Zoom Class: How to See Like a Painter

Monday evenings, 6-9 PM
Feb 23-March 2, March 16-April 6

Most people look, but they don’t really see. They look at a “tree” or a “house,” and immediately start painting their idea of a tree instead of the one in front of them.

In this class, we’re going to slow down and retrain your eyes to look past the labels. We’ll focus on the architecture of a scene—the big shapes, the way the light cuts across a form, and the actual “bones” of the image. I will teach you to stop worrying about what things are called and start seeing them as a puzzle of interlocking values and edges.

Drawing is simply a way of thinking on paper, and it is the best tool we have for troubleshooting a painting before the brush even touches the canvas. We won’t be doing “pretty” drawings for the sake of it; we’ll be making thoughtful marks that solve problems of composition and perspective. You’ll learn to map out a scene with intention, and give yourself a solid foundation to build on. You’ll gain the confidence to know exactly why you’re placing a stroke where it goes, turning a chaotic view into a clear, artistic statement.