Zoom Technology

FREE class for membership!

Any member that would like to take our online art instruction but isn’t quite sure about the Zoom platform may sign up for one of these review classes. GNAL will be holding a series of 30 minute sessions. If you have an issue logging on we will be able to connect with you by telephone to walk your through the process. Questions can be asked about Zoom when we are online.

Please click below button to sign up for the technology review.

Introduction to Drawing What You Love

Online Zoom Class – 12 maximum

Great for beginners or students that are new to online programming

Tuesdays • 7 to 9 pm

SESSION 1: November 10, 17, 24, December 1, 8

Tired of your drawings looking flat? Do your still lives just look off? Or maybe your characters  end up with a long torso and tiny legs. Is that white, blank page saying you are already doing it wrong before you even begin? It might be time to uncover the secret to drawing things you love. Every object, character and scene are made up of shapes in space. This class will teach you how to see shape in everything, so you can draw anything you’d like. Once we learn to see shapes in space, we will learn some tricks to drawing people, animals, objects and scenery. This class is perfect for beginners and those who need a refresher in drawing. When you’re happier with your drawings, you’re going to draw more, and that’s good for everyone!  

Feel free to contact me with questions: jdrodpictures@gmail.com

Supplies:

1. Canson Mixed Media Paper (11X14)–This paper is easy to find and works great if we need to add water to anything
2. 2B Pencil
3. Orange or Blue Col-Erase Pencil
4. Soft Charcoal Pencil
5. Round Watercolor Paint Brush Size 4 (We’ll use this to add water to charcoal)
6. Blending Tortillons
7. Kneaded Eraser
8. Ball Point Pen– My favorite is the Zebra f.301 0.7 mm

Digital Tools (Optional)

1. iPad and Apple Pencil or a Desktop/Laptop and Wacom Drawing Tablet
2. Software Options–Procreate for iPad, Sketchbook Pro for iPad or Desktop/Laptop Operating Systems 

Everything Watercolor, including the kitchen sink!

Online Zoom Class – 12 maximum

Great for beginners or students that are new to online programming

Wednesday • 1 to 3 pm

SESSION 1: September 30, October 7, 14, 21, 28 
SESSION 2: November 11, 18, December 2, 9, 16 

Watercolor is not as difficult as you may think! Through demonstrations and exercises, you’ll learn how to work with watercolor rather than against it to create representational and non-representational paintings full of textures and color. Designed for beginners and intermediate artists alike, the focus of this online class will be playing with watercolor and having fun.

SUPPLIES

I realize that it’s a little harder to get art supplies right now. Think of this list as the ideal, but we’ll make do with what you already have or can get. Beginners, I’d recommend getting just the minimum required, then you can see if you like watercolor before you buy a lot of supplies. Feel free to contact me with questions: gsivitzart@gmail.com

Watercolor Paper: Use at least 140 lb. watercolor paper with a Cold Press or Rough surface. Good brands include Strathmore 400 series, Fabriano, and Arches. A watercolor block will only allow you to work on one painting at a time, so you may want a pad or sheets of paper instead. I do not stretch my paper, but you are welcome to if you want.

Watercolors in Tube or Pan Form: Professional artist-quality paints are best, but less expensive but also good student grade watercolors included Winsor & Newton “Cotman”, and Grumbacher “Academy” lines. Professional watercolor brands include DaVinci, M. Graham, Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton, and Grumbacher. Dick Blick and Utrecht also offer their own watercolor lines.

Colors: You can start with just 3 colors, a red, a yellow and a blue, and mix all of your other colors from those three. Some options might be:

Reds, Yellows, Blues, Alizarin Crimson Hansa Yellow, Ultramarine Blue, Quinacridone Rose Gamboge, Prussian, Blue Winsor Red,  Winsor Yellow,  Winsor Blue,

Pyrrol Red,  Lemon Yellow,  Cereulean Blue

Palette: There are so many options for palettes. I use a Mijello Fusion air-tight watercolor palette, but you can go as simple as clear or white plastic plates to mix your colors on! Most pan paints come with a palette built in.

Brushes:  For beginners, a small #1-#4 round brush for detail and a medium sized #8-#12 brush for larger areas will be a good start. A 3/4” or 1” flat or wash brush is handy, but not required. The size of the brush is noted on the brush handle. Make sure your brushes are made for watercolor painting – watercolor brushes are designed to hold a lot of water, unlike oil painting brushes for example. Princeton has some good budget brushes available at Artist & Craftsman Supply. Simply SImmons (Michael’s or Dick Blick online carry these) is another good inexpensive brand. Utrect, Grumbacher and Winsor & Newton all have good synthetic or natural hair watercolor brushes. Good quality watercolor brushes can be expensive, but make painting much easier!

Other supplies

• Pencil (2B is fine) • Tracing paper • Printer or basic drawing paper

• Eraser (I recommend a kneaded eraser) • Tissues • Paper towels or rags

• Containers for water • Hair dryer

I’ll be mentioning other optional supplies as the class goes along.

