Encaustic painting is an ancient process that dates back to 5th century BC. Pigmented beeswax is heated on a griddle and applied to rigid panels with brushes. The results yield luminous, richly layered work that has its own unique character. Students will learn classic encaustic painting techniques and explore how to combine them with contemporary processes, such as surface embellishment, image transfer, incising, collaging, and creating marks and images with oil paint, pastels, markers, and inks. It is an ideal complement or stand-alone process for oil painters, printmakers, collagists, sculptors, watercolorists, and other artists. So that students can continue their exploration of this versatile medium on their own, this lab provides information on supply sources, setting up a studio for encaustic work, safety guidelines, framing, and exhibition considerations.
Request ProgramVisual and Performing Arts Programs
VMFA visual and performing arts programs are designed to stimulate greater community involvement in art education and to provide opportunities for individuals to work closely with noted professional artists. These artists have been selected for the merit of their work, their serious commitment to professional excellence, their teaching experience, and their communication skills. The wide variety of workshops allows the VMFA partner the flexibility to schedule programs that meet specific audience needs and satisfy different levels of skill and/or experience. See Booking Visual Arts Workshops and Performances for information about requesting a workshop or performance
Drawing for the Rest of Us: An Introduction to Drawing
If you can write, you can draw! Drawing is just another form of visual communication, a skill that can be developed by anyone. This workshop is an introduction to basic drawing tools, drawing warm-up exercises, and techniques that can be used to help you build a foundation to experience the joy of drawing.
Request ProgramBotanical Watercolors
This workshop teaches basic watercolor techniques through exercises designed to help the participant understand the different color properties and improve brush control. Information on paper, paint, and drawing techniques used in botanical art will be discussed. Basic drawing skills are required to draw the botanical specimen from which you will paint an elegant botanical watercolor.
Request ProgramAn Introduction to Drawing in the Manga-Anime Style
Do you love reading manga or watching anime, and wish that you could create your own stories and characters? This workshop is for anyone who is interested in drawing in the Japanese Manga-Anime style. Students are introduced to the techniques used by manga and anime artists to help transform their ideas into manga-style drawings. Some drawing experience is helpful, but not necessary for this workshop.
Request ProgramAbstract Watercolor Exploration
Watercolors have the reputation of being the most challenging painting medium. The unforgiving white of the paper and the uncontrollable nature of water make this medium intimidating. Through a series of exercises, participants will learn how forgiving white paper can be and how to control water and pigment. Focusing on color and composition, participants will practice techniques while creating small and large abstract paintings. This class is designed to motivate every participant to love watercolors.
Request ProgramThat’s Me!: Portraits
Who are you? What are the important ideas and symbols that express your wishes, dreams, and everyday life? From Ancient Egypt to modern times, man has used art to record his identity through portraits, self-portraits, and symbols. In this workshop, students use a mixed-media approach, including monoprint, chine colle, collage, and stamping, to construct a self-portrait that captures their identity and puts it on display. No drawing experience necessary!
Request ProgramMobile Glass Studio
Share the unique experience of glass blowing — even add an educational component to exhibitions —with this mobile hot-glass studio, created by artist Ryan Gothrup. This studio can be used for lectures, demonstrations, workshops, or multiple-day residencies.
Request ProgramLooking at Our Lives: A Tile Mural Workshop
n the venerable tradition of landscape, farm, and animal paintings that are featured prominently in the Mellon collection, artist Beryl Solla encourages students to think about the people and things that give their own lives meaning and value. Students identify common ideas and develop images that best represent them. Using broken tile and quick-setting thin set, students design and install a small broken tile mural (approx. 3′ x 4′) in their school or community center. The installation includes designing the mural, drawing it on the wall, breaking the tile (using protective glasses), and placing the tile on the wall. The tile is then grouted and cleaned. A highly decorative and imaginative frame (also made from broken tile) that reflects the aesthetics of the Mellon collection and supports their own concepts surrounds the image(s). The mural is permanent, beautiful, and maintenance-free.
Request ProgramClay Animation Moviemakers
This workshop is for anyone who has ever wanted to make a movie! Students learn the steps used by the pros to go from character creation to construction — and sometimes destruction. Using real animator’s clay, students sculpt original characters, design sets, and work together in small groups to make a three-minute animated movie with sound character voices. Who says a movie can’t be made in a day?
Request ProgramAbstract Mixed Media
Looking to the “father of modern art,” Wassily Kandinsky, and comparing him to 21st-century artists Julie Mehretu, and “Stadia III,” students explore lyrical expression and measured marks as they apply to abstract art. Using a variety of traditional and nontraditional materials as well as a mini-psychological profile and music, students create large-scale works of geometric and organic origin.
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