg instructed the class that it was necessary to find the focal point and decide what his “area of interest” was, “right off the bat.” In the case of this demonstration it was the torso of the figure. He explained that the composition of the figure on the canvas is important in getting across your goal as well. Aaron instructed the students to the fact that every line that is put down in the drawing is like lines in a story and each one is helping you say what you want to with your piece.

As Aaron started applying the paint he said to the class “ pop quiz, what’s the first thing you do when you are painting?” A student answered, “The hair?” “Bingo, A+” quipped Aaron, “You always start the painting with your darkest darks.” He then explained how he likes to go to richest most dominant color next and then to the lightest light third. “This way your painting has a value scale for you to work within.”

For the under-painting Aaron is describing all of his values in the finished piece and as he said, this is simply “drawing with the brush”, as he worked he talked about how he would finish the painting by laying opaque color as needed while still allowing the under-painting’s transparent loose quality come through. A student asked, well how do you allow transparent to come through when you’re covering with opaque paints. To this Westerberg answered, “I just won’t paint the areas I want to show and sometimes after I’ve painted over it, I will dry brush out the areas I want to show.” Aaron told the students, “It’s all artistic choice, that’s what makes you an artist is those choices you make in variation... variation of color, texture, line, edges, values, etcetera. Most great artists, we like their work because of what they leave out… It’s their artistic interpretation or choices in variation and selectiveness that separate them.”

Aaron went on to say, “In all artistic endeavors the main question on your mind should be. How do I say more with less? As you gain more experience you can learn from your mistakes in the past and know what works and what doesn’t. But it is always a constant trial and error.”

During this drawing stage of the demonstration Aaron used two Robert Simmons Signet brushes, one to apply color, and one he used as a dry brush to scumble and add texture in some areas. “I am using mostly bristle brushes, I may use some sables or synthetics for line variation. While drawing I’m thinking of rhythms in form. One Artist who has amazing rhythmic understanding of the figure is Bernini. The hair of a Bernini sculpture is an amazingly beautiful example of rhythmic understanding.” Aaron started with the basic rhythms of the drawing and blocked in the figure, using mostly straight delicate lines. Defining all of the big shapes of the drawing. When Aaron applies the paint to the brush he uses very little. He instructed them to keep the drawing lines very light in the beginning of the painting. “The key to keeping control of your drawing with paint is to keep the amount of paint on the brush very limited.”

As Aaron worked on his demonstration he kept reminding the students of basic drawing fundamentals. “Focus on big shapes, the entire thing is simply shapes of different value.” He told the students to simplify the whole and build up their value scale. He repeated, “Keep it light” it is important to be as ginger as possible with your application of paint. Aaron told the group that he is constantly asking himself, “does this detract from what I’m trying to say?” He stressed the importance of never losing sight of what it is you want to convey to your viewer.

During model breaks Aaron wouldn’t take breaks himself, his enthusiasm for what he’s doing is so strong that he would simply go to his corner of books and examples he had brought in and start showing students little things that could help them with their process. Aaron is very giving with these nuggets of artistic wisdom and inspiration!

As Aaron progressed through the painting he noted that he was simply working within his value range and as long as his big statements of light and dark are there from the beginning he’s fine and knows he won’t be lost as he moves along. Letting the students know, “Drawing and Painting are all about the preparation. Every stage is easier if you’ve prepared for it during the previous stage.” So Aaron went between his darkest dark and his highlight refining the shapes and values.

Aaron had displays to show the students the subtleties of value separation and illustrated the idea of values being relative to one another within the painting.

About his work Aaron said, “I want it to look organic, like nature. I want it to seem as if it was grown, and take the person who created it out of it. I want the brush strokes to mimic the variation of life.” and after his Zen like take on his work, he goes right back to the standard academic principles that make it solid. “With the drawing all I am thinking about is simple shape design. I am trying to stay away from line. Value separation. Simplify!”

