Designed for all skill levels!
What is your message? How will you share it? This online class will inspire you to build themes, concepts, messages and symbolism into your paintings. Through live expert instruction, we will look to works by artists like Picasso and learn how abstract ideas can bring symbolic meaning to your work. With classmates, you will engage in critical discussion about your pieces that are created through this class.
After learning how to critique, you will have a chance to show your work! Showing your artwork to an audience is the next step for artists and this can be very exciting. This class will help you to discover a variety of ways to display your artwork online and in a gallery. Invite your friends and family to the final class for a chance to share your message and display your new creations at the virtual art show.
Learner Outcomes
In this class, you will:
- Learn to work with objects and incorporate symbolism into your artwork
- Practice your painting and storytelling using various objects and materials
- Create a painting with a message
- Develop your concepts/theme by incorporating various painting techniques
- Participate in a Final Critique
A “Virtual Art Display” for friends and family will be held during the last class. It is optional for those who want to showcase their work to friends and family.
- Learn to use visual symbols in your work to convey a meaningful message.
- Discover how you can develop a theme or concept in your painting using visual symbols.
- Learn how to tell stories with everyday objects.
- Start a painting using objects of your choice to convey a meaningful message.
- Learn how to use various materials to convey a deeper meaning in your artwork.
- Explore a variety of materials, techniques and tools to investigate various surfaces and objects.
- Investigating your own unique style and technique.
- Explore and continue painting.
- Learn how to focus on your message and how to convey it in your artwork.
- Walk through a decision-making process of imagery to keep and discard.
- Learn how to keep the painting representational and other parts flowing into abstraction.
- Learn scale of representation between realistic and non-representational.
- Modify, transform and paint.
- Learn how artist use technology as a tool to create their paintings.
- Explore different ways to use technology in your own artwork.
- Work in multiple layers on canvas.
- Continue to develop your art and painting(s).
- Learn how to prepare for a class critique and how to display your artwork.
- Review different ways artists or curators use the gallery space to display their work.
- Learn how to engage in a critical discussion about you and your classmate’s artwork.
- Begin finalizing painting and prepare for the last class critique.
- Participate in a class virtual gallery display with friends and family.
- Learn how a critique can be fun and informative for your art practice.
- Discuss challenges, successes and improvements of your own art pieces.
- Have a chance to share you work with a larger audience.
When: Sign up for our Interest List to be notified when registration opens.
Where: Online, live instruction
Fees: $189 + HST UWindsor Alumni, Staff and Students are all eligible for discounts. Contact continue@uwindsor.ca for more details
Materials are not included. Participants must purchase the following materials before the start of the class, many of which you likely already have at home!
- Any size canvas and any number of canvases preferred
- A collection of everyday objects of your choice. (Rock, Keys, Necklace, Button)
- Large acrylic paint tubes (red, blue, yellow, black and white)
- A sketchbook
- Gesso (Canvas primer)
- Gel Medium
- Various paintbrush sizes
- Palette knives (2-3)
- Spray bottle
- Sponges, towels or paper towels
- Mixed Media paper
- Scissors, glue and painter’s tape
- Other materials of your choice (ex. Cement, sand, sugar, magazine cut-outs, printed photos)
This course is offered through Blackboard Collaborate. Learners will require access to a computer with high-speed internet access.
Blackboard Requirements
All course details can be accessed through Blackboard. A link will be provided through email and you will have access the first day of class.
Please activate your UWinID. Your UWinID and password are needed to access Blackboard. If you have any issues, please contact continue@uwindsor.ca.
Blackboard works best with Google Chrome. You can also use Firefox or Safari. It is suggested that you avoid using Internet Explorer. There is a “Navigating Your Online Course” module and technical tutorials that you can review for a brief orientation to Blackboard once you log in. Feel free to review the full Blackboard preferred system requirements.
Instructor: April Morris, MFA
April Morris is a visual artist and arts educator born here in Windsor, Ontario. Exploratory walks taken through her hometown inspire Morris, as she explores a sense of place. The vibrancy and colour in her works come from unusual and unexpected surroundings. She holds a Bachelor of fine Arts Honors degree, Bachelor of Education, an Arts Management Certificate, and a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Windsor. Currently she works as an artist and arts educator here in Windsor, ON.
Sign up on our Interest List to be notified about enrolment and receive updates from Continuing Education.