Paint the Light, Not the details!
with Jean-Francois ARNAUD
February 1-3, 2024 | 10AM - 4PM
204 S Austin Street in Rockport, Texas.
$475 for Members, $535 for Nonmembers.
Description of Class:
1. Academic Drawing: In this segment, we delve into a crucial aspect of my work — the art of drawing. Understanding drawing is fundamental. We explore the significance of practice, the art of observation, and the knowledge of key principles in composition and construction. This foundation lays the groundwork for the entire artistic process.
2. Exploring Watercolors: Moving forward, we immerse ourselves in the world of watercolors. Using a simplified palette with a limited range of colors, we begin with the primary hues: blue, yellow, and red. From these primary colors, we expand our palette with carefully selected additional shades. Drawing from my background in printing, I decipher the primary color components in images. These supplementary shades serve to enhance the artist’s intention, infusing vibrant colors into our work. This unique approach, developed and refined over years, is something I’ve been sharing with my students, and it has proven to be remarkably effective.
3. Capturing Essence Through Light: I’ll reveal my process and together, we’ll capture sunlit landscapes with the goal of distilling only the essence: light and atmosphere. My process unfolds in three stages: first, painting the light; second, rendering shadows; and finally, infusing the watercolor with life through carefully placed touches of saturated color. This three-step method is designed to create captivating and evocative paintings that capture the heart of a scene.
About the Instructor
My name is Jean Francois Arnaud, and I'm from France. For as long as I can remember, drawing has been a part of my life. I've always had a penchant for academic drawing and landscapes. I began my career in industrial design and even managed a printing press. I've also organized contests for Arabian purebred horses in the United Arab Emirates. Then, at the age of 35, I decided to reconnect with the child within me and articulated my desire to become a painter for the first time.
It was then that I chose my medium: watercolors. Watercolor painting allows me to create in any situation, which is particularly important to me as I love to paint while traveling. As Van Gogh once said, isn't watercolor considered a diabolical art? Indeed, it's a portable yet challenging medium that demands a significant investment of time and skill to master its subtleties. My artistic approach is predominantly impressionistic, focused on capturing the ambiance, light, and atmosphere of a landscape. I believe that memories of a place aren't composed of the number of windows on a house or minor details, but rather the emotions it evokes. That's what I strive to capture in my paintings, and I'm eager to share my method for encapsulating the essence of a landscape through impressionist watercolor painting.