Little Beasts at NGA with Trevor Young

Little Beasts at NGA with Trevor Young

Class | Available

2129 S Street, NW Washington, DC 20008 United States
Room 3A
All Levels
4/7/2025-6/9/2025
10:00 AM-1:00 PM EDT on Mon
$495.00

Little Beasts at NGA with Trevor Young

Class | Available

This class will take place at both the National Gallery of Art and the Washington Studio School.

We will visit the Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World at the National Gallery. This exhibition features specimens and taxidermy alongside works of art created by Dutch artists from the 16th and 17th centuries.
At WSS, students will be working from objects and works in the show as well as from taxidermied animals. Students will paint these animals on canvases, working toward a final project in which they will paint these animals on cigar boxes and learn how to line the box with fabric.
For the class, students will be working with natural palettes and will be shown how to use special brushes such as blenders, stippling, and liners as well as a magnifying lens in their work.


  • General Supplies: 

    An assortment of brushes in various sizes and shapes—these should be soft brushes that are ready for use. Please do not use hard bristle brushes. 

    Specific brushes needed:

    Princeton Select Synthetic Brush: Dagger Striper, Short Handle, Size 1/4”

    https://www.dickblick.com/items/princeton-select-synthetic-brush-dagger-striper-short-handle-size-14/

    Princeton Select Synthetic Brush: Grainer Short Handle, Size 1/4”

    https://www.dickblick.com/items/princeton-select-synthetic-brush-grainer-short-handle-size-14/

    Princeton Select Series 3750 Natural and Synthetic Blend Brush - Deerfoot, Short Handle, Size 3/8”

    https://www.dickblick.com/items/princeton-select-series-3750-natural-synthetic-blend-brush-deerfoot-short-handle-size-3-8/

    A small assortment of palette knives (at least 2) 

    Multiple surfaces in various sizes. Minimum size is 8” x 10”. For the larger sizes, Trevor recommends a minimum of 18” x 24”. This will be expanded on in class. 

    All canvases must be toned prior to class. It is best to tone with acrylic paint. Tone in a mixture of Yellow Ochre and Raw Umber (50:50 ratio) 

    Disposable Paper Palette, no smaller than 12” x 16” (the larger the better, please no small palettes) 

    Paper towels or rags WSS does not provide these for personal use while painting 

    Dish Soap for personal use to clean brushes 

    Container for oil or acrylic mediums or solvents to take home. Please note this material cannot be disposed of in WSS sinks. 

     

    Drawing Supplies:

    Large Sketchbook (the larger the better, no larger than approximately 11x14)

    Graphite Pencils (6H, 4H, 2H, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B)

    Staedler/Mars White vinyl eraser, kneaded eraser, or gum eraser

    Pencil sharpener that catches the grinds. Please no razor blades or knives for sharpening.

    Ruler or other straight edge at least the size of your sketchbook (12 inches)

    Small carrying case or box for materials 

     

    Colors for Palette (you may paint with Oil or Acrylic, but Oil is recommended; Gamblin 1980 is an affordable choice):
    Cadmium red medium
    Cadmium red light
    Alizarin crimson
    Cadmium yellow or Cadmium yellow light Cadmium orange (optional) 

    Yellow ochre
    Raw sienna
    Raw umber
    Ivory black
    Titanium white
    Flake white replacement or flake white hue (Gamblin; optional) 

    Cerulean blue, King’s blue, Sevres blue, or Pthalo Turquoise (Plaza brand: https://www.plazaart.com/plaza-artists-oil-37ml-phthalo-turquoise) (choose one

    Cobalt blue 

    Ultramarine blue 

    Indigo blue (Winsor & Newton; optional

    Prussian blue (optional

     

    If using oil paint: 

    Small jars with lids (minimum 2 for solvents and mediums) 

    Odorless thinner such as Gamsol, a small jar 

    A small bottle of Gamblin’s Galkyd or Galkyd Lite (4.2 or 8.5 oz.) 

     

    If using acrylic paint: 

    Water cup 

    Small spray bottle 

    A small bottle of acrylic medium (2 or 4 oz.), gloss finish (Golden recommended). Golden Acrylic Retarder is also a good medium. 

     

    Optional Supplies: 

    Straight edge 

    Viewfinder (for example: https://www.dickblick.com/products/viewcatcher/)

Trevor Young