A gouache painting of a figure reclining in a chair, in an impressionist style. The paining is in bright hues.

Short to Long: Painting the Figure

Class | Registration opens 7/14/2025 12:00 AM PDT

2107 Westlake Ave Seattle, WA 98121 United States
Drawing and Painting Studio #107
All Levels
9/18/2025-11/20/2025
6:00 PM-9:00 PM PDT on Th
$730.00
$657.00

Short to Long: Painting the Figure

Class | Registration opens 7/14/2025 12:00 AM PDT

In this color first approach to the figure you will learn strategies to simplify what you see and to create effective and dynamic studies from the figure. Weeks 1-5 will focus on shorter single session studies using different limited palettes. Working ala prima, you will practice seeing abstractly and applying paint quickly and intuitively. During the final weeks we will slow down, developing a painting over a series of five weeks. You will use value, color and proportional studies to assist your longer painting. Lectures, and demonstrations on art History, anatomy and color theory will help to structure your observations and deepen your approach to the figure.

  • Painting

    For brands I recommend Holbein water-based gouache and windsor and newton gouache.
    (All colors 15 ml tubes, except white 40ml)
    Paper
    9x12 or 14x17 vellum or smooth bristol
    Hot press water color paper also works well, as does any smooth lightly sized paper. Canson’s XL Mixed Media paper is another good alternative. I also like using the thick, moleskine sketch notebooks.
    Some light weight sketch paper for loosening up


    Primary Colors
    Flame Red OR Cadmium red
    Primary Red OR Alizarin Crimson/Magenta
    Ultramarine
    Primary Blue OR Cyan
    Cadmium Yellow Medium OR Permanent Yellow Deep
    Cadmium Yellow Light OR Primary Yellow

    Earth Tones
    Burnt Sienna
    Yellow Ochre
    Ivory Black

    Optional: Secondary Colors
    Permanent Green Deep
    Sap green/moss green
    Violet/Purple

    Permanent White 40-60ml

    For brushes I prefer synthetic bristles ranging in size from 0-6
    2 round ?” or size 1 or 0 brushes
    2 round ¼”-?” size 4-6 brushes
    2 flat ½” brushes
    1 small spray/fine mist bottle like for facial toner
    1 pack of 9x12 palette paper
    Paper towels
    A few graphite pencils, a sharpener and an eraser for sketching
    Cup for water
    Ruler
    Scissors


Sarah Bixler