SPECIAL EVENT / LIVE SHORT COURSE
5 Core Practices of Composition
with Mitchell Albala, Master Artist & Mentor
In addition to presenting examples of his own compositional process, Mitchell will compose/crop several subjects to demonstrate the practices in action:
Learn what to look for when composing a scene.
LIMITED FOCUS – “Eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary may speak.” How do the primary shapes relate to one another?
VARIATION – How do various shapes differ from one another to create more dynamic compositions?
MOVEMENT – Learn how to animate a composition and engage the viewer’s eye.
PICTURE FORMAT – Horizontal, vertical, or square — how does format affect the composition and what directional energies do they lend to the picture?
ACTIVE NEGATIVE SPACE – Where are the negative spaces in the landscape and how do you activate them?
Audience: Fine Art Painters
Mediums: Any medium
Stage: Any stage
Runs: Sunday, February 23, 2025
Time: 11am – 1pm MT
$40.00
Out of stock
Price in USD
Course Description
Mitchell is a highly sought after instructor and mentor, you’ll be learning from the best of the best!
The first act of composition occurs when we look through our viewfinder or crop the subject. But what are we actually looking for when we do that? Is there more to it than ‘don’t put things in the center’?
Are we relying strictly on instinct to tell the