If you think you can’t draw, this course is for you! This jumpstart into drawing expands the student’s ability to perceive and render the world around them. You will be introduced to contour drawing, gesture, mark-making, approaches to basic portraiture and figure drawing without measuring, and more. Don’t worry, you don’t need to know what all of this means!
No experience necessary. 😉
SUPPLY LIST: Bring your 2B pencil, an eraser and a stack of inexpensive paper or a sketchbook
COURSE DATE: Sunday Apr 23, 2023 10am-4pm
TUITION: $90 incl GST
TO REGISTER: An E-transfer secures your spot! Please send to val@valnelson.ca
LOCATION: Val’s studio in Courtenay, BC (location details upon registration)
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please note as this is a small class, there are no refunds, but I am happy to credit you toward a future class. Thank you for your understanding! 🙂
I so love teaching this class because I get to watch my students quickly move forward with their painting technique. My goal is for you to gain confidence to paint independantly in your home studio.
Not sure if this class is for you? Below are some common questions I am asked that I hope will inspire you to jump right in and get the paint flowing:
“Do I need to have painted before?” Some of my students are taking up their paint brush for the first time. We all knew how to make art when we were children. We were born creative! It’s just that some of us kind of forgot somewhere along the way! Be assured, it does come back with a little coaching. Some of you have enjoyed playing with paint and experimenting, but may have felt frustrated because of some technical questions you just couldn’t find a way around. That’s where I come in!
“I don’t really know how to draw.” Don’t worry! Learning to paint is largely allowing yourself to open up your perception. I take you step-by-step through a process that helps you train your brain to learn how to see more deeply. It’s super cool. In fact, you might even notice that as you expand your abilities in painting, you see the world around you differently too.
“What will I learn?” In six information-packed three-hour sessions, you will learn important steps to building an acrylic painting using a loose, impressionistic approach. As you paint a simple still life, I give demonstrations to help you understand the block-in, develop your work with more detail, and learn about how value, basic colour theory, edge control, and brushwork can be used to create a dynamic painting with strong structure. By the end of the class, you will have begun and possibly completed your own personal project.
Below is the final project of a student who had only “dabbled a little with watercolor” and done some introductory drawing with me before completing this course:
Student final project
“Yikes, that sounds complicated!” Nope. The class begins with limited colour and gradually expands to full-colour projects. And the class size is small, so you get plenty of one-on-one instruction.
“I have a crazy schedule. What if I have to miss a class?” If you must miss a class, I will do my best to fill you in when you return.
“Great! When does it start, and how much does it cost?” Classes are on Monday afternoons, 3-6pm beginning May 1, 2023. See below for more details!
PAINTING FOR BEGINNERS
SixMonday afternoons, 3-6pm: May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Jun 5
ClassFee: $425 (includes GST).
Location: In-Person at my Courtenay, BC studio. Details provided upon registration.
Supply List: Provided upon registration
To secure your spot in the class, please register by sending an E-transfer to : val@valnelson.ca 778-865-2650
Cancellation policy: Please provide 7 days’ notice if you need to cancel, at which point you can receive a credit toward a future class.
Are you a realist painter, and looking for ways to create more painterly flow and movement in your work? Join me in my studio for eight fun and challenging studio sessions amongst like-minded fellow artists.
If you have been painting alone, the group dynamic of a class creates a sense of camaraderie through an exchange of ideas. Warm-up exercises at the beginning of each session will give you new tools with which to understand how to move the paint around more freely.
Students can bring their personal projects already in process or start new ones in the class. The instructor will cover issues such as paint handling, improving drawing abilities, palette and composition tips as well as historical and contemporary painting references. Both acrylic and also oil painters with a little experience are welcome (no turpentine, please).
This is an intimate and friendly setting in a professional artist’s personal studio.
If this sounds like something you would like to take part in, feel free to call or text me at 778-865-2650 or email me at val@valnelson.ca
Check my News page for the latest on art workshops. My Classes menu can sometimes be glitchy! However there’s lots of general information below to give you a feel for what I offer.
I offer private in-person classes, and classes for up to seven students at my studio in Courtenay, Vancouver Island. val@valnelson.ca778-865-2650!
CURRENT CLASS OFFERINGS: I usually have several group classes on offer, just check the News menu on my homepage. These include Painting for Beginners, One-Day Drawing Crash Course, Landscape Painting, Painting the Interior, and a Loosen Up! painting course. If you have a class idea you would like me to offer, please contact me: val@valnelson.ca
GIFT OF ART Coupon: Do you have a loved one you would like to inspire through gifting them with a class coupon? Email me and we can set that up! val@valnelson.ca
CUSTOM PRIVATE CLASSES for Individuals and couples – Bring a friend, family member, or co-worker! I design lessons just for you, based on your needs and your schedule. You get plenty of personal attention in these intimate classes! Choose from some of the lesson ideas in the Class Menu, or let’s chat and come up with a plan.
Classes for two: $160/hr incl GST / Package of 4 hours $550 each incl GST
Group Classes: $400 half-day 3 hrs/ $750 full day ( a half-day is 3 hrs/full day 6 hrs)
Mentorship/Critique: $120/hr
Artist talk: $350
Painting Demo: $350
*Cancellation policy: Please provide 7 days’ notice if you need to cancel, at which time I will be happy to credit you toward a future class within a year of your class purchase.
Instructor Biography: A finalist in the Royal Bank Painting Competition, I’ve exhibited widely across Canada, and I’ve taught painting at the Shadbolt Arts Centre, Emily Carr University, Vancouver Island School of Art, and for many years out of my private studio. I have 1800+ students and five-star reviews for my online painting course with Bluprint (formerly Craftsy). I believe that painting can be fun and challenging, offering a beautiful pathway to self-realisation.
Hi folks, I’ve had a few requests for class offerings for the Spring, but have been focussing on my Vancouver show and will be taking a little time away from teaching. Thanks for your interest! I may teach a few in-person workshops this summer, so stay tuned.
Lovely artwork by a 12-year old student who has been studying oil-painting with me. Her choice of subject matter was the family dog. How can that not be inspiring?
I teach online and in-person group and one-on-one painting and drawing classes . My classes include Painting for Beginners, Painting Landscape, Colour Theory, Drawing, and sometimes Open Painting Studio for artists to keep the momentum going in their practice in the company of others artists (see the Class menu at the top right of the page).
My home studio is in Courtenay, about a half-hour south of Campbell River on Vancouver Island, and just a little over an hour north of Nanaimo. Private sessions are customized to the student’s specific needs. I teach all levels, from age 11 to adult. The focus for the sessions may include general painting technical training, critiques and/or coaching, to help students with their creative process. My approach is positive and constructive; I teach painting in oil or acrylic.
I also love performing demos for painting groups and art stores, such as the Opus Art Supplies demos I have done over the years.
Do you have an idea for a class you would like to see that is not listed above? Shoot me an email or give me a call and perhaps we can set something up for you! Class fees under “Other Options” in Classes drop-down above. 🙂
