When:
Saturday, November 4, 2023, 1 – 3:30 pm**
Where: Rosamond Gifford Zoo*
Registration is now closed
$25 or 2 punches
Includes admission to zoo
no walk-ins
Kate has been illustrating animals professionally for over 30 years. She is retired from the Rosamond Gifford Zoo where she was the zoo’s exhibit artist. She is currently working as a children’s book illustrator. You can view her portfolio at katewoodle.com
This is the 8th event in OFD’s series Today’s Studio Artists.
Description
Kate will start class with a discussion of body structure including bones. She will use a skeleton of a bat, as well as photos showing skeletons, movement and different proportions. She’ll talk about several kinds of animals (lizards, birds, and mammals), their differences and similarities, all of this is in aid of learning to observe carefully.
In the Classroom
- Kate will demonstrate some quick two min. sketches and then participants will give it a try. We’ll experiment with techniques to help us loosen up.
- We’ll be looking at skeletons to better understand proportions and how animals move.
- We’ll use some of the same techniques used to draw the human figure.
- Using photos for reference, we’ll do a more detailed sketch and a finished drawing.
Next, Live Animals
We’ll go to another location at the zoo to sketch. If it’s warm enough we’ll sketch outside where the elephants and other large animals are located. If it’s too cold out, we’ll draw at exhibits inside.
Supplies
- Soft pencils
- Inexpensive sketch pad no larger than 9 X 12 that can be held resting on one arm when we visit the animals
- Optional: folding chair, when we’re outside the classroom
OFD will provide drawing paper for the classroom work.
*At the Zoo
At the main entrance, give the attendant your name and tell them you are here for the Animal Anatomy class with Kate Woodle to be let in free. No walk-ins. Register by Thursday, November 2.
After you are let in, go up the hallway ramp to the lobby. The classroom is in the lobby, across from the cafe, next to the bathrooms.
Online & mail in registration is now closed. There are no walk-ins
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
1 SPACE LEFT
When: Sunday October 29, 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Where: Pompey, NY
Address given upon registration.
2nd floor studio, above garage (no elevator)
$25 or 2 punches
Lucie is well known for her watercolor work, and she will share her expertise in this special workshop/demonstration at her home studio. She has been painting using watercolors since 1997. Her formal training is in Surface Pattern design, which led to 15 years of designing dinnerware. She was raised and still lives in a part of the state that has an abundance of rolling hills, dairy farms, woods, fields, wildflowers and trees; their presence influences her daily life and painting. Lucie will focus on wet on wet technique in this workshop
This is the 7th event in OFD’s series Today’s Studio Artists.
Description
Lucie will guide participants through the steps of painting a loosly-representative portrait in watercolor from a reference photo (no model).
What to bring
- Slippers or comfortable indoor shoes
The studio has cherry floors - Reference photo of a person
The head and face should mostly fill the page, much like an ID photo. Please bring 3 or more 8.5×11″ cheap paper copies of the reference photo, so we can draw on it to find shapes, shadows, and highlights, fold them, cut them up. - Supplies
If this is a brand-new experience for you, and you don’t want to purchase new supplies, there will be some supplies on hand to borrow.
Drawing Supplies
1. Sketch paper
2. Soft pencil suitable for quickly shading
3. Eraser: Kneaded erasers are good on watercolor paper because they don’t tear it up
4. Optional: compass or dividers, straight edge
Painting Supplies
1. Sturdy, waterproof board, about 11×14
Any stiff board wrapped in packing tape to make it waterproof
2. Watercolor paper
Arches 140 pound cold press or similar 100% cotton rag paper. Anything less quality than this will not be suitable. Single sheets of good quality paper will be available to buy at the workshop at cost.
3. Two water containers (we’ll have jugs of water on hand)
4. Rags or paper towels
5. Masking Tape (white or off-white) to attach the paper to the board
6. Brushes
Recommended: Solo Horton 2105 Professional Red Sable Watercolor Brush, available online
7. Watercolor paints and a palette for mixing– some paints will be on hand to use if you don’t have any paint.
Accessibility
The location is a private studio above a residential garage and is not handicapped accessible. Access is up 14 fairly steep steps. Bathroom is in the house.
