Exploring Abstraction: Color as Source with Karen Loehr
Class | Available
Using the vocabulary of mark-making and composition as the foundation for abstraction, students will explore how color can act as the primary content in our paintings.
In this immersive 8-week class, color is the subject, the structure, and the geography. Students will study how temperature, saturation, and desaturation can build profound spatial depth, mood, and atmospheric tension without relying on literal representation. Students will also explore optical vibration and high-risk chromatic dissonance to create visual energy.
The "mud trap" will be overcome by utilizing sophisticated neutrals and desaturated earth tones. Finally, each student will produce a curated, cohesive mini-series of abstract works driven by a personal chromatic voice.
Your instructor has provided a list of materials required to participate fully in this class.
If you have any questions about specifics or what is needed week-to-week, please reach out to your instructor via the email in your confirmation letter.
Drawing media (whatever you have and like to use) and white and black acrylic for week one
Paints:
- A split primary palette
- 2 red (warm / cool)
- 2 yellow (warm / cool)
- 2 blue (warm / cool)
- Neutrals (Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, or Asphaltum)
- White
- Paynes Gray or Black
Tools:
- Painting Knives: At least two flexible metal palette knives (one teardrop/trowel shape and one long straight blade) for mixing and applying thick blocks of color.
- Scraping & Sgraffito Tools: Silicone rubber wedges (like Catalyst wedges), old credit cards, notched trowels, kitchen scraper combs, skewers for carving back through layers.
- Brushes: A few large, (sizes 8 to 12 flat or bright) rather than fine detail brushes.
- Palette for paint mixing
- Paper towels/rags
Substrates:
- Paper recommended (allows for spontaneity and play). Arches oil paper or Bristol mixed media paper work well.
- Boards for mounting paper. I like large foam core – it’s light weight and easy to move around.
Students will need to purchase additional basic household items that can not be found via the submitted link (such as paper towels or rags, a smock, etc). The instructor will go over these additional items in class.
It is required that you follow proper brush cleaning techniques while participating in WSS classes and programming. Please review this video and ask your instructor for a demonstration of proper cleanup practices. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iIKYsfjl_E
Materials for cleaning brushes and PPE are the responsibility of the student.
Such items may include but are not limited to:
Shop towels for painting & cleanup
Safflower oil (for oil paint cleanup)
dish/brush soap
Glass containers for oil & solvent storage as well as brush cleaning
Aprons
Gloves
dustmasks /n95 masks
Eye protection
WSS provides a small amount of shared cleanup items for the Painting Room- 3A but it is much more efficient to bring and use your own.