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Composing Landscapes in Oil (Online Course) Spring 2026 w/ Laura Vahlberg
May 30 to June 20 (Saturdays), 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Time
*All sessions are live and will be recorded, students do not have to be present. All recordings will be available to students for 3 months after the final session, after 3 months the recording will be deleted.
Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite. Our business hours are 10:00 AM through 5:00 PM. All course information and email correspondence will be sent during business hours. If students purchase a course, workshop, demo or recording outside business hours or during the weekend the course information or recording will be sent the following business day.
DEMO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tljtyaFSwiU
Course Description
In this class we will talk about materials and the practicalities to consider when taking one’s studio outdoors. We will also lean into abstract thought - finding ways to make pictures that are products of both looking and feeling.
We’ll talk about balancing a picture, creating impactful design, color mixing, finding accurate value structures, and establishing hierarchy within a picture.
There will be studio time to work on your pictures and time for q&a class discussion.
Course Outline
Week 1: Balance/ Impact
Slideshow
Composition Exercises
Studio Time
Week 2: Color
Slideshow
Color Mixing Demo
Studio time
Week 3: Value
Slideshow
Plein Air Demo
Studio Time
Week 4: Hierarchy
Slideshow
Composition exercises
Studio Time
Course Materials List
This is a class for oil painters. Feel free to use what you already have. These materials are what I use-- they are optional.
-French Easel- full box
-Oil paints- Williamsburg oil paints brand. The colors I use these days are:
Titanium white, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Yellow Ochre, Pthalo Green, Turquoise, Cadmium Red Medium, Alizarin Crimson, French Ultramarine Blue, Ultramarine, Egyptian Violet, Cadmium Orange.
-A roll of paper towels
-#23 rgm palette knife
- Utility knife
-Box cutter
-Razor blades
- Glass palette- mine is 1/4” glass about 13”x 18”
- Small level
- 2 canisters one for dirty brushes, one for clean brushes
- Masking tape
- Container for the glass palette with a lid
-Fabric scissors
- Metal square
- Primed linen sheets, I get the centurion brand, it usually comes in 10 sheets to a pad. Bigger the better, though not bigger than your drawing board.
- Gridded drawing board, I get the heritage brand
- Brushes- I have a collection from over the years. I like long handled brushes- some natural hog hair, some synthetic. Filberts are my favorite.
- Murphey’s oil soap for cleaning brushes
- For painting outside I use a heavy duty outdoor foldable wagon- everything fits in there okay.
- Paints and palette knives and other tools fit well in a fishing tackle box
- A compass - good for landscape painting to know where the sun will travel
- Sandpaper - 60, 80 and 120 grit
May 30 to June 20 (Saturdays), 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Time
*All sessions are live and will be recorded, students do not have to be present. All recordings will be available to students for 3 months after the final session, after 3 months the recording will be deleted.
Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite. Our business hours are 10:00 AM through 5:00 PM. All course information and email correspondence will be sent during business hours. If students purchase a course, workshop, demo or recording outside business hours or during the weekend the course information or recording will be sent the following business day.
DEMO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tljtyaFSwiU
Course Description
In this class we will talk about materials and the practicalities to consider when taking one’s studio outdoors. We will also lean into abstract thought - finding ways to make pictures that are products of both looking and feeling.
We’ll talk about balancing a picture, creating impactful design, color mixing, finding accurate value structures, and establishing hierarchy within a picture.
There will be studio time to work on your pictures and time for q&a class discussion.
Course Outline
Week 1: Balance/ Impact
Slideshow
Composition Exercises
Studio Time
Week 2: Color
Slideshow
Color Mixing Demo
Studio time
Week 3: Value
Slideshow
Plein Air Demo
Studio Time
Week 4: Hierarchy
Slideshow
Composition exercises
Studio Time
Course Materials List
This is a class for oil painters. Feel free to use what you already have. These materials are what I use-- they are optional.
-French Easel- full box
-Oil paints- Williamsburg oil paints brand. The colors I use these days are:
Titanium white, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Yellow Ochre, Pthalo Green, Turquoise, Cadmium Red Medium, Alizarin Crimson, French Ultramarine Blue, Ultramarine, Egyptian Violet, Cadmium Orange.
-A roll of paper towels
-#23 rgm palette knife
- Utility knife
-Box cutter
-Razor blades
- Glass palette- mine is 1/4” glass about 13”x 18”
- Small level
- 2 canisters one for dirty brushes, one for clean brushes
- Masking tape
- Container for the glass palette with a lid
-Fabric scissors
- Metal square
- Primed linen sheets, I get the centurion brand, it usually comes in 10 sheets to a pad. Bigger the better, though not bigger than your drawing board.
- Gridded drawing board, I get the heritage brand
- Brushes- I have a collection from over the years. I like long handled brushes- some natural hog hair, some synthetic. Filberts are my favorite.
- Murphey’s oil soap for cleaning brushes
- For painting outside I use a heavy duty outdoor foldable wagon- everything fits in there okay.
- Paints and palette knives and other tools fit well in a fishing tackle box
- A compass - good for landscape painting to know where the sun will travel
- Sandpaper - 60, 80 and 120 grit