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Soroush Dabiri
Soroush Dabiri
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Color theory - Fundamentals of visual arts

Course 7: Color Theory Level 1; Gouache Techniques

Course 8: Color Theory Level 2; Gouache Techniques

Course 8: Color Theory Level 2; Gouache Techniques

In this course students learn and consider several key structures and concepts through color theory practices to develop a solid understanding of color and how it can be effectively used in art.

Find out more

Course 8: Color Theory Level 2; Gouache Techniques

Course 8: Color Theory Level 2; Gouache Techniques

Course 8: Color Theory Level 2; Gouache Techniques

In this course through step-by-step guide students learn color mixing principles and techniques by discovering relationships between colors and their values in living nature as a highly effective and enjoyable method. 

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Color Theory Level 1, Gouache Techniques

About the Course

The color wheel is a fundamental tool in color theory. Students should understand the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow), secondary colors (orange, green, and purple), and tertiary colors (red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, etc.). The color wheel illustrates the relationships between these colors and serves as a basis for color mixing and harmonization.


In this course students also practice on three essential characteristics of color: hue (the name of the color), value (the relative lightness or darkness of a color), and chroma (the purity or intensity of a color). Understanding these properties is crucial for color manipulation and control. They also explore different color schemes, such as complementary, analogous, triadic, split-complementary, and monochromatic. Understanding how to use these schemes effectively allows for the creation of harmonious and visually pleasing color combinations.


Practices in this course guide students to recognize the distinction between warm colors (e.g., reds, oranges, yellows) and cool colors (e.g., blues, greens, purples). These concepts are essential for setting the mood and atmosphere in artwork.


Learning how to create harmonious color combinations involves understanding concepts like color harmony, color temperature, and color contrast. This knowledge allows students to convey specific emotions and messages through color. Also, understanding how to create tints (lighter versions of a color) and shades (darker versions of a color) is vital for controlling value and achieving a three-dimensional effect in art.


students learn to consider how color plays a role in the overall composition of their work. Through making a piece of art, they explore how to use color to create focal points, guide the viewer's eye, and set the mood of the artwork.


By studying and practicing these structures and concepts in color theory, students can build a strong foundation for effectively using color in their artwork and develop their own artistic voice.


MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
 

Course Outcomes

  • Understanding the Color Wheel
  • Understanding the three essential characteristics of color
  • Exploring different color schemes  
  • Understanding the concept of color harmony
  • Creating a wide range of colors from a limited palette
  • Understanding how to create tints and shades
  • Guiding the viewer's eye throughout the painting
  • Building strong foundation for effectively using color in painting

Registration

Lessons

Session 1: Color Wheel & Composition. Extracting secondary and tertiary colors from primary colors

Creating a composition by applying all colors from color wheel  


Materials:

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape  

Session 2: Complementary Colors. Practice on complementary colors interaction in a painting

Increasing brightness and intensity of colors, extracting shadow, and creating focal point in painting  


 Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape  

Session 3: Hue and Saturation. Practice on the level of Brilliance or Dullness of Hues

Making a balance between saturated and brilliant colors in a composition 

  

Materials:

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape  

Session 4: Value, Tint, Shade, and Tone Practice on colors darkness or lightness

Creating value scale through analyzing a painting  

  

Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Bristol Paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape 

Session 5: Color Temperature. Warm and Cool Colors

Creating a sense of depth in painting  

  

Materials: 

Gouache set

  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Bristol Paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape 

Session 6: Color Temperature, light and Shadow Conveying a feeling of depth and three dimensions

 Transforming Shapes into forms 

  

Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Bristol Paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape 

Session 7: Colors Interaction Part A. Study on Value Map

Drawing subjects following their tonal value by applying graphite 

  

Materials: 

  • Graphite; 4B-8B drawing pencil
  • Bristol paper
  • Drawing board

Session 8: Colors Interaction Part B. How Hues effect each other

Paint the subject, using gradation of tones of the color following a model and a value sketch like a map 

  

Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Bristol Paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape 

materials and equipment

Mediums

Applicators

Applicators

  • Windsor Gouache Color Chart:

  1. Cadmium Yellow 
  2. Primary Red 
  3. Primary Blue
  4. Permanent Green Deep
  5. Titanium White
  6. Jet Black
  7. Light Purple

  • Graphite, 4B drawing pencil 
  • Graphite, 8B drawing pencil 


Applicators

Applicators

Applicators

  • Watercolor brush set

Supports

Applicators

Equipment

  • Watercolor paper 
  • Smooth Bristol paper

Equipment

Accessories

Equipment

  • Painter tape
  • Paper towel

Accessories

Accessories

Accessories

  • Drawing board
  • Tray
  • Glass jar

Accessories

Accessories

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Color Theory Level 2, Gouache Techniques

About the Course

Students are encouraged to spend time outdoors and observe the colors in the natural world taking note of the colors they see in landscapes, flowers, plants, animals, and the changing colors of the sky. They can capture those colors by taking photographs, sketching, or collecting color samples from nature creating a color journal to document their observations.


