Mark Dixon Painting Class – Registration Closed
6 Week Workshop starting April 29, 2025
The workshop will be on Tuesday afternoons starting April 29th from 1:00 to 3:30 or 4:00 in the afternoon, and run for 6 sessions.
The theme of the workshop will be: “Direct Painting, Studies with your Oils” (Acrylics or Gouache can also be used, although gouache
would require different brushes)
Painting is challenging, we want to worry about what to paint instead of how to paint it. The idea is to be comfortable with the procedure of painting so you are free to be creative. The emphasis will be on brush work, and simplifying color mixing. The goal being to begin with drawing with your brush and to proceed from there, mixing color and continue using good brush work to lay in the shapes and values.
The emphasis will be on oil painting, but if anyone wants to use gouache or acrylic, that would be alright, although acrylic is not a medium I have much
history with. We also will work on better design and composition. Also we can talk about mediums and solvents.
We will be mainly doing painting studies in the 8 x 10, 9 x 12 or 11 x 14 sizes (these are just my suggestion)
There are two big screen TVs that I put images up on to paint from. I will probably do some basic demos, but want everyone else to do most of the
painting. The images that I will offer to paint are suggestions that are simple enough to be painted fairly quickly. If someone brings an image ( a photo of
an image or say an image on a tablet) that they would like to paint, that would be all right if its fairly simple.The idea is not to get a framable result,
but to get comfortable with the brushes and the consistency of the paint.
The Materials List that I recommend:
An easel
8 x 10, 9 x 12 or 11 x 14 canvas panels. These are going to be mainly
studies, so I suggest inexpensive panels. You can get them from many
sources, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Blicks, Jerry’s Artarama, Amazon,
Meiningers etc.
Palette Colors: (this is a fairly limited palette, My paints are Winsor and
Newton)
Titanium white
Cadmium Yellow Pale
Naples yellow pale ( certainly optional, but a great color) Winsor and
Newton
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium orange
Cadmium red medium
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine blue
Permanent green medium ( This is a medium green, not to cool and not too
warm)
Raw umber
Burnt umber
Ivory black
This is a pretty common palette, other good brands will give you pretty
much the same colors.
Brushes:
Brushes are very important for drawing and brush work.
I really like Brights that have a nice chisel edge for beginning work
Trekell Opal. #2, 4 and 6 flats or brights
Silver Bristlon brights #2 and 4 flats, brights
Rosemary ivory synthetics #2, 4 and 6 brights
Beste Golden Takalon round #4 This is the only round suggested, you
may want a small round brush #2 Rounds should come to a point!
I’m suggesting mainly brights and flats for quick work, but you can certainly
bring filberts or your personal favorites.
Good brushes for blending are softer brushes and worn brushes that have
flared out and have become softer. A soft round that comes to a point are
great for details (#2 and #4 are good)
Solvents:
Suggest Terpenoid or other odorless solvents
Miscellaneous:
Paper towels, palette knife
Some people like to use a painting medium of which there are many. I use
very little or no medium, but if you are used to painting with mediums, bring
them. (Too much medium use can result in problems)
Apron?
Whatever else you’re used to
Contact: Mark Dixon, Cell phone No. is: 719-495-4789.
Please call me if you have any questions.
The address to attend is: 3860 Tapadero Dr, Colorado Springs, CO
Two and 1/2 miles to the west of where Baptist Road ends. Our house is on the southwest corner of Haycreek Rd and Tapadero Dr., with a white fence around the property. We will be painting in the art barn/studio which is the large building to the left as you come into the property, nearest the pond. Please come into the property through the second entrance.