Art plays a big role in how humans see and interact with others and the world in general. Art helps us emotionally, psychologically and even helps to shape individual and collective personalities. It helps us to develop unique methods of deeply emotional communication and equips us with powerful tools to spread all kinds of messages to the wider world around us. Whatever its uses, there is no doubt where the earliest and most revered form of physical art began, it is of course with oil painting.
Still Life in oil
Checka Levi Morenos is an artist from London now currently based in Venice. After studying painting for 6 years both in the UK and in Florence, Italy, she is now a full time oil painter and teacher of portraiture and still life. Checka offers two types of oil painting classes; ‘Portrait Painting’ and ‘Painting the Still Life’, although students can explore both subjects with her if they so wish. Her classes cover everything from the basics, taking you through the process of painting in oils, starting with materials, composition and preliminary drawings to shadow shapes and how to use colour. Checka will discuss works by old masters as well as contemporary artists, allowing you to take inspiration from their techniques and applying them in your methods. In the first three lessons you will paint along with Checka covering the following structure:
Portrait in oil
Lesson 1
– Materials and setting up an oil painting
– What is a limited palette?
– Shadow Shapes – Where to begin?
Lesson 2
– Shadow Shapes and Chiaro Scuro
– Values & Shape correction – Adjust, Adjust, Adjust
– John Singer Sargent
Lesson 3
– Introduction – Learning to see like an artist
– The ‘slightly less’ limited palette
– Blurred Lines
Oils are often thought to be the most ‘complicated’ medium to use in painting, but Checka’s lessons will show you that actually oils are the most expansive and forgiving medium; their long drying time and the vast array of mediums on offer are just the beginning of oil’s unique characteristics which mean that the only reason they seem more complicated to use is because there is so much more you can do with them!
All classes are one hour long and cost £25.
Visit Checka’s website to learn more and get in touch: https://checkalevimorenos.com
