Beginning Painting Courses          

The New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts offers a wide variety of painting courses at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. The classes address technique, style and subject matter as well as medium: Abstract, Life Painting (Figure Painting), Portrait Painting, Still Life, Watercolor, Gouache, etc. Please click on the course titles below for more information.

Instructor: Auseklis Ozols, Nikkie Martin Rue
An introduction to the essentials of color theory and basic design. The student is introduced to various approaches to color perception, both historical and current. Class work consists of lectures in the form of demonstrations and experiments, as well as the preparation of color charts. The student works twoard the mastery of color mixtures and harmonies to be executed in a series of original designs. The class works in gouache.

Instructor: Diego Larguia, Garth Swanson

Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing
This is an introduction to the basic materials and traditional techniques of oil painting. Students use inanimate objects as themes for pictorial composition. The knowledge students acquire in Beginning Oil Painting is absolutely essential to all other oil painting classes, including all Still Life, Figure, Portrait, and Landscape courses.

Instructor: Nell Tilton

Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing, Color & Design
This course concentrates on non-objective painting, where the formal elements of line color, texture and pattern take precedence over representational themes. Included are exercises in basic design and color mixtures. The dynamics of scale, rhythm and harmony are studied. The student is introduced to "process painting," collage, assemblage and other contemporary formats in an effor to develop personal stylistic themes. The class works in acrylic. Students of all levels of experience with abstract painting (beginning, intermediate and advanced) are welcome.