ARTS 239
Water-based Painting Spring 2025
Division I

This painting course will utilize water-based media, exploring materials that do not require the use of solvents and dry faster, behave differently, and are more mobile than a traditional oil painting studio. The course will begin with various inks before moving into gouache and acrylic, pushing their properties and possibilities in both short graphic exercises and longer-term projects. We will work primarily on paper and panel boards. Because the materials do not require adequate studio ventilation or the use of specialized chemicals for thinning and cleaning paint, as the weather warms we may venture out of the classroom for on-site plein air painting from direct observation. Group critiques and discussions will help us hone our skills of looking and talking about work; presentations and readings will offer insights into the theory and global history of painting. Evaluation will be based on assignments and engagement with in-class exercises and discussions.