Expressive Painting
Course Overview
Develop your individual painting style!
In this friendly and engaging acrylic painting course students will work through a number of paintings alongside technical exercises designed to demystify art-making and develop a personal painting practice.
There will be tutor demonstrations and individual feedback and support throughout each class. The lessons will work through still life, landscape and other forms of representational painting with references to art history.
Course Breakdown
Week 1-3: Exercises on colour mixing, artists’ palettes with special emphasis on whites and greys. Completion of first paintings.
Week 4-6: Discussion on composition using historical references. Discussions on brushes, mediums, surfaces and gessos. Transcription exercises or creation of artwork with particular attention on composition.
Week 7-9: Begin painting using a personal reference. Recap of individual painting practice development and the completion of personal reference painting.
*This outline provides an overview of what may be covered during the course; however, changes may occur based on various factors and the needs of the class.
Term Dates
Term 3: Monday 11 August to Monday 22 September
Term 4: Monday 13 October to Monday 8 December
Outcomes
- To develop a new way of seeing to describe the visual world
- To develop an understanding of colour and composition in relation to painting
- To become comfortable and familiar with the materials involved in acrylic painting
- To develop their own personal painting practice
What to bring
- A3 or similar size pad of paper to paint on. (must be 250-350gsm) - Some are called ‘Acrylic paper’, which are designed to be painted on. Optional small to mid-size canvas or panel for final work, for week 5.
- Acrylic paints - Warm and cool of each primary colour + burnt umber and white. Cadmium yellow, lemon yellow/yellow light hansa, Cadmium red, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, phthalo blue, burnt umber, titanium white.
- Optional acrylic painting medium - Sometimes called ‘Flow Medium’, ‘Gloss/Matte Medium.’ Preferred brands: Liquitex, Matisse, Golden. Alternatively, for thicker paint Matisse Impasto medium.
- At least 4 brushes of varying size and shape - Good to have a mix of bristle brushes (rough) and synthetic (soft) in Flat, Round and Filbert.
- Acrylic gesso.
Parking Discount for Students
Students who participate in this course will receive a 50% discount at Ridge Street Car Park. Simply speak to our team when you visit the Centre, and we’ll register your plate number in our system (please note you’ll need to register your plate each time you attend the course). This discount applies to courses held at the Centre during office hours (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm).
Receive 10% Discount
If you join any of our creative courses, you will receive a 10% discount off full-priced items at Eckersley’s Art & Craft. Discount applies on presentation of course receipt. Stores included are Eckersley’s Chatswood & St. Leonards.
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About the tutor
Imogen Rowe
Imogen Eve Rowe is an observational artist interested in local gardens. Her gentle teaching style focuses on composition and colour theory through discussing historic and contemporary examples. Her aim is to help students feel comfortable and creative and find their own artistic voice.
Imogen is a recent graduate of the National Art School Sydney, majoring in painting. She also holds a Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) from Swinburne University of Technology (2007).
She is a finalist in the 2025 Dobell Drawing Prize and the Fisher’s Ghost Art Award. Her large-scale watercolour portrait of her grandfather, Pop, was featured in the 2024 Salon des Refusés.
In 2019, Imogen held her first solo exhibition, Familiar Flora, at the Chrissie Cotter Gallery in Camperdown. In 2023, she held a mini solo exhibition titled Daily Quiet at Weswal Gallery in Tamworth. Imogen’s work is included in the collection of Campbelltown Hospital, the National Art School Library and is also held in private collections across Australia.
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