Mediums: Oil or acrylic – Mel will work in oil
Level: All levels welcome
Class Dates: Mondays, May 11-25, 2026
Class Times:
• 10:00 am-12:30 pm Pacific Time
• 1:00 pm-3:30 pm Eastern Time
• 6:00 pm-8:30 pm UK Time
“Every tree is a “personality” and possesses, within the limits of its species, a tremendous latitude of expression.” – John F Carlson
Trees are the perfect, low-pressure subject on which to practice essential painting techniques. Their varied forms are fun to recreate, and easy to imbue with character and mood (without the pressure to capture an exact likeness that comes with human portraiture).
With trees as our “sitters”, Mel will guide you to sketch and paint along with live exercises and demos, from references images provided (or your own). First we will study the basic shapes and foundation of trees, learning how to convey weight and balance so that our trees feel grounded and alive. Then we will explore colour harmony, restrained use of detail, and thoughtful edge work as we create our personable trees.
By the end, you’ll understand and love trees as characters in your future landscape paintings, or even as compelling “portraits” in their own right.
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