Instructed by Jonathan Queen
A six week course, Wednesday Nights from 6-9PM
Course fee: $125 + materials
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The goal of this class is to help people improve their ability to accurately render three dimensional objects with paint. Painting involves three main aspects: value (lightness or darkness), hue (the namable color}, and intensity (color purity or dullness). It is important to understand these three aspects when attempting to paint from observation.
In this course I will be explaining methods that have helped me develop paintings to a very high level of detail. First a monochromatic underpainting will establish the value structure and composition. This step establishes the shapes of light and shadow. Next, the major color relationships are blocked in. Another important subject we will focus on is color theory. The more knowledge one has about mixing colors, the easier it is to paint realistically. Once the painting resembles the subject in shape, value, and color then we will add fine detail. The length of each stage is not set in stone and sometimes a painting will require more time in one stage and less in another. My smaller paintings typically go through 3-6 sessions. In class we will discuss when it is good to continue working an area and when it is better to let that section dry and continue in a later session.
After college Jonathan worked in illustration, portrait painting, and murals. In 2003 he began to concentrate primarily on still life paintings, exhibiting professionally through Miller Gallery. The decision to paint a Big Boy bank started him on the path to making toy narrative still life his focus.
Toys, antiques, natural objects, and photos are the props Jonathan uses to set the stage of his narrative paintings. Toys in the right setting become complex characters with a deeper story to tell. Using a refining process of meticulous observation, oil paint is built up through multiple layers. This gives the paintings richness and depth. Jonathan’s influences come from classical painting, nature, literature, his family and his faith.
Jonathan’s paintings hang in private collections from New York City to San Francisco. He has been teaching drawing courses with Manifest since 2008 and started teaching painting at the Barn in 2010.