Level: all

Saturday (rain date Sunday)

Jul 22

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Instructor: Frank Bruckmann

Fee: $125

THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN CANCELLED.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN A WORKSHOP LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE, email education@rowaytonarts.org or call 203-246-2568.

Join popular artist and instructor, Frank Bruckmann, on an outdoor painting adventure in our hometown of Rowayton, CT.  Participants will benefit from Frank’s uncanny eye and ability to find the magic in the seemingly mundane.  He will guide students in their composition, color choices and ability to capture perspective.  Frank will give individual instruction on how to create a composition, block in a painting, and will help you refine your piece using a combination of drawing, color and value.  You can bring your choice of oils, acrylics or pastels.

The workshop will begin with a 20-30 minute demonstration from Frank.

Note: Participants will meet at the Rowayton Community Center where there is plenty of beauty to paint and bathroom facilities as well.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

SUGGESTED SUPPLY LIST:  
I always try to have a good selection of colors on my palette of both warm and cool of each color and some earth tones.  Generally I have been using Windsor Newton artist grade oil paints. For me the quality of pigment and thickness of the paint works very well.   All the materials below fit into my French Easel. I go old-school with the easel, I like the weight and sturdiness of my Julien French easel, but you can use whatever style of you prefer. There are many different styles of plein air easels out there.

Oil Paints:

  • Titanium White (big tube)
  • Alizarin crimson
  • Cadmium red light
  • Cadmium Yellow
  • Cadmium lemon
  • Yellow ochre
  • Raw umber
  • Sap green
  • Viridian green
  • Cerulean blue
  • Ultramarine blue
  • And some kind of interesting violet

Brushes:   I use the Robert Simmons Signet filbert brushes. They seem to hold up very well with time and care.  I suggest two of each #6, #4, #3 and #2

Mediums:   I usually carry a quart of odorless turpenoid with me for cleaning brushes while painting. Recently I have been trying a soy brush cleaner that seems to do well, but you will need turps for mixing your paints. I clean my brushes in a Holbein screw on brush cleaner. The best that I have found  that doesn’t leak.  Generally, for landscape painting, I have a medium of 1 part linseed oil, 1 part liquin (for quicker drying) and 5 parts turpenoid. A small 2.5oz bottle should last the week.   I highly recommend a  double cup for your palette for turp (odorless) and medium.

Acrylics: 

  • If you are painting in acrylics, the color list can be the same, just add black.
  • You will also need a container for water for cleaning brushes
  • a little spray bottle for keeping your paints fresh (the elements can dry your acrylic paints out pretty fast).
  • I think that the Robert Simmons white synthetic brushes are good  for acrylic paints as well.

Canvases:  I suggest getting a number of pre-gessoed canvas boards. Fredrix make some good pre-gessoed canvas boards that range in quality from acrylic gesso on cotton on cardboard  to oil primed linen on hardboard. Whatever you prefer, make sure you have a few in different sizes.  One or Two should be enough.

  • 9 x 12”, 11 x 14″, 12 x 16″, 16 x 20″ are all good medium sizes to work with. Canvas boards are good as they are easy to transport using some form of panel carrier. Again the best I have found is the Raymar wet canvas carrier. There are many others available.

Here’s a list of other things you may need: 

  • Paper towels
  • Small plastic garbage bag for paint rags etc.
  • Bug spray
  • Suntan lotion
  • Sunglasses
  • A good hat to block out ambient light and protect you from excess sun
  • Folding chair if standing for 6 hours or so might be a tad difficult
  • Painting umbrella for sun or drizzle
  • Plein Air Easel – one suggestion is the “en plein air pro” easel – enpleinairpro.com)
  • Make sure you have plenty of water to drink/snacks.

About the Instructor:

Frank Bruckmann began his studies at the DuCret School of Art in New Jersey and continued with classes at the Art Students League in New York City. In Paris, he studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts and spent nearly a decade in France and Spain, copying the masters in great museums and painting landscapes in the cities and countryside. Now a resident of New Haven, Bruckmann has found endless subject matter for landscapes in New England but periodically packs his easel and travels farther and wider in his VW camper.

Frank Bruckmann’s website: http://fbruckmann.com