The Artists’ Toolbox: Impasto Painting

Pre-requisites for enrolment

Some basic paintings skills and experience of art and design required.

Special Information

Materials you will need to bring to the first class:

• Large tubes / containers of acrylic paint with the following essential colours: white, black and raw umber (or other brown)

• A range of big hog and/or acrylic brushes and house painting brushes

• Palette knives

• Rags or kitchen towel

• A range of drawing tools such as Conte and charcoal

• A sketchbook

In addition to the course fee, students are expected to provide the following list of indicative tools, materials and equipment:

• Painting gels and media (to be discussed with tutor)

• Rollers and scrapers

• Large tubes / containers of acrylic paint with the following essential colours: white, black, raw umber, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, cadmium red, crimson, ultramarine, cerulean blue

• A range of big hog and/or acrylic brushes and house painting brushes

• Palette knives

• Cloth rags or kitchen towel

• Painting surfaces (canvas, boards, cards)

• A range of drawing tools such as Conte and charcoal

• A sketchbook

Content of Course

This course will focus on two main areas; a range of impasto painting techniques, skills and approaches using either acrylic or oil paint and how to respond to primary and secondary sources to design pictorial compositions suitable for painting.

Students will learn specific impasto techniques and approaches through initial demonstration and practical exercises. Students will work from studio set ups, given and found secondary sources such as photographs and their own drawings and photographs. Through group discussion and presentation the notion of compositional design as a tool to develop a more inventive and imaginative approach to subject matter will be a major consideration. In the final sessions of the course, students will be challenged to create at least three more resolved painting using the techniques and approaches within the course.

1. Introduction to impasto painting techniques using a monochromatic palette.

2. Ways to use large brushes, palette knives and gesture to create paintings.

3. Working and responding from primary sources and studio set ups.

4. How to record ideas and develop them into impasto paintings.

5. Using a limited colour palette on a board or canvas ground.

6. How to get more ‘body’ and relief into the paintwork.

7. Working from a combination of primary and secondary sources.

8. How to consider light sources, tone and form.

9. How to collect and develop secondary sources as visual research.

10. Introduction to full colour techniques with impasto painting.

11. Working on a series of paintings and ‘palette cleaners’ (paintings derived from using up excess paint).

12. Use secondary source materials and sketchbook drawings to develop more personal works.

13. Consider mood, subject and context of compositional drawings.

14. Develop a series of related impasto paintings developed from the techniques and ideas explored.

Teaching method(s)

This course will be based and delivered in specialist art and design studios. Students’ progress will be monitored and supported by the tutor with individual advice given. Teaching will include practical demonstration of technique, one to one tuition, group discussions and critiques.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Use thick painting and lively brushwork to create a series of impasto painting

• Identify and develop subject matter and composition suitable for impasto painting.

• Make paintings directly in response to primary and secondary sources as subject matter.

Sources

Core Readings

Recommended:

• Bois, Y., 1999. Abstraction, Gesture, Ecriture. 1st ed. Zurich [etc.]: Scalo, Print.

• Lambirth, A., and Kiff, K. 2001 Ken Kiff. 1st ed. New York: Thames & Hudson.

• Baselitz, G., and Serota, N., 1984 Georg Baselitz - Schilderijen 1960-83. 1st ed. Amsterdam: N.p.

• Becker, W. and Iōakeimidēs C., 1985. German Art In The Twentieth Century 1st ed. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

• Forge, A., 1965. Haim Soutine 1894-1943. London : Spring Books ;c1965

Web Sources

Will be provided within a course wiki.

Class Handouts

Will be provided within a course wiki.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.