During the entire process Aaron is bouncing between telling the class basic drawing principles and what it means to create art and be an artist. Giving students techniques like “In order to pull out my lights I use a kneaded eraser and dab the areas I want to lighten. I am thinking about all of the planes of the form and keeping in mind that every plane should have a different value, no matter how slight the variation. Follow what you see, not what you know.” While offering his philosophy, “I know I have a good painting when I want to hang it on my wall. I am looking to paint something I would want to have in my home.” It’s this free-form nature Aaron teaches with that lightens the mood and gives his students the comfort ability to create and feel loose and unstinted.

The principles of academic drawing are Aaron’s base which he builds upon in creating his work, but he doesn’t lose site of the fact that “this is Art, it’s up to me to make it something someone wants, that’s my job as an artist.” Once Aaron had a solid drawing with a full range of values he placed some “cool” dark accents using the Venetian Red color, keeping it varied and not “overdoing it” with too many dark accents bringing that color vibration he had spoken of earlier.

After getting his demonstration to the level of finish he was comfortable with, Aaron instructed the students to start on their own piece. He called out a few last minute notes for them as they prepared to start. He told them to start with a basic thumbnail value sketch in order to prepare their composition and value scale. Aaron also made it clear to stay away from turpentine or mineral spirits completely because doing so would pull up the keyed background. While students worked, Aaron excitedly went from one student to the next, laughing with them, sharing stories and helping them with their work.

Aaron focused on the value structure of the pieces. Before the last set of day one he instructed the students to finish getting in their basic composition and to keep the drawing light because they would be working on the same piece the next day and they needed to ensure they would be able to establish the values by building up tone in the second sitting. Aaron told one student, “Look for rhythms, remember the simple shapes make up the whole, start with big shapes and refine to smaller ones. Remember, simple graphic shapes in the right spot tell the right story.” With the students Aaron addressed basic drawing issues.

On the second day Aaron started by showing the students a series of Velazquez paintings from two books (“Velazquez catalogue Raisonne’ Werkverzeichnis” and “Velazquez Painter of Painters” both by Jose Lopez-Rey.) Aaron discussed Velazquez’ influence on artists who came after him and of the way he used his under-paintings to tell most of the story and would simply add the opaque lights as needed. Aaron showed how Velazquez corrected and changed his under paintings throughout the portraiture process in a couple paintings of King Philip IV Aaron showed how Velazquez started with what he saw and was obviously asked to idealize King Philip. Aaron analyzed a few of Velazquez’ paintings and showed the students what made his paintings a success, from composition, to design, brush strokes, and paint application. Aaron enthusiastically talked about one of his favorite artist’s with a sort of child-like excitement that you couldn’t help but smile. After getting the students excited and inspired Aaron sent them back to their easels. Students painted from the model for the entire second day.

One student Deirdre said about Aaron’s approach to teaching that “He is great because he is clear and very easy to understand, he’s just very sweet.” She also talked about the importance of studying this monochromatic under-painting technique saying, “you know when you go to a gallery or a museum the work that stands out has the best value structure and this workshop has prepared me to create better value studies before starting my finished painting. ” Another student named Jeroen, who had only painted two paintings before the class, said, “I feel like I know how to start a painting now, and how to go from a drawing to painting.” He also said about Aaron, “he is inspiring and it’s fun to just listen to his stories and little ideas he has for you as a beginner.”

So the workshop ended with a group of students better prepared to take that next step into painting. They learned that the secret to all believable representational work is solid value structure and a grasp of the basic drawing fundamentals. Aaron simply put it, “As a teacher of this technique the main goal is to provide the students a bridge to painting from drawing. You need to become familiar with your tools and how to apply paint as you are experimenting with all of these tools and techniques in a very limited range of color. That is one part, but you are also learning the techniques for under painting which most artists use with all of their studio paintings”, and hopefully these students will as well!

www.westerberg-fineart.com

Bill Perkins Color Boot Camp Workshop

2010-05-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

Color Boot camp

5-Day Intensive Workshop

June 16-20 2010

9:30am to 8:30pm (each day)

Where:

Atelier Marchant

15414 Cabrito Rd. Unit. F

Van Nuys, CA 91406

Cost:

$575

Contact:

Matthew Marchant

E-Mail: marchant07@sbcglobal.net

Phone: 661.350.1579

Website: www.ateliermarchant.blogspot.com Also visit Bill's Websites: www.billperkinsstudio.com and www.highstreetstudio.com