east bay painting classes
Plein Air Fridays Session 2
Topics
How to begin a landscape painting. Foreground, middle ground, background.
Please Read Carefully If You Have Been To Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Park
Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Park now has two entrances. We are not going to the Giant Road entrance. We are going to the Atlas Rd entrance. On highway 80, take the Richmond Parkway exit west. Cross San Pablo Ave and make a right on Atlas Rd. Continue past the UPS headquarters and the entrance to the Point Pinole Business Park (with a fountain) all the way to the end of Atlas. You will cross a bridge, and see the Atlas Rd staging area. We will meet at this parking lot and decide whether people want to walk 5 min to the beach with its orange grasses or stay near the lot with views of eucalyptus groves and rolling yellow grass. There is plenty of parking and bathrooms.
If using GPS, enter “Atlas Road Bridge Extension,” which appears on Google Maps. You won’t get an address with a street number, but the GPS will lead you directly to the parking lot where we will meet.
Plein Air Wednesdays
A sunlit path makes very dark shadows.
This Summer, spend time painting au plein air at several beautiful great East Bay outdoor locations. Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced painting student, you will enjoy discovering beginner-friendly painting spots, and improving your technique in the company of new friends. You’ll receive support through the difficulties of painting outdoors.
Summary
Learn how to paint the sights you love with as much or as little feedback as you desire. Use the media of your choice. I can help you with acrylic, oil, watercolor, gouache or pastel. We’ll spend two weeks at each painting location so that students can either begin a new painting or complete the one begun in the previous session.
Format
This class is taught on Wednesdays, from 12-3 pm. Each class consists of a rotating 30 min introduction to painting concepts that may be a demo or a discussion with examples, followed by 2+ hours of painting.All locations are in Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond and Hercules in beautiful places. They will be announced on the first day of class. You will receive accurate driving instructions and Rebeca’s phone in case you get lost.
Registration
Do not register on this website, because the Plein Air Wednesdays class is part of the Richmond Art Center’s Studio Program. Go to the RAC site instead and register soon as this class is very popular. They ask that you please register before the first class.
This is a rough outline of the class:
July 11, Session 1 at Blake Garden, Kensington
Get to know each other, review of materials, supplies and gear. Goals for the class. Aspect ratios. How to use a viewfinder.
July 18, Session 2 at Blake Garden, Kensington
How to begin a landscape painting part 1. Foreground, middle ground, background.
July 25, Session 3 Miller Knox Regional Park, Point Richmond
How to begin a landscape painting part 2. Focal point.
Aug 1, Session 4 at Miller Knox Regional Park, Point Richmond
Selecting pigments for a Bay Area landscape. Limited palettes.
Aug 8, Session 5 at Point Molate Beach Park
Priorities, planning your time. The dangers of overpainting
Aug 15, Session 6 at Point Molate Beach Park
The role of values in a landscape.
Aug 22, Session 7 at Fleming Point, Albany
The cell phone as a tool of the landscape painter.
Aug 29, Session 8 at Fleming Point, Albany
Revising from photos.
Bad Weather
Bad weather is defined as double-digit wind speeds, rain, cold temperatures in the fifties, all-day thick fog, or a dangerous heat wave. Please note that in the event of bad weather the session you will be notified via email and the session will be carried out in the painting studio of the Richmond Art Center, 12 – 3 pm. Please bring unfinished work and reference photos to work from.
Plein Air Sundays Session 6
Topic
The role of values in a landscape
Directions to the Tilden Botanical Garden
From 80, Take the Buchanan exit and proceed up the street to Marin Ave. Go up the steep Marin until you get to Grizzly Peak, then make a left on Shasta Rd. You’ll now be inside Tilden Park. Pass the signs to the Brazilian Room. Turn left onto Shasta Rd. Then turn right into Wildcat Canyon. Follow the signs to the Parking lot. We will meet there.
Plein Air Sundays Session 5
Topic
Determining a focal point.
Directions To Lake Anza
No exact address is provided by Tilden Regional Park, but the lake is located at the end of Lake Anza Rd. The exact GPS Coordinates are
37.89700°N / 122.25359°W
If coming from Richmond, el Cerrito, Berkeley or Albany:
Go to the intersection of Arlington Blvd and Boynton St. Get on Boynton, go uphill until you see Colorado Ave. Continue going uphill until you hit Michigan Ave, then Spruce. Turn left on Spruce. You’ll cross Grissly Peak later, and find yourself on Wildcat Canyon Rd. Go on Wildcat until you see a Lake Anza sign pointing to your left. You will get to the multiple intersection, and take the one that seems to go in the opposite direction, which should be Lake Anza Rd. We’ll meet at the very last parking lot.
If coming from Emeryville, Oakland, Lafayette:
The Shasta Rd entrance at 1180 Park Hills Rd, Berkeley is your best bet. There is a map here. Go north on Grizzly Peak, then turn right on Shasta Rd. Make an immediate left on Park Hills Rd. Stay to the left at the fork on Park Hills Rd. Continue on Park Hills Rd, then cross Wildcat Canyon by making a right and an immediate left onto Central Park Dr. Make a right onto Lake Anza Rd. We’ll meet at the very last parking lot.
Plein Air Sundays Session 4
Topic
Selecting pigments for a Bay Area landscape. Limited palettes.
Directions to the Tilden Botanical Garden
From 80, Take the Buchanan exit and proceed up the street to Marin Ave. Go up the steep Marin until you get to Grizzly Peak, then make a left on Shasta Rd. You’ll now be inside Tilden Park. Pass the signs to the Brazilian Room. Turn left onto Shasta Rd. Then turn right into Wildcat Canyon. Follow the signs to the Parking lot. We will meet there.