WE DO MAGIC, THEY SAY.
Introducing Oil Painting for Anybody
An Online Course
with Marla Baggetta
Are you ready to get started with oil painting? Whether you are an absolute beginner, who has never held a paintbrush, or have been working at it for years, this course will make it easy for you to fall in love and find success in the wonderful world of oil painting!
11+ Hours of Video
We have worked hard to bring you high quality instructional videos that provides easy to follow, clear and detailed instruction. You’ll have lifetime access to all the videos enabling you work at your own pace in the comfort of your own home from any device for a seamless and modern online experience.
80+ Page Beautifully Illustrated PDF
Our 80+ page detailed coursework presents you with an illustrated guide to materials, theory and wisdom from an expert instructor and professional artist covering everything you need to get started with oil painting. Divided into 12 highly structured chapters, Marla will guide you through all of the necessary groundwork, reinforced with exciting exercises and step-by-step demonstrations, providing you a roadmap to becoming an accomplished painter.
Private Facebook Community
Course Contents
Each chapter focuses on a fundamental of painting
Chapter 1:
Introduction
In putting together this workshop I wanted to address all those who love to paint, both complete beginners for whom it might seem bewildering knowing where to start with oils, practiced amateurs and even professionals looking for some new ideas. Let’s get painting!
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Guided Learning: Why Oil Painting
Housekeeping
How to Use This Workshop
Chapter 2:
Materials
It’s not as hard as it seems. New, modern materials and some household supplies make it simple, safe and enjoyable to create paintings in oil. I’ll cover everything you need to know to get started with supplies and equipment. Start simply and build to a more robust set of paints and tools.
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Guided Learning: Materials List
Brushes + Knives
Surfaces
Paint
Palettes + Easels
Travelling with Paint
+ More
Chapter 3:
Mixing + Matching Color
Learn the all important skill of matching colors that you see in nature and in a photo reference. Learn to mix those all so important greys. Start with a limited palette and then move to a more modern co-primaries palette. Learn how to lighten and darken colors, modulate colors and premix your color families.
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Guided Learning: 3 Aspects of Color
Primaries + Co-Primaries Palette
Colorful Greys
Lightening + Darkening
Modulating Color -
Step by Step Demo: Matching Color Chips
Matching Color in Photos
Chapter 4:
Warm Up Studies
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Guided Learning: Holding Your Brush
Fat Over Lean
Toning Your Surface -
Step by Step Demo: Cloudy Skies Warmup
Trees Warmup
Chapter 5:
Approaching a Subject
Before you put brush to canvas, a little preparation goes a long way to strengthening the final results and to making the process easier. This instruction takes you through the preliminary steps to build a successful foundation for your paintings.
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Guided Learning: Visualizing Shapes
Simplifying
Planning it Out
Thumbnails + Viewfinders
Chapter 6:
Composing a Landscape
Composition requires balance between the large masses and the details, unequal measures of light and shade along with subtle nuances in value and color. How do we develop an instinctive feeling for unity? In this chapter, I’ll demystify some of these principles and show you that composition is simply arranging the core elements of your paintings.
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Guided Learning: One Rule of Composition
Earth + Sky
Rule of Thirds
Group the Values - Step by Step Demo: Composing the Landscape - Luscher Farm
Chapter 7:
Creating Depth
This chapter illustrates how aerial perspective supplies painters with the means to create a sense of depth, mystery and enchantment in their work. Atmospheric perspective has been described as the third dimension of painting; the primary means of creating a sense of space and air in an otherwise two dimensional picture accomplished by changes in gradations and distinctness in hue.
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Guided Learning: Atmospheric/Aerial Perspective
Influence on Color - Step by Step Demo: Aerial Perspective - Kananaskis Lake
Chapter 8:
Working with White
White reflects all the colors of the visible light spectrum! That means in order to paint convincing whites we must be able to paint the subtle color shifts and value changes. Therefore, the truth is this – convincing whites are actually quite colorful. You’ll learn to capture the essence of a winter landscape; the glistening light, cool cast shadows and the hidden contours of the ground. We’ll key our color on the large shapes and save “white” for the highlights.
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Guided Learning: Paint Colorful Whites
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Step by Step Demo: Working with White -
A Mountain Stream
Chapter 9:
Using Photgraphs
How do we move beyond trying to copy everything mechanically like the camera? I outline guidelines for working with photographs that will allow you to use them most effectively. There are a lot of pitfalls to avoid when using photographs to paint from. Once we know how to edit, photographs become an excellent jumping off point for more creative paintings!