Register
$25 or two ticket punches- There are scholarships available to help anyone who would like to attend. Call 315-475-3400.
Registration is limited to 8 participants. You must pay to complete your registration. If more than 8 people are interested, Lucie may do another session of the workshop.
All events, times, locations, etc, are subject to change.
Register online using the form below
or
by mail or in person during any OFD session by printing and completing this form.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
Saturday, September 23, 2023 1 – 3:30 pm
Location Changed! We are now at:
Westcott Community Center
826 Euclid Ave, Syracuse
$25 or 2 punches
Len Nicholas is a freelance concept artist and designer. He has more than 15 years of professional experience in the industry. He has worked with numerous clients, including Ubisoft, Hasbro, Silver Gate Studios and Spin Master, providing concept designs, presentation renders, and illustrations. His independent work has also been featured in Imagine Fx magazine. Len has over 130,000 followers on Instagram (@toysagogo). He has become well known for his drawings of robotics.
In additional to his professional techniques, Len has been known to experiment with illustration, portraits, watercolor painting, and the sacred art of LEGO. He drops in to draw with Open Figure Drawing occasionally.
Class Description
If you are curious about contemporary techniques, this is the class for you. Len will do a demonstration while discussing his process and additional topics such as:
• Freelancing in the entertainment field
• Pros and cons of being a social media influencer
• Pros and cons of digital work
• Pros and cons of traditional studio drawing
Len will be using Photoshop on a Wacom Cintiq tablet.
Scholarships
There are scholarships available to help anyone who would like to attend. Call 315-475-3400. All events, times, locations, etc, are subject to change.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro
OFD has one Wacom MobileStudio Pro to loan. If you are interested, contact us by midnight, Friday September 15. The first person who contacted us can use it. Please arrive at the session on time. If the first person is late, and if we have a waiting list. at 1:05 pm it will be offered to the next person who contacted us.
This is the 6th event in OFD’s series Today’s Studio Artists.
RegisterRegister online using the form below
or
by mail or in person during any OFD session by printing and completing this form.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
Saturday, August 5, 2023 1 – 3:30 pm
Westcott Community Center
$25 or 2 punches
For almost 35 years, David has drawn with Open Figure Drawing.
Dave will ask the audience what they are interested in learning, what they need help with, and any questions they have for him. Then he will point them toward the things he he focuses on and thinks are important as he demonstrates figure drawing. Starting with a few gestures, and proceeding to a 20 minute, and 90 minute (approximate) demo, Dave will let participants know what he is seeing and thinking. Participants can begin drawing at any time. Half and hour at the end will be reserved for Q & A.
We encourage you to send your questions in advance to shanahan@verizon.net
Bring your favorite color art supplies.
This is the 5th event in OFD’s series Today’s Studio Artists.
Online & mail in registration is now closed. Pay when you show up.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
Saturday, July 1, 2023 1 – 3 pm
Westcott Community Center
$25 or 2 punches
For over 30 years, Open Figure Drawing has opened each Wednesday night session with a series of 15 gesture drawings. Why? What is the point of poses so short? Well, OFD has the answer! Join OFD president Scott Herrmann as he leads a fun, fast paced workshop dedicated to demonstrating just how crucial and important gesture drawing is! If you are new to figure drawing or returning to the figure after some time off, or like us simply can’t get enough of gesture drawing, then this is the workshop for you!
Supplies:
- Whatever paper you prefer, preferably a pad. Newsprint is recommended
- An assortment of your favorite drawing tools including (but not limited to) pencil, ballpoint pen, charcoal, and conte. OFD will have tools for use and also will be providing some special tools.
This is the 4th event in OFD’s series Today’s Studio Artists.
Online & mail in registration is now closed. Pay when you show up.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
Pencils provided by Blick Art Materials.
