Professional oil painting classes

Amy Funk, aka ChefChef, is your hands on painting instructor for this unique still life oil painting class for all ability levels. This 5 session course taking place once a week will result in a stunning self made painting that you can keep to cherish and show off, or provide you with a one-of-a-kind gift to bestow on someone special. The classes will also give you the tools you need going forward to work on your own using the step by step process Funk will instruct. The classes will also whisk you away in a peaceful yet challenging set of hours to regulate your state of mind. The classes are a joyful space with quiet music taking place over 3 hours in the evening once a week.

The courses are also an ongoing set of building blocks that can be put together to develop more and more skill with every class you take. The goal is to create a system for laying down paint with the order and technique used by Funk herself. Dozens of students have taken these workshops with incredible results. It is truly a gift of giving yourself time to be creative ~ to be calm yet stimulated, and create something extraordinary.

The Classes:

The class will begin with an introduction to your instructor, Amy Funk, and a bit about what is going to be accomplished. The beginning of the class will be spent projecting your image onto your provided primed canvas. Everyone will be painting the same still life. While some are projecting the rest will be learning and practicing different paint stroke techniques and colour theory/mixing.

You will spend the remaining time working on your pieces. The class will catapult into the paint application process. Funk will work closely with each student one on one at their individual levels as well as give inevitably long winded talks about what the class is striving for and how to achieve it. Funk will use a projector to show many examples of artists who use the light and techniques you are trying to achieve and will be painting alongside the students and pausing at times to pull them over and physically describe the desired paint application on her own piece. This is a high success class, no matter your level. This tried and true way of painting paired with Funk’s attention is a sure fire way to attain a painting style that can be used moving forward for any taste. 

Materials List:

Students: please read materials list carefully and come with the right brushes. This is key.

1. Oil paint:
   You will need a minimum of one black, one white, and one of each basic colour (ie. one yellow, one, red, one blue, one green, one purple). Please keep in mind the classical palette of photo realist still life when choosing your paint. 
   
   All students will need Paynes grey and Naples yellow. These two colours help immensely. Other highly recommended colours are: Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Naples Yellow Red, Terre Verte, Sap Green, Viridian Hue, Cerulean Blue, Phthalo Blue, Magenta, Cobalt Violet.
   
2. Brushes
   You will need SMALL brushes, ( I use acrylic brushes for oil myself). We have no need for brushes any wider than half an inch for the large! And we want a variety of tips ~ pointy, flat, angled, the works, but students MUST have at least one short square tip with right angles! Also – soft is the name of the game. We do NOT) want harsh-haired or bristled brushes – they are too scratchy for what we are trying to achieve. Please see the attached photo for examples – use my hand for size reference. Brushes make an enormous difference. You will make your life much easier by selecting the right brushes. DeSerres in Halifax has a great selection and the brushes I use are only $5.99. The brand is Royal & Langnickel and they are primarily what Funk uses. The dollar store right in Lunenburg has a decent selection as well!
   
3. Mason jar with lid & brush cleaning solvent 
   
4. iPad or tablet (optional but suggested) to view the photo you are painting from. This is optional but the iPad is backlit and some may prefer that. There will also be printouts available.

Provided:

• Pencils
• Paper towel
• Pallet
• One pre-primed canvas board
• Printouts of the photo we are painting from
• Projector