Michael Vale: Oil Painting Masterclass

Learn from prize winning artist Michael Vale in two, half-day oil painting masterclasses at The Nook Studios, Mornington.

Masterclass dates are:

• Sunday 19 April > 1 - 4pm

• Sunday 26 April > 1 -4pm (commence at MPRG)

Join exhibiting artist Michael Vale for two informal, yet focused painting sessions exploring key oil painting methods, such as underpainting, palette construction, colour theory and composition.

Michael will share insights into his creative process - how he builds images from a range of sources and uses his imagination to bind diverse elements together. You will experiment with building strong compositions, creating visual pathways, developing “colour echoes” and refining colour mixing techniques.

In week one, Michael will demonstrate some of his preferred colour combinations and approaches to palette building. He will also provide reference material for participants to extract visual ideas and learn from experimental approaches and outcomes.

Suitable for painters with some experience, these sessions will encourage curiosity, risk-taking and resourcefulness.

By the end of the session, participants will have a fresh perspective on how artists interpret and transform images into paint.

PREPARATION
Prepare two or three primed and stretched canvasses or boards, no smaller than A4, preferably larger. Thinly paint the entire surface with colour in order to cover all the white. This can be oil or acrylic, as long as it’s dry at beginning of session. Suggest using raw sienna, venetian red, pink or yellow ochre, but up to you! (no black!)

WHAT TO BRING?
- 1 x small, 3 x medium & 1 x larger flat brush
- Oil paints - light/dark/warm & cool colours - Michaell suggest White, Raw Umber, Ultra Blue, Yellow Ochre, Red for week 1, plus any favourites you might have - More colours can be added for week 2)
- Disposable palette
- Painting medium (“lean medium” or “painting medium no.1”)
- Non-toxic Cleanup “cleanup”
- Jars, rags
- White chalk
- Sketchbook
- Iphone
- Old shirt or cover up to protect clothing

WEEK 1 (3 hours)

• Develop loose, visual idea using iphone and sketchbook.
• Sketch roughly onto canvas using chalk, then thin raw umber
• Block in negative spaces (i.e. background areas)
• Block in major shapes using limited palette

WEEK 2 (3 hours)

• Slowly refine ‘blocked in’ areas from last week
• Add fine details / stronger colours
• Compare and discuss with others

Michael Vale is a Melbourne-based artist whose paintings blend still life, landscape and figurative elements, drawing on art history and everyday imagery. A finalist in the Archibald Prize and recipient of the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, Michael is recognised for his inventive, layered approach to painting. Beyond the canvas, Michael has worked as a curator, scriptwriter, mural and scenery painter, interior designer, illustrator and paint manufacturer. He was a senior lecturer at Monash University, RMIT and the Hong Kong Art School, amongst others. In 1999 he also re-designed and refurbished the iconic Luna Park Ghost Train at Luna Park Melbourne!

Image: Michael in his studio