Habit-Forming: Still-Life

Online Class with Live Zoom Calls

Last year, we launched this dynamic course that explores the principles of effective composition, using still life arrangements as our subject. Though a self-study version is available, we had so much fun working with a cohort of students last spring, that we decided to do that again.

When you sign up for this online class, you’ll get interaction with the instructors (that’s us!) and the other artists who are participating in this special session. We think you will love the live Zoom calls as a chance to ask questions and get reviews of your work.

And the tools and skills that you will learn will useful no matter whether you consider yourself a still-life painter or your preferred subject matter is anything — from landscapes to the figure.

Using a combination of exercises, painting prompts, classroom style lessons, and pre-recorded video demonstrations, we focus on:

  • The Universe of Your Painting – how aspect ratio, scale, and orientation affect your compositional decisions

  • The Golden Rules of Composition – how the number and arrangement of objects in your composition affects the viewer’s focus

  • Working from a Strong Foundation – how to identify and evaluate the abstract shapes undergirding your composition and ensure that they are compelling

  • Movement – ways to move your viewers’ eyes through the geography of your still life and examples from art history and contemporary painters

  • Point of View – how the angle from which you view your subject affects your composition and the mood of your painting

  • Perspective – different approaches to perspective from historical and contemporary artists and how to choose what’s right for you

  • Rhythm, Pattern, Unity and Contrast – how basic design principles affect the drama and visual tension that you create in your painting

All projects are suitable for oil or acrylics. We demonstrate in a mix of both mediums. 

Starts April 18, 2023

This Class Includes:

  • 8 core lessons that blend over 18 hours of pre-recorded videos, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, downloadable reference images, and written instruction.

  • 15 projects and 6 exercises, plus over 30 bonus reference photos for ongoing inspiration

  • More than 10 supporting lessons in our reference library on topics ranging from an introduction to color theory to how to make peace with your inner critic.

  • 5 live Zoom calls over 6 weeks:

    • April 25, 2023

    • May 2, 2023

    • May 9, 2023

    • May 16, 2023

    • May 23, 2022

  • 8 weeks to ask the instructors questions online.

You will have digital access to the instructional content for 2 years. And you can download the videos and educational content to have lifetime access.

You can download the videos and PDFs of the educational content for lifetime access.
Plus we will maintain your digital access to the instructional content for 2 years.

The Learning Platform

We are hosting this course in the Ruzuku learning platform. You will need:

  • Access to a reliable computer network

  • A way to take (or convert) photographs of your work into a digital .jpg format

  • Access to the free Zoom app if you want to participate in Zoom calls

Please review these technical requirements to make sure that your computer, tablet, or smart-phone are compatible with the Ruzuku platform:

  • Browsers: Please use the latest version (or the one before that) of Edge, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or a modern mobile browser such as Mobile Safari.

  • Operating Systems: Please use the latest two versions of Windows or Mac (or an Android or iOS smartphone).

If you aren't sure which version browser you are using, you can use this link: https://www.whatsmybrowser.org/