About

Students will explore how to translate reference photographs of local winter scenes into expressive oil paintings. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Ivan Shishkin, Claude Monet, Fred Cummings and Nikolai E. Timkov, we will focus on identifying essential elements; dominant colours, major shapes, skies and the overall lighting scenario. The course begins with quick, small colour studies that emphasise value, colour temperature, and atmosphere. These studies will serve as preparation for a larger, finished painting, allowing students to make confident decisions before committing to the final work. Throughout the process, we will examine key visual questions: Should the value range be expansive or compressed? How much atmosphere is present, and how does it affect distant forms? How can subtle shifts in value, colour, and edges convey cold air and winter mood? By studying both historical and contemporary landscape painters, students will learn how artists use complementary colour, monochromatic palettes, and contrasts of saturation to create focus and mood—whether through a glowing winter sun or a striking landscape feature. Winter, with its quiet colour and nuanced light, offers a powerful opportunity to deepen one's understanding of atmosphere, mood, and painterly expression.

* Suitable for ages 18+