12.18.2012

INTRODUCING THE NEW & IMPROVED CALIFORNIA ART INSTITUTE & MY NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM





INTRODUCING A NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM @ CALIFORNIA ART INSTITUTE

As you may already know, Kate Burdick Barnholtz recently acquired ownership of California Art Institute. On Saturday, December 15th, Kate threw a beautiful Retirement Party for Buddy Shuman’s 23 years of dedication to the school…and to celebrate CAI’s bright future. There were many friends in attendance, old and new.

Renovations are currently underway with many improvements to the building, an investment in new equipment, the conversion of the downstairs front rooms into gallery space, the addition of a sculpture/pottery facility in the back, the conversion of the current animation room into a student library, and future designs of converting the upstairs classroom into a better north-light studio, which is incredible…among many, many other improvements! It’s truly wonderful.

In the spirit of all of this renewed enthusiasm for the school, I promised Kate that I would design an academic/traditional life-study program. Following is a brief synopsis of the figurative intenisve that I have designed (and is of course a work in progress to be refined over time).

TRADITIONAL FIGURE DRAWING & PAINTING

THURSDAY & SATURDAY : 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM : JAN 10TH - MAR 16TH
  
This class will offer a discourse on the principles, techniques, and practices of the Traditional Figurative Arts. We will be working towards an acknowledgment of the experiences and methodologies of our predecessors and a willingness to honor their discoveries. The class will be split between drawing and painting equally twelve (12) hours a week for ten weeks. I will introduce many different types of exercises based on the elements and fundamentals of traditional practice in the life class. There will be thorough demonstrations and lecturing with a lot of individual critique. I will mentor students one-on-one and develop a program of study that best suits their individual needs. Students who enroll two days/week will have up to 24 hours of model time (same pose). As an incentive to students who wish to enroll for the full course, CAI is offering the class at $1295.00 + $100.00 model fee. Please enroll by contacting the school directly or through the wesite. Students who enroll in the full-time program will have priority in the registration process. Single day (part-time) applicants will only be accepted if there are open slots left over. Students are highly encouraged to enroll in the full-time program.

What else you can expect for the Winter Session beginning January 10th, 2013:


  • The class will run on the Thursdays & Saturdays (9:30AM to 5:00PM). There will be an hour and a half break for lunch between 12:30PM & 2:00PM.
  • The class will be held in the upstairs studio (B), which will allow for the use of natural light, thus providing an ideal environment in which to study the Human Form and Light. We will also experiment with alternative lighting situations in order to expand our awareness of Color.
  • Every two weeks we will hire a new model (two-week increments—four days total). The poses will vary between 12 hours over two days or 24 hours over four days. Occasionally we will do shorter poses, which will allow for the introduction of certain principles that are difficult to teach otherwise.
  • You can register for the full-time program (2-day) or part-time program (one-day) on-line @ www.calartinst.com. Part-time tuition (ONE-DAY, THURS or SAT) is 710.00 + $50.00 model fee. Full-time tuition (BOTH DAYS) is $1295.00 + $100.00 model fee. You may also enroll by contacting Meghan or Kate @ CAI: 805-496-6906.
  • You can download the SUPPLY LIST under the course description on the website.
  • There will be thirteen (13) workstations available, which means that the maximum enrollment will be thirteen (13) students.
  • Students who enroll in the full-time program will have priority in the registration process. Single day (part-time) applicants will only be accepted if there are open slots left over.
  • CAI will offer a partial-scholarship as part of a the work-study program (in collaboration with Kate and the needs of the school as well as my own needs).

For years I have been compiling research, notes, and devising lectures for traditional practice in the life-class. The long poses (12 to 24 hours over two weeks) allows for an enriching teacher/student dialectic, which customizes the training to meet the individual needs of each student no matter what level of experience. This is a very effective model and will prove worthwhile.

Thank you for your interest!

Ryan Wurmser


CHECK OUT LAST SEMESTER'S PROGRAM:

TO REGISTER ON-LINE:

OR CONTACT KATE OR MEGHAN @ CAI:
805.496.6906


THIS CLASS IS FULL



11.06.2012

TRADITIONAL FIGURATIVE DRAWING & PAINTING @ BACAA : JUNE 2013





INTRODUCING A NEW WORKSHOP @ BACAA

TRADITIONAL FIGURATIVE DRAWING & PAINTING

JUNE 3-14 : 2013

This 10-day workshop will offer a discourse on the principles, techniques, and practices of the Traditional Arts, namely the Greek and Roman aesthetic and philosophical traditions and their impact on Western Realism from the 16th Century, through the High Baroque and onward to present-day. We will be working towards an acknowledgment of the experiences and methodologies of our predecessors and a willingness to honor their discoveries. I will also do my best to pass on what I learned through my studies at Studio Escalier (The Next Eclecticsand at Ecole Albert Defois with Ted Seth Jacobs (Restructured Realism)The class will be split between drawing and painting equally. I will introduce different types of exercises based on the elements and fundamentals of traditional practice in the life class. The length of the poses will vary according to the exercises being stressed. There will be thorough demonstrations and lecturing with a lot of individual critique. There will be a long demonstration early in the course, which takes you through the technical process of building a figure drawing step by step.


THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE SIMILAR IN FORMAT TO A CLASS THAT I AM PRESENTLY TEACHING @ CALIFORNIA ART INSTITUTE.

PLEASE REFER TO MY BLOG ENTRY FOR THAT COURSE:


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For more information:


9.16.2012

EDGAR PAYNE: THE SCENIC JOURNEY :: GUSTAV KLIMT: THE MAGIC OF LINE









The Great White Peak (Mt. Blanc, France), 1924


Restless Sea, 1917


Sierra Peak, 1920s


Sierra Lake, 1920s


Foamy Fun, 1900s


View of the Glacial Path, 1910s


Breton Tuna Boats, 1920s


MUST HAVES

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BRAINY FUN WITH COMPOSITION...I know, a little nutty:) I did dozens of these types of compositional breakdowns
with black and white charcoal on a Sennelier grey paper pad while I was studying in Paris (@ the Louvre)...and left the pad
(hours and hours on hard work) on the damn underground...Yes, I cried...for real! Still do when I think about...

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SOME OF MY COLOR STUDIES OF EDGAR PAYNE & CLYDE ASPEVIG PAINTINGS
[Using a more limited palette w/ modiefiers / Payne's pallette was more prismatic than Aspevig's]













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A FEW OF MY STUDY SKETCHES OF KLIMT DRAWINGS FROM THE EXHIBIT








9.10.2012

DRAWING & PAINTING : FIGURATIVE INSTENSIVE @ CAI : FALL SEMESTER : 2012




INTRODUCING A NEW CLASS @ CALIFORNIA ART INSTITUTE : FALL SEMESTER : 2012

TRADITIONAL FIGURATIVE DRAWING & PAINTING

THURSDAYS : 3 PM - 10 PM : OCT 11 - DEC 13

This class will offer a discourse on the principles, techniques, and practices of the Traditional Arts, namely the Greek and Roman aesthetic and philosophical traditions and their impact on Western Realism from the 16th Century, through the High Baroque and onward to present-day. We will be working towards an acknowledgment of the experiences and methodologies of our predecessors and a willingness to honor their discoveries. I will also do my best to pass on what I learned through my studies with Yuqi Wang @ Andreeva Academy, at Studio Escalier (The Next Eclectics) and at Ecole Albert Defois with Ted Seth Jacobs (Restructured Realism)The class will be split between drawing and painting equally six hours a week for ten weeks. I will introduce many different types of exercises based on the elements and fundamentals of traditional practice in the life class. The length of the poses will vary according to the exercises being stressed. There will be thorough demonstrations and lecturing with a lot of individual critique. There will be a long demonstration early in the course, which takes you through the technical process of building a figure drawing step by step.


"I do not teach STYLE. I do not teach an AESTHETIC.  I teach how to SEE."


Figure Study of Magda, France, 2010

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SOME PRINCIPLES AND EXERCISES THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED:

INNER MOVEMENT CURVE - 'LINE OF FIRE'
PRINCIPLES OF THE BLOCK-IN
ROUNDING FORM
PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN STRUCTURE
GESTURAL ARRANGEMENT & EXPRESSION
ARRANGING FORM TO ACTION
STRUCTURAL PATHWAYS &
MODELING FORM ON THE INSIDE
PRINCIPLES OF LIGHT
COLOR THEORY
LIGHT KEY
POSTER STUDY
PLANE OF LIGHT STUDY
CLASSICAL PAINTING METHODOLOGIES


 TRAPPING THE INNER MOVEMENT CURVE TO THE ENVELOPE
 


EARLY TO ADVANCED BLOCK-IN APPROACHES


SIMPLIFIED ROUNDING SCHEMATIC OF THE BACK (PROGRESSION)


 ROUNDING SCHEMATIC OF THE UPPER ARM (PROGRESSION)


ROUNDING SCHEMATIC OF THE UPPER TORSO


EXAMPLES OF POSTER STUDIES


EXAMPLES OF PLANE OF LIGHT STUDIES


Study After Pontormo, France, 2010


Study After Pontormo, France, 2012


Portrait of Magda, France, 2010


Figure Study of Magda, France, 2009

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Beautiful sketch of me doing a demo by Dave Zaboski

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A COLLECTION OF DRAWINGS BY TED SETH JACOBS


Drapery Study


 Two Japanese Women


 Studies After Michelangelo


Study of a Young Woman


Two Women on a Couch 


Guia Montenola





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Bouguereau Atelier


Adolph W. BouguereauThe First Mourning, 1888
(Bouguereau was highly influenced by Guido Reni, one of the most accomplished 
Italian High-Baroque painters - BELOW)


Guido Reni, Hercules on the Pyre (High-Baroque, Italian)


Guido Reni, Preparatory Study for Hercules and the Hydra (High-Baroque, Italian)


Guido Reni, Atalanta and Hippomenes (High-Baroque, Italian)


Guido Reni, Christ Study (High-Baroque, Italian)


Guido Reni, Crowned Love and Profane Love (High-Baroque, Italian)



Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (Rounded forms)