Some Art Supply Companies

Artist & Craftsman Supply 7926 Germantown Ave., Chestnut Hill

dickblick.com (also has brick & mortar stores in Philadelphia and Allentown)

cheapjoes.com

jerrysartarama.com

rexart.com

Feel free to contact me with questions at gsivitzart@gmail.com

Pen and Ink!

Online Zoom Class – 12 maximum

Great for beginners or students that are new to online programming

Tuesday • 1 to 3 pm

SESSION 1: September 29, October 6, 13, 20, 27 
SESSION 2: November 10, 17, December 1, 8, 15 

Pen & ink is a versatile drawing medium that allows you to create different textures, values, and lines for beautiful and expressive drawings. In this introductory class, you’ll learn the techniques to bring your drawings to another level. Some drawing experience recommended, but not required.

MATERIAL LIST 

General Supplies:
Basic supplies for sketching: eraser (kneaded eraser is best) • pencil (HB or 2B is fine, 2H if you
have it) • basic drawing paper (printer paper is fine) • tracing paper • ruler

Pen & Ink Supplies:
– Sakura Pigma Micron pens in black – 01 (.25 mm line), 03 (.35 mm line) and 05 (.45 mm line).
These sizes are sold as a set or individually. Check carefully to make sure you get black ink. Pens
like Rapidograph mechanical pens (although they tend to clog and have to be cleaned) and
Faber-Castell PITT artist pens would also be fine.

I will be discussing quill/dip pens and demonstrating their technique for you, so if you have
quill/dip pen supplies on hand, I can show you how to use them with waterproof black drawing
ink, such as Design Higgins Black India Ink, but they are not required for the class.
We can talk about other optional supplies in class.

Feel free to contact me with questions at gsivitzart@gmail.com

Introduction to Digital Photography – closed

Online Zoom Classes – 10 maximum

Tuesday • 5 weeks • 2 to 4 pm

September 22, 29 Oct 6, 13, 20

Steve will be walking you through how your digital camera works and how to set up a professional camera shot. This class is also a way to optimize your photo for presentations or reproduction which can assist artists who want to enter artwork in online and shows and exhibits.

Class requirements: Camera and Zoom link will be provided.

$  60 member •  90 non-member

Playful Exposure with Photoshop

Online Zoom Class

Great for beginners or students that are new to online programming

Thursday • 5 Weeks • 2 to 4 pm

October  8, 15, 22, 29 Nov 5

Do you want to have more professional impact with your photography? If so, this class is for you! A project oriented class that will teach you editing with Photoshop. Beginner’s welcome.

Requirements: Laptop computer and Photoshop subscription. Instructor will provide directions for subscribing to Photoshop.

$  60 member • 90 non-member

Advanced Painting in Oils, Pastels and Acrylics

Online Zoom Classes

Thursday • 6 Weeks

Class:  2 pm • Oct 15, 22, 29, Nov 5, 12, 19

Critique: 11 am • Oct 22, 29, Nov 5, 12, 19, 26

This class focuses upon advanced painting in multiple mediums and explores their similarities.  Learning in one medium applies to all three.  It is offered on-line for six primary classes with an added group critique class each week.  Doug has painted in oils since youth and for the last 40 years has done much work in pastels with a watercolor underpainting.  He has won many awards and is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America and the Pastel Society of the West Coast.

Doug will be demonstrating Pastels and oils during the series and will be critiquing the work done.  In this way, each student will have the opportunity to apply the instruction and receive feedback.  Classes will begin at 2 pm on October 15 and will be each Thursday through November 26.  Critique classes will be offered the next Thursday each week at 11 am.  Please join us for this informative class.

Plein Air Explorations

Outdoor Live Class – NEW, You can sign up for one day only!

October 10, 17, 24, 31

Plein Air painting can be challenging for those that have always painted in a studio, but the rewards of painting outdoors are immense!  Painting outdoors opens a world of vibrant colors and shadow and light details that is not found in photos.  Doug has taught Plein Air painting for many years, and he has studied extensively with Albert Handell and other Plein Air master painters.  This will be a series of 4 classes held on October 10, 17, 24 and Oct 31^st.  Rain dates will be the next day on each Sunday.  Classes will start at 9AM in area parks and will end with a class critique around 4 PM.  Doug will do a demonstration each morning and will provide help at your easel.  Bring your usual painting gear and provide for sun protection, lunch and water.  Lunch will be eaten on location.

Come join us for this wonderful outdoor exploration of the beauty around us and gain valuable insights and support from Doug based upon his long experience painting outdoors.  All mediums and experience levels are welcome.

Possible painting locations: Valley Forge, Perkiomen Trail, Green Lane, Lansdale Train Station, New Hope, Doylestown and more…

You can sign up for one day only. Worried about the weather, don’t worry, sign up last minute on Friday morning . We will send information where Doug and the other students are meeting.