Saturday, June 3, 2023 1 – 3 pm
Westcott Community Center
$25 or 2 punches
We create art of the human figure for so many reasons, and it can help to understand our own figure as a drawing tool. Laura Reeder will guide us in a series of large scale “drawing figure” exercises to refresh our perspectives. Wear comfortable clothing, and be prepared to move your own body (safely) while you work.
Materials will be provided.
Laura is an alumna of OFD. When her figure drawings got too big to create on a single piece of paper, she moved out of the studio and into the environment that surrounds us. She explores relationships between our bodies and the earth. By documenting the movement of her own figure over a piece of land, with her feet and with basic farm tools, she creates acres-large “cultivators” or labyrinths in sand, snow, leaves, and other natural elements. More information can be found at https://laurakreeder.com/
This is the 3rd event in OFD’s series Today’s Studio Artists.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
Saturday, May 6, 2023 1 – 3:30 pm
Westcott Community Center, 2nd Floor
$25 or 2 punches
You may know James from his OFD visits, this appearances in Wildflowers, Regional Market, Gear Factory, and SciFi conventions. In this workshop, James McCampbell will guide you through creating a self-portrait then a monstrous self-portrait.
Pencil, erasures, papers will be available for the class. Students need to supply their own favorite color mediums; watercolors, brushes, etc. You will need to bring mirrors, smart phones, or pictures to use as reference.
There are scholarships available to help anyone who would like to attend. Call 315-475-3400.
This is the 2nd event in OFD’s series Today’s Studio Artists.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
With Dan Shanahan
Saturday, April 1, 2023, 1 – 3 pm
Everson Museum, 401 Harrison St, Syracuse
$32 Everson Museum Member
$40 Non-member
scholarships
In this workshop, Dan Shanahan will guide you through the process of creating a portrait with watercolor, starting with laying out your image by drawing, and completing your work using watercolor to place lights and darks to carefully create depth.
You can find Dan Shanahan at Open Figure Drawing every week, using either watercolor or pastel.
Everson will provide the material needed for the class but asks that students supply their own brushes. Students are free to bring their own other watercolor material as well. See the list below for Dan’s suggested supplies.
Supplies:
Pencil & Eraser
Brushes:
• 1/2″ round mop type brush
• 2 brushes size ranging from 6 to 10 rounds
• 1 or 2 brushes size 2 – 3 rounds
Paints:
• burnt sienna
• cobalt blue
• perylene maroon
Container with open top to hold water
Absorbent rags
Board at least as large as your paper
Tape
Please use the paper supplied with the class.
Open Figure Drawing Inc. is presenting 8 community studio artists that will demonstrate their representational talents. Some artists will work digitally, others will work with traditional media. They will each have a two hour + presentation with examples of their work, a short demo, give insights to history, inspiration, hands on instruction, and tricks and tips. We will have one class each month throughout 2023.
Dan Shanahan
Watercolor Portraits
Saturday April 1, 2023
Everson Museum
James McCampbell
Monstrous Self-Portraits
Saturday May 6, 2023, 1 – 3:30
Westcott Community Center, 2nd floor
Laura Reeder
Drawing Figures = Figure Drawings
Saturday, June 3, 2023, 1 – 3 pm
Westcott Community Center
Scott Herrmann
Gesture Drawing
Saturday, July 1, 2023, 1 – 3 pm
Westcott Community Center, 2nd floor
Dave Hicock
Color and Pastels
Saturday, August 5, 2023, 1 – 3:30 pm
Westcott Community Center
Len Nicholas
Digital Drawing
Saturday, September 23, 2023, 1 – 3:30 pm
Lightworks, 316 Waverly Ave, Syracuse
Lucie Wellner
Watercolor
Sunday, October 29, 2023, 1 – 3:30 pm
Wellner Studio, 2795 Henneberry Rd, Pompey, NY
Kate Woodle
Animal Figure Drawing
Saturday, November 4, 2023, 1 – 3:30 pm
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
Pencils for Scott Herrmann’s Gesture Drawing workshop provided by Blick Art Materials.