Painting Class -Day 1

The truth is, I have never painted in plein air and only started with watercolor this past January. My mediums are oil, acrylic (pours), and pastels. I feel way out of my depth, but am determined to learn! Due to copyright issues I’m not supposed to post any of Tom’s work/demonstrations in this public app— You can view his work here Thomas Schaller https://www.thomasschaller.com/ —There are 16 of us in the class (hailing from Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and the USA). Two thirds are women, and several have taken previous classes with Tom.
It was amazing to see his plan, drawing and then rendition of this archway—value is everything in his paintings. We were set free in the afternoon to paint on our own but we could call for critique and support if needed (it wasn’t clear what this entailed). Having not spent much time in Lucca yet, it was a challenge for me to find something not too daunting to paint.
I managed a sketch of the tree-lined walkway atop the old city walls (that are so wide you can ride a bike around the entire 2+ mile circuit). Juggling equipment is a challenge… I’m definitely outside my comfort zone with plein air AND watercolor but that can be a good thing…right?
We have divided the city into thirds and knocked off the first segment after class. A book market with antique prints kept us busy for a good portion of this drift!
We now see why Thomas Schaller brings his painting classes back here year after year!Read more