Learning to Paint Cows with Susan Williamson

Learning to Paint Cows with Susan Williamson

Medium: Any painting medium

Materials List: To be provided. 

Level: Basic knowledge of painting.This workshop is suitable for painters with a range of experience and emphasis will be placed on learning how to see form, simplify anatomy, and build a portrait that feels alive. Helpful in learning how to paint family pets as well.

Class Dates: April 25th & 26th, Rain date May 3rd (if it rains on the 25th). 

Join New England artist, Susan Williamson for a workshop painting cows.  In the morning, you’ll Go to a Farm with Susan and learn how she observes . Then you’ll return to the gallery where you’ll  begin to think about what you will paint. (list)/  Susan is a professional artist who has studied at the Pennsylvania Academy.  She’s  known for her cows and an occasion landscape. She understands her friendly cows and gets to know them well. She’ll teach you how to expand your brushwork, and how to paint emotion and movement. This is a collaborative workshop to help you develop new skills and will be collaborative 

DAY ONE 9a-1p (Location TBD) 

We’ll visit a farm and experience cows up close, pay attention to how they move, and notice their different personalities.  We’ll take reference shots and review composition, form and color back at Threadneedle Gallery. Those memories will surface while you’re looking at your images and while painting the chosen bovine. Susan will help you decide which image to choose based on composition, lighting, and your preference for color. During the day, we’ll break for lunch from Middle Street foods. 

DAY TWO 9a- 1p (Threadneedle Gallery)

We’ll meet at the gallery, where we’ll discuss a process beginning with value studies done with gray scale markers or pencils. Students will clearly see large shapes instead of details while looking at images under tracing paper ( which will be supplied) then tracing those shapes which will be differentiated by value. The traced images will then be transferred to the painting surface (  Saral transfer paper also supplied). Once the drawing has been transferred to the painting surface, mix color based on values of the large shapes and move towards establishing form with changes within the large mass. 

Susan will come around to each person and help answer questions or assist getting past challenging areas. 

END OF DAY 2 

The class will look at paintings created by everyone and discuss what we’ll continue practicing on our own. No judgement even though we tend to harshly judge our own work so let’s be open and kind to ourselves.

 This workshop is not about finishing a masterpiece. It’s about learning how to see and build a bovine portrait with clarity and respect. That’s our universal journey as painters no matter the subject.