Painting Classes

[hanajo]

Hi all,
Does anyone know of any good (and affordable!) beginning night/weekend beginning painting classes in the Pasadena/LA area? I wanted to do a class at PCC, but they're often offered during the day and I'm working at the moment. I'm planning on applying to Art Center for Illustration in a year or so, but I don't have very much painting experience. Are painting skills an important factor in the portfolio?

[Maxine Schacker]

I don't know any classes. but this small, inexpensive volume (not more than $10) is about the heart of painting - how to "see" as a painter. Take a look.

[Storyboard Dave]

I wouldn't sweat it just yet.

Most places would love it if you came in there knowing how to paint but then that's why you're going to school. You're there to learn it. Most colleges just really want to know that you know some fundamentals and they'll help shepherd you through. That's not to say that they'll give it to you on a silver platter- you still have to do the work and really LEARN how to apply color and make images. Just keep an open mind to it all and soak up as much as you can from the instructor and your peers around you.

[peter_john]

You're putting together a portfolio an undergraduate program? If you want to be sure, contact the school and find out what the review staff look for or expect to see from incoming students. If they say painting, then work on it before you apply. My experience applying for undergrad was that my school was more concerned with basic drawing ability than painting at the entry level. Figure drawing, still life studies in black and white or colored media dry media (pencils, charcoal, colored pastels, oil pastel, etc) formed the bulk of what I submitted.

If you want to practice painting you should go for it! Getting out of your comfort zone into a new media can help you learn better things about what you are already used to working in. Just don't neglect figure drawing and life studies, which should be the core of anything you submit.