New Workshop at McRae Art Studios!

“Back in Black”

August 17th and 18th, 2024 from 10 am - 4 pm $300

Attention crow and raven lovers! Brilliant and beautiful, there is a mystique centered around the corvids in almost every culture in the world. Harbingers of good and ill, symbols of wisdom, messengers…the list goes on. The secret to doing these gorgeous birds justice is to refrain from using black, and learn to use chromatic color blend to create the illusion of a “living black”. We learn to use an underpainting to create depth, and how to depict the iridescent shine of their feathers.

On day one we discuss interpreting photo references, draw action shapes for the crows, talk about best practices with manipulating oils to get the color blend you want, and paint the first layer. On day two the first layer is dry, thanks to the addition of fast drying chemicals, and we paint-paint-paint all day long.

All materials are included - oil paints, mediums, and primed canvases. All you need to bring are your own brushes (a list of recommended brushes is sent out prior to the workshop). The workshop is suitable for all levels and is a good opportunity for artists to try oils out without the heavy material investment. There is a one hour lunch break, and there are places for lunch a short drive away. However I recommend bringing a packed lunch since we start back up promptly after lunch.

Would you like to paint some crows with us? Please reach out to Kate through the contact page for the sign up form. A $50 non refundable deposit is required to hold your space. Space is limited and this class tends to fill up quickly.

Hope to see you soon!

Workshop concepts available for booking

Kate's fun, interactive oil painting workshops focus on positive creative growth and exploration.  All materials including oil paints, mediums, toned canvases and palette knives are included, with the exception of the brushes. This makes Kate's workshops popular with artists seeking growth without a heavy materials investment. It allows artists familiar with other mediums to have a chance at trying oil painting on for size, and allows newbies a shot at trying their wings without risk.

Are you an art museum, art center, or other art centered group interested in hosting a Kate Carney Oil Painting Workshop? Please contact Kate through the website for pricing details and scheduling.

Interested in finding a Kate Carney Oil Painting Workshop? Please check out the website calendar.

Current workshops are available as a one day, 6 hour workshop, or a two day 10 hour workshop and include the following:

Complementary Colors for the Win

1.  "Irisitible" We paint Irises! This workshop focuses on the purple/gold color relationship, with other colors coming to play along

 

2.  "Popping Poppies" Everybody loves painting poppies!  Here the red/green relationship is the star of the show, but other color combinations come to play

 
3.  "Smashing Sunsets" Here we using the blue/ orange relationship to create drama and atmosphere. Also exploring the use of white for luminosity with chalkiness.


4.  "Color Riot"  A peacock is our model for this one, and we use more than one complementary color combination to paint a vibrant and expressive peacock.

In Living Color

5.  "Get It White"  Whites can be tricky, here we explore the use of temperature and value to paint a luminous egret with dimension and dramatic light. It sounds difficult, but it's easier than you think when you learn the tricks.


6.  "Back In Black" Kate's most popular workshop.  Learn how to make living breathing blacks using color rather than squeezing it out of a tube.  The subject a crow or a raven and the focus is on using intensity correctly to create the feeling of life in a crow or a raven.