Northern Indiana Plein Air Workshop
There are currently openings available!
Welcome to the ultimate artist's retreat! A place where you can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse yourself in a serene and tranquil environment that will inspire your creativity and ignite your passion for art.
Located in the breathtaking Indiana countryside, this custom-made workshop and painter's retreat is designed to provide you with the ultimate learning experience. Imagine setting up your plein air gear in front of a tranquil pond, friendly cows and chickens, and sunflowers perfectly timed to bloom for this workshop. This 20 acre homestead has lush greenery, trees, pond, and vibrant colors that will take your breath away. And to top it all off, we’ll have a live model posing for us for one day’s session. This is the perfect setting to connect with your inner artist, grow your skills, and create something truly beautiful.
Led by award-winning artists Steve Puttrich and Rachel Dowd, this workshop is designed to challenge and inspire you. You'll receive expert guidance and instruction on a range of techniques and approaches that will help you take your skills to the next level. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, this retreat is the perfect opportunity to explore your creativity and develop your skills in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Composition, design and color will be the topics for this workshop to provide foundational skills to improve your work. You will learn:
the rules of good composition and how to create balanced and interesting value studies for more successful paintings
how to harness the control you have as an artist to create engaging and dynamic paintings from mundane scenes
how to identify focal points, reorganize elements, and simplify busy scenes to empower you to not feel constrained by your subject.
how subtle shifts in color temperature and value within shapes make paintings feel more alive.
all about gouache as great medium to use for quick plein air studies
By the end of this workshop you will have a toolkit of skills to bring life and energy into your successfully designed paintings.
Cost: $400 + $10 model fee (Included in the price of the workshop are delicious home cooked lunches each day!)
When: September 12-14, 2023, 9am-4pm EST
Where: Northeast Fort Wayne, Indiana (Spencerville, Indiana)
Schedule:
Day One: Composition and Design
Morning Session:
9:00-9:30: Introduction and Welcome
9:30-10:30: Demonstration - Designing a Value Plan -Rachel
10:30-12:00: Participants create value studies of different locations on the farm.
12:00-1:00: Home cooked Lunch and Lunchtime demo and discussion - Steve.
Afternoon Session:
1:00-4:00: Painting time with individual support from Rachel and Steve
Day Two: Composition and Design
Morning Session:
9:00-9:30: Recap of Day One
9:30-10:30: Discussion on Design Contrast Principles and Focal Points - Steve
10:30-12:00: Participants work on value sketches with modified elements
12:00-1:00: Home cooked Lunch
Lunchtime demo - Rachel
Afternoon Session:
1:00-4:00: Painting from a scene with two different focal points and design structures
7:00-8:00: Optional evening sunset painting (weather permitting)
Day Three: Color Exploration
Morning Session:
9:00-9:30: Recap of Day Two
9:30-10:30: Discussion and Demo on Varying Warms and Cools within Values - Rachel
10:30-12:00: Participants experiment with subtle shifts in color temperature and hue within one value
12:00-1:00: Home cooked Lunch Lunchtime demo - Steve
Afternoon Session:
1:00-3:00: Artists paint incorporating interesting color while maintaining the original design and value structure
3:00 - 4:00 pm Feedback session Rachel and Steve to give a group feedback session for each artist.
*Supply List Coming Soon
To Register: Contact Rachel HERE
Nearby Hotel Recommendations:
Hilton Garden Inn - 10650 Diebold Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46845
Springhill Suites - 4145 New Vision Dr, Fort Wayne, IN 46845