Ways into abstract painting
Choose a start date
- Course Code: VM674
- Dates: 14/05/24 - 02/07/24
- Time: 18:00 - 21:00
- Taught: Tue, Evening
- Duration: 8 sessions (over 8 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Rebecca Allen
Course Code: VM674
Choose a start date
Duration: 8 sessions (over 8 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
- Exploring different pathways into making abstract paintings.
- Providing a stimulating atmosphere for personal discovery.
- Encouraging an imaginative, sensitive and individual handling of acrylic paint with the edition of other water-based mixed media and collage.
- Becoming familiar with visual language by looking at a variety of artists' work.
What will we cover?
- Visual language in painting: colour, composition, tone and paint application.
- Different methods of arriving at abstraction: eg. starting from observation, using experimental methods, randomness, conceptual systems and translating different sensory information.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Select the pictorial and material means with which to express a range of ideas, sensations and emotions
- Use with greater confidence the visual language common to both representation and abstraction
- Be more confident with your use of colour.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a course for anyone with an open mind and/or some basic drawing or painting skills.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be guided through several processes to produce abstract paintings referring to specific artists or genres. As the course progresses you will develop an individual approach to making abstract paintings. Experimentation will be encouraged.
There will be practical projects, individual guidance and encouragement, group discussion and examination of artists' work.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
All the standard art materials that you will need are provided.
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When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You may be able to progress onto courses such as 'Painting; Content and Meaning', 'Reading a Paint Surface', 'Contemporary Painting Studio', or Painting 1 or 2 depending on your level.
After receiving a BFA degree from Kansas State University, Rebecca moved to New York and studied at the New York Studio School. There, she studied with a vast assortment of New York artists, many with ties to the abstract expressionist movement. The Studio School selected her as an exchangee student to study at the Slade School of Art in London for one year. Returning to New York, she received her MFA from Parsons School of Design. She has been teaching in London for over 20 years and created numerous courses, based on specific exhibitions and the permanent collection, at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Since 2010 she has been teaching at City Lit with courses including Life Drawing, Life Painting, Painting 2, Ways into Abstract Painting and many Watercolour courses. She has a background in figurative work, which has included observation, memory, and a love for tone and colour. More recent work is rooted in observation, yet more abstract in appearance, focusing on process and largely done using watercolour.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.