Hollis, NY Painting Lessons

Using the classic European Atelier Style of teaching, I start all students with basic drawing, tone and color theory before embarking on either water color or oil painting. This is to ensure that the students have a solid foundation upon which to apply color to achieve the desire d effects. No amount of pretty color will make up for a poorly constructed work. Students learn to create dimensional illusions by understanding the principles of perspective, light and dark and various techniques.

Combining versatile, inspirational and intuitive approach with an extensive variety of effective techniques, C J Elsip encourages you to stretch the boundaries of creative media and mind to discover, explore and develop your own personal creative language.
You will learn about shape, form, light & shadow, color, tonal value, composition and much more - at your own pace, with careful consideration and understanding of your personal needs and creative goals.

As my student you will learn very important basic to intermediate foundation knowledge of the painting process. This involves Color theory, canvas preparations (wood, Canvas and other substrate choices), Brush selections, Mediums and thinning, Paint storage and reusing. We will work on transferring ideas from still life or sketch to canvas. We will cover brush stroke effects, blending, highlighting and work processes for an efficient and most importantly fun workflow.

My approach to painting is one that starts with understanding the basic foundation! Starting from the bottom and working our way up, covering all aspects. I encourage the students to look at their work constructively and help train their eye to see their work from multiple perpectives. We will go through the basic elements to create a form in space, through color, line, texture, composition, medium manipulation, and so on. Once the foundation is established the vision can truly come alive!

I have worked with children as young as three and young adults up through high school in an array of media, including tempera, acrylic, gouache, and oil paint in subjects from figure modeling and cityscapes to abstract painting, illustration, and murals. I emphasize using one's own style and vision and introduce techniques as they are requested either verbally or through careful study of my students' process.

I began drawing in three dimensions at the age of two (it was a stuffed panda bear doll if you must know). I am a keenly visual person, and began winning awards in art in elementary school, and eventually went on to become student artist of the year in New York state while a sophomore in high school. That same year I had a show in a gallery in Manhattan. The following year I made my own short animated film and was hired by a private academy to do all their creative print marketing. My approach to teaching art is similar to my approach to teaching communication. Sometimes art is about telling a story. Often it can be about making a point (even if that point is just about beauty or dysfunction, or beauty in dysfunction). But whatever its purpose, art is *always* about seeing, with more than your eyes. The best forms of art capture and captivate all of who we are and how we perceive, whether we’re talking pencil sketches or making movies. While I teach lots of different styles,

Visual Art is another dimension, another reality. It can be true or invention. It can be poetic or logical. Is where you learn to recreate and express it to others.

I encourage people to develop their own art technique. I can provide courses and tutoring all levels of development. Starting from the Art fundamentals for the more advance sense to advance composition and creation. I always consider carefully what are the interests and goals of my students to develop a custom course for them. I have a Bachelor Degree in Visual Arts from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master Degree in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, from Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain.

My course can range from traditional drawing methods, to experimental painting technique. I can flourish the course with cool art history facts.

I think is the most important part in the painting class is to know where do you want to head up. And then, lets go!

I have advanced realist techniques similar to Bob Ross in watercolor and in oil intermediate abstract techniques. Focus will be primarily on brush stroke practice and on color mixing. Also offered is face painting. Can also focus on speed painting for intermediate level painters (beginners shouldn't try speed painting, brush stroke techniques need to be comfortable with before beginning). I have a lot of meditating practices and games to build these skills as well as creativity.

To see my artwork you can see it on www.Facebook.com/justjesspage or visit Instagram @ justjesspage

Learn how to stretch watercolor paper and blend techniques of watercolor dyes and ink to create a unique look!