The objective of this course will be to explore the subject of composition and design in still life painting, and to learn how to apply academic tools to a larger context which can inform studio work beyond the classroom. The class will be structured around demonstrations which will be followed by working time supported by critiques. Short studies will be followed by a longer pose, allowing students to practice blocking in as well as pushing resolution.

Students will focus on the studies as a means of understanding composition as a design within the painting itself, as opposed to something that is solely derived from nature. Although students will be working from observation, we will be primarily focused on how the subject can be used as a point of reference from which we can build upon in a creative way. We will be focusing on how a viewer’s eye moves through an image, and how composition is not only determined by the organization of the setup, but how it is affected by elements within the painting such as edge quality, color dynamics, contrast, and texture. We will also reflect on the limitations of our materials compared to what we can observe, and how we can use our tools to evoke the impression of what we are seeing, rather than trying to directly match nature.

This will be a fantastic opportunity for those who want a better understanding of composition in their own practices. It will be especially helpful for students who want to develop their own ideas outside of the classroom setting.

• Key learning outcomes:

• Abstracting our vision, seeing shapes of color as opposed to what things “are”

• Organizing a tonal structure

• How to create a composition from any given subject

• How to reach a sense of resolution (“what is finish?”)