PAINTING CLASSES
8/08/08
I am not currently teaching because of a busy painting schedule, but I hope to teach again
at some point in the future. E-mail me if you are interested and I will put you on my mailing
list. In the meantime, if you are starting on your own, the information about materials below
might be useful to you as well as How I Work.
Learn traditional painting techniques using acrylics.
All levels welcome.
TIME: Saturdays from 10 am to 1:00. 8 classes total.
COST AND PAYMENT: The cost is $200.00. Class will be limited to 10 students. Classes
must be prepaid and students will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. Please
make check payable to Chris Miles and mail to:
Chris Miles
2512 Elizabeth St #8
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
WHERE: Rockwood Studios: 1064 E. 2100 S. Salt Lake City, UT. Main Floor, Room 15.
INSTRUCTOR: Chris Miles. To see my work go to www.chrismiles.net
ABOUT THE CLASSES: In these classes you will be painting your own choice of subject
matter, either from photos, your own drawings, still life set ups, or any combination of these.
The focus of the class will be representational painting. Acrylics are suitable for almost all
styles of representational painting. The list of materials below is the minimum you will need
for the class. Bring these the first day. Feel free to bring any other materials if you have
them.
Bring a subject to paint the first day. The first class will be general information about acrylic
painting, a painting demonstration which will show you how to use all of the materials, and
then we will begin painting. The second class will be a lesson on color and will give you
the language that will enable us to communicate about color as I am helping you with your
painting. Other day's lessons will include drawing fundamentals, painting textures such as
grass, stone , hair, etc, and preparing surfaces to paint on. Some later classes will be
geared toward things students want to learn. I will bring books on various artists to each
class for inspiration and to illustrate painting techniques. If you have questions call
467-5604 or e-mail me.
Materials
PAINTS: any brand will
work, Liquitex, Utrecht, and
Golden are higher quality. I
think a minimum set would
be 7 colors: black, white,
light yellow (Cadmium
Yellow Light or Lemon
Yellow), red, a warm blue
(e.g. Ultramarine), a cool
blue (e.g. Thalo), and
purple or violet.
BRUSHES: All types of brushes
can potentially be used to
produce different effects.
Generally, short handled brushes
are for water based media -
acrylic and watercolors, and long
handled brushes are made for
oils. I use short handles
"rounds" (round pointy brushes)
the most, I like synthetic hair
brushes better than natural hair
brushes because I find they keep
a nicer point. They are also much
cheaper. The big round brush on
the right has been used so much
it has lost it's point but it's still
good for washes and scumbling.
I like long handled bristle "flats"
or "brights" (flats with rounded
corners) for painting large areas
of larger paintings. If you are
buying your very first brushes I
would buy one #8 short handled round and one #8 long handled bristle bright.
SURFACES TO PAINT ON: Good surfaces include stretched canvas coated with gesso,
canvas board, and gessoed hardboard. If aren't sure what you want to paint on I would
recommend canvas board from a craft or art store in sizes "8x10" or 11"x 14". These are
inexpensive and yet of high quality, and are pre-gessoed, making them ready to use.
SEALED PALETTE: You need a sealed palette to keep the paints you are working with in.
The one below on the left requires a sponge and special paper which are sold separately.
These are kind of pricey, remember to use your 40% off coupon if you shop at Roberts or
Michael's. The most economical sealed palette is tupperware and a wet paper towel. A
sponge placed under the paper towel will make the paint last longer -2 weeks or so. In
either case if you want to keep your paints longer than 2 weeks add 2 or 3 tablespoons
ammonia underneath the sponge to prevent molding.
PALETTE PAPER: Disposable palette paper, seen
on the right, is used to mix paints on. This paper is
designed specifically for acrylics and has a wax-like
surface that resists water so the paint doesn't soak
into it. ( By contrast, the paper that goes in the
sealed palette absorbs water. Water absorbs
through from the sponge and in this way prevents
the paint from drying out) The gray paints seen
above were mixed with a palette knife on palette
paper and then put into the sealed palette. 8"x10"
and 9"x12" are good sizes for palette paper.
PALETTE KNIFE: As the one seen on the right.
WATER CONTAINER : Plastic jugs with holes cut
work well.
SPRAY BOTTLE: You need one spray bottle. The
finer the mist the better. Spray bottles from hair
salon supply stores tend to be of a higher quality
and have a finer mist.