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Guided Learning: Choose the Right Photos
Improving on Photographs
Editing Photos -
Step by Step Demo: Using Photographs -
An Oregon Road
Chapter 10:
A Lesson from a Master
There is good reason for the long standing tradition of copying of works of master painters! It’s an opportunity to learn and at the same time be liberated from any intention to perfect your own piece. In this chapter, we’ll study a classic scene of the High Sierra Mountains by Edgar Payne.
- Guided Learning: Learn From One of The Greats
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Step by Step Demo: A Lesson From a Master -
Sierra Lake
Chapter 11:
Urban Scenery
In this chapter we will focus on urban scenery demonstrating how to simplify and seamlessly incorporate structures into your painting. Including structures, vehicles and architectural elements add interest in narrative to your work. You’ll learn how to orchestrate colorful greys and bright intense color to create mood and light effects.
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Guided Learning: Include Complex Elements
Use One Point Perspective -
Step by Step Demo: Urban Scenery -
Alley Glow
Chapter 12: Bonus: Radish
What's Next?
Self Critique
Gallery of Work
Now that we have dug into the basics of oil painting, what’s next? I will give you pointers on assessing and critiquing your own work, tips for continued study as well as resources to inspire and help you hone your skills. Feel free to share your work and grow with our facebook community of learners. I look forward to seeing you in our next workshop!
Oil Painting Sale!
Limited-time offer
Get started now for this incredible Online Workshop!
Beautifully Designed Ebook
over 80 pages of in-depth content
In Depth Theory and Guidance
Marla isolates the complex principles of painting and investigates them practically and simply so any student can comprehend and execute even the most difficult problems. Moving from simple to more involved concepts, each lesson builds on the previous so you’ll gain a sound foundation to further your study and practice of painting.
Step by Step Guided Demonstrations
Marla guides you through the time-tested fundamentals step by step, stroke by stroke from the very beginning stages of a painting to the finish line in a logical and enjoyable path. Marla stresses the need to develop your own judgement and individual voice as an artist.
A Lifetime of Painting Experience
At Your Fingertips
Over 25 years as a professional artist and teacher
Testimonials
Marla has Hundreds of Satisfied Students
I was both stimulated and excited at the prospect of taking on a totally new medium. I adored the class work and the interaction with other students. I hope to take another class soon and I feel I have learned a great deal in”mark making” and with a new medium upon which to play. Thanks, Marla!
Donna, Santa Fe
World Class Video Instruction
Like having a teacher at the easel with you, no matter where you are
Mixing In Depth
Enjoy a clear top-down view which allows you to see everything that is happening on Marla’s palette. Mixing color is the most important foundational skill necessary for you to develop as an oil painter. The palette view demystifies the mixing process ensuring you will walk away with a sound understanding of mixing basics.
Up Close and Personal at the Easel
Following along while learning has never been easier! The demonstration view shows the progress of each painting, the reference photo and thumbnail when appropriate, so you get to see how each piece is built from start to finish. Marla narrates her progress in real time as she is painting, so you won’t miss a thing!
Oil Painting Sale! Only $59
Limited-time offer
Get started now for this incredible Online Workshop!
Frequently Asked Questions
You need to log into the site to participate in the workshop so you will need an internet connection. Workshops and Subscriptions are accessible on iPads, tablets, computers, laptops and even phones – any device you can watch access the web on.
If you have any problems with playing a video or hearing a video, try these steps:
1) Check your internet connection and reset your internet connection if necessary.
2) Clear your browser cache and history.
2) Update your browser, or try another browser (like Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer).
Sure, you can open a support ticket and we’ll help you right away. Just Email Suport and we will reply within 24 hours! If we don’t know the answer to your question, we’ll ask Marla and she’ll reply as quickly as she can.
The workshop assignments are online accessible 24×7 – you can take the lessons any time you want. You are not required to complete the course in a specified amount of time. You get access to all the assignments in the workshop at once in a secure member’s area on PaintingLessonsWithMarla.com
When you register for the workshop, you’ll get a Student Account which gives you access to the My Courses area on the PaintingLessonsWithMarla.com website. Your Student Account will allow you take lessons and complete assignments any time you want.
You get lifetime access to the workshop and lessons you pay for so you can finish your painting any time. It’s fun to keep up with your fellow artists and see how they are doing too but you can stop and come back to it any time, 24×7. Assignment reminders are sent via email but you can complete them at your own pace – no problem at all!
100% Digital Online Course
Works With All Devices
24/7 Access No Matter Where You Are
Easy To Follow
Our Site has been carefully designed to be easy to follow. Our simple learning system tracks your progress and takes out the hassle, allowing you to focus on panting!