Expressive Fauna: Acrylic Marker and Oil Realism

In this two-part class, students will create a dynamic animal painting that blends expressive mark making with oil realism, resulting in a finished piece that feels both alive and intentional.

Day One (1/26/2026) focuses on looseness and exploration. We’ll begin by working on a 9 x 12 canvas surface using acrylic markers, building energy, movement, and personality through bold mark making. From there, students will transition into oils, learning how to respond to the marks they’ve created and begin shaping form, color, and mood.

Day Two (1/29/2026) is all about refinement and realism. Students will be guided step-by-step through the process of rendering a selected portion of their animal in realistic detail, learning essential oil painting techniques such as blending, edge control, value, and texture. The goal is not rigid perfection, but believable realism that contrasts beautifully with the expressive foundation underneath.

This class is highly informative and hands-on, with detailed demonstrations, individual guidance, and plenty of support throughout the…