One of the main practices in this course is analyzing the collected colors and identifying the different hues, saturations, and values. This practice is helpful for paying attention to how natural lighting affects colors and values. The purpose of this practice is to mix colors that match the hues and values students observed in nature in order to replicate the colors in reference materials as closely as possible. The other aspect of this practice is enhancing glazing and layering techniques to create complex and rich colors. This involves applying transparent layers of color to modify and enhance existing hues and values.


Ultimately, students learn to apply newfound knowledge of color mixing to their artwork. This knowledge is a support for creating vibrant and realistic depictions of the natural world while incorporating your unique artistic expression.


Actively observing and studying colors in living nature and then applying the observations to hands-on color mixing practice, students are able to develop a deep appreciation for the relationships between colors and values. This process will improve their ability to create harmonious and visually captivating artwork that accurately represents the beauty of the natural world.


 MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
 

Course Outcomes

  • Understanding the knowledge of color mixing 
  • Documenting observation
  • replicating the relationships between colors and their values in nature. 
  • color matching skills 
  • Better understanding of Glazing and Layering techniques
  • Better understanding of opacity levels, granulation effects, and mixing characteristics
  • Identifying the different hues, saturation, and values
  • Become skilled at observing the colors in the natural world

Registration

Lessons

Session 1: Color Value, Part A-1. Simplifying The Forms - Study On Grey Values

Creating a value map following the source image 


Materials: 

  • Graphite; 4B-8B drawing pencil
  • Bristol paper
  • Drawing board  

Session 2: Color Value, Part A-2. Assigning Colors In Painting To Match The Value Map

 Creating a composition following the source image


 Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape  

Session 3: Color Value, Part B-1. Simplifying Components Extracting Abstract Forms

Creating a value map following the source image

  

Materials: 

  • Graphite; 4B and 8B drawing pencil
  • Charcoal stick, medium hardness 
  • Masking tape
  • Bristol paper
  • Drawing Board

Session 4: Color Value, Part B-2. Arranging Colorful Greys In A Composition, Dry Brush Techniques

Creating lines by modifying a pressure on applicator and  desaturating  the medium.

  

Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Bristol Paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape 

Session 5: Color and Vision, Part A. Reflecting Natural Objects In Drawing

Developing a composition through overlapping organic forms 

  

Materials: 

  • Graphite; 4B-8B drawing pencil
  • Bristol paper
  • Drawing board

Session 6: Color and Vision, Part B, Color Observation

Making a color chart based on observing natural objects

  

Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Bristol Paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape 

Session 7: Color and Vision, Part C

Color arrangement in a composition 

  

Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Bristol Paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape 

Session 8: Color and Vision, Part D

Creating a painting through personal approach to values, colors, and forms 

  

Materials: 

  • Gouache set
  • Brush set 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Bristol Paper
  • Tray
  • Jar
  • Paper towel
  • Painter Tape 

materials and equipment

Mediums

Applicators

Applicators

  • Windsor Gouache Color Chart:

  1. Cadmium Yellow Hue
  2. Lemon Yellow
  3. Yellow Ocher 
  4. Cadmium Orang
  5. Primary Red 
  6. Alizarin Crimson
  7. Burnt Sienna
  8. Burnt Umber
  9. Primary Blue
  10. Ultramarine Blue 
  11. Permanent Green Deep
  12. Viridian
  13. Titanium White
  14. Jet Black
  15. Light Purple

  • Graphite, 4B drawing pencil 
  • Graphite, 8B drawing pencil 


Applicators

Applicators

Applicators

  • Watercolor brush set

Supports

Applicators

Equipment

  • Watercolor paper 
  • Smooth Bristol paper

Equipment

Accessories

Equipment

  • Painter tape
  • Paper towel

Accessories

Accessories

Accessories

  • Drawing board
  • Tray
  • Glass jar

Accessories

Accessories

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  • Upcoming Series
  • Latest Series
  • Past Series
  • Course Calendar
  • About The Program
  • Announcements
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  • About Me
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  • Contact

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