Discover the Best Oil Painting Classes in Houston
Oil paints are a popular medium among artists. Oil colors have been used for centuries, although easel painting with oil paints wasn’t popularized until the 15th century. Popular oil paintings have become household names throughout the world. Even those uninterested in art are likely to have heard of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, both of which are oil paintings.
Oil paints can be store-bought or homemade. These paints are made by combining drying oil with powdered pigments. The type of oil used will affect the color and consistency of the paint. For example, linseed oil, the most popular oil used for oil paints, will increase the glossiness and transparency of your painting and may influence white and yellow colors. Poppy oil, however, is used to reduce light colors but is less inclined to yellow than linseed oil.
Why You Should Learn Oil Painting in Houston
Oil paints are perceived as a difficult medium, but many artists say that these paints are ideal for beginners. Oil paints dry more slowly than acrylics and watercolor, so mistakes can be fixed more easily. This slow drying time also means you must be patient while working efficiently. One oil painting technique called alla prima, or wet-on-wet, requires you to build upon wet layers of paint. You may be building upon your layers for a while, but you’ll also have to wait for the finished piece to dry.
Painting also offers an outlet for stress and anxiety. When you’re painting, you need to focus on the work in front of you. The focus needed to paint is a good way to distract your mind from outside stressors. You’ll also be exercising your imagination and creativity, which increases positive emotions and decreases depression and anxiety.
If you’re looking to make some extra money in the Houston area and enjoy oil painting, you can consider trying to sell your paintings. This can be done at a gallery, shop, or online. To do this, however, you’ll first need to learn the basics of oil painting and practice plenty.
In-Person Oil Painting Classes in Houston
You can sign up to take an in-person oil painting class in the Houston area to receive hands-on instruction in the fundamentals of oil painting. Expert instructors can guide you through color mixing, paint applications, and even making oil paints. Classes are typically taught at local art studios or schools. Because you’ll be taking a class with others interested in oil painting, these classes serve as a great opportunity to ask others for advice and tips regarding your artwork.
You’ll need a few basic supplies to get started in oil painting, like appropriately sized paintbrushes and oil paints. Most in-person classes will supply you with most, if not all, necessary materials. However, some may ask that you bring in supplies.
New and returning oil painting classes are frequently listed on CourseHorse. Each class will provide a course description and mention any supplies that you’ll need to bring as well as any prerequisites or prior knowledge needed before taking the class. Check back to CourseHorse regularly to see what’s offered in your area.
There are other art and crafts classes taught in the Houston area that might interest you if you’d like to learn how to use oil paints. Multiplicity, an art studio in Katy, Texas, offers a chalk painting class. This class will teach you the basics of chalk painting as you experiment. The same studio also hosts a four-day mixed-media summer camp for children aged eight through seventeen.
Virtual Oil Painting Classes
Don’t worry if there aren’t any in-person oil painting classes for you to attend. You can also learn oil painting through virtual oil painting classes. These remote courses are taught by live expert instructors through an online video platform. Classes are offered by studios and schools from around the country, so there are classes offered in a variety of topics and techniques.
Keep in mind that if you take an online oil painting class, you’ll need to procure all necessary materials yourself. These materials will be listed on the class page by your instructor and can be purchased at your local art or hobbyist store.
If you’ve taken Intro to Drawing, an online class offered by Pastimes for a Lifetime, you meet the requirements to take their Online Oil Pastel 101 class. This virtual oil painting class looks to provide students with a basic understanding of oil paintings. You’ll spend four sessions learning color theory, color mixing, and other fundamentals. There are several materials you’ll need to procure for this class, which can be found in the oil pastel kit suggested by the instructor.
Intermediate and advanced oil painters can sign up for the Richmond Art Center’s Abstract Painting class. You’ll spend the class working on an original abstract painting. Instruction for this class is also available in Spanish.
The Evanston Art Center’s oil painting discussion and critique class is ideal for anyone looking for advice or tips on their works in progress. Through questions and lively discussion, students will provide each other with constructive feedback.
Private Group Oil Painting Classes in Houston
Is your business or organization interested in booking a private group oil painting class as a fun team-bonding activity? If so, CourseHorse has classes that they can offer you.
You can reach out to CourseHorse through the contact form on their website to learn about the oil painting classes they can deliver to you. You’ll be able to discuss your group size, the materials that CourseHorse will be sent to all participants, and the project that your group will be guided through.
If you’re unsure of your group’s size at the time of booking, no worries. CourseHorse allows you to book a class using the minimum group size to save your date. You’ll then update your headcount when it’s finalized. After your final group size has been confirmed, CourseHorse will work on sending out the class materials to the participants.
You can schedule a 20-minute demo of a class for $100 to get an understanding of how the class will go before committing to booking it. CourseHorse also can work with you to add customizations to your class. A common customization is the addition of games.
Is your group interested in a variety of arts and crafts? CourseHorse offers other private group classes that might interest them. They offer a virtual watercolor workshop and a virtual acrylic workshop that can be booked for large groups.
CourseHorse does not charge booking fees and allows free cancellations up to two weeks before a class. They recommend using Zoom to take your class, although they can accommodate Microsoft Teams, Google Meets, and WebEx if you supply the meeting details.
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