Dynamic Still Life In Oil

Dynamic Still Life In Oil

Class | Available

87 Mountain Road West Hartford, CT 06107 United States
Upstairs
9/8/2025-11/10/2025
1:00 PM-4:00 PM EDT on Mon
$265.00
$245.00

Dynamic Still Life In Oil

Class | Available


Course Summary

In this workshop we will learn how to amp up our still life painting skills by focusing on light and
shadow relationships as well as working with broken color. You will learn various ways of starting a
still-life, as well as techniques for drawing, measuring, composition, and even choosing the right
color palette to best suit your pieces. By combining these, and other techniques, we will achieve a
dynamic "pop" in our piece(s) as well as create more realistic feeling subjects. We will be working
from life as well as from photos. Since some artists only work from photos, we will talk about how
to avoid the pitfalls of doing so in order to get our pieces to look closer to how they would look in a
life painting session. We will also talk about how best to use edgework and temperatures to bring
your pieces to life.


Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this course. My email is
mlaiuppafineart@gmail.com

  • Recommended Materials

    Source:
    Please bring either a tablet with two or three source images (and tablet mount if you have one)
    where your subjects have good light and shadow dynamics. Please don't use your phone to view
    your source. If you don't have a tablet available for use, please have high quality prints made. If you
    need assistance picking a subject, I'll be happy to help at the beginning of class.
    Substrate
    Three or Four gesso or oil primed canvases or linen/canvas panels (please have allowed oil ground
    tocure for at least a week prior to class if you are priming them yourself) anywhere between 8x10
    and14x18 in size should be enough. Also bring a few cheap canvases for practice drills.
    Brushes:
    I use primarily Rosemary and Co. brushes but you can use whatever is comfortable for
    you. My preferred series from R&C are Bravura, Eclipse, Ivory, and Masters Choice. Generally,
    you'll want to have a collection of moderately stiff brushes and softer brushes in either
    flats or filberts, depending on which you usually prefer, in a variety of sizes from around
    2 up to about 8 or 10. A rigger or liner brush isn't necessary, but good to bring along if
    you have one. Here's a link to my favorite brushes if you'd like to order any from
    R&C:
    https://www.rosemaryandco.com/wishlist/shared/index/code/Ks2z3r7761xsJL6j0EUVu3cYZlrzssvb
    /categoryId/all/?u=e32016
    Paint:
    As for paint colors, you have the freedom to bring what you are comfortable with for your palette.
    Have with you at least a split primary palette consisting of a warm and cool of the primary colors
    plus white and maybe an earth brown. Other "guest" colors are definitely welcome and should be
    included depending on the subject(s) you choose.

    Mediums:
    Generally bring what you usually use in your studio to thin paint (like Gamsol) and
    thicken paint (like Liquin). But any thinner and “fattening” oil will be fine as long as
    they work with your paints. However, mediums aren't necessary if you usually don't use them.
    Please bring a bag or other container for your dirty rags/towels as on-site disposal is barred.
    ***Please no turpentine or mediums with strong odors as some people are sensitive/allergic***
    Other:
    -Proportional divider (a basic plastic one is fine. They run about $10-12)
    -Gray or neutral color palette
    -Rags or paper towels
    -Brush cleaner/containers
    -Any other painting materials you usually use in your studio (easels are provided)
    -You can bring props to paint as well as a small lamp to light them if you wish.

Mike Laiuppa

Mike is a Connecticut born and based artist who specializes in human and animal

portraiture as well as still life. While he has owned and operated NuMi Fitness, LLC since

2014, art has always been an integral part of his life. At an early age, Mike could be found

with a pencil and pad of paper in hand. In his teens, he played with oil paint, then moved

on to 2D and 3D digital art after college, dabbled in sculpting in his early forties, and finally

passed through acrylic paints only to settle back into oil painting once again. His work has

been juried into several exhibitions at The Lyme Art Association, Hudson Valley Art

Association, as well as sold at The Finer Line Gallery in Mystic, CT. Mike is also an active

member of the Portrait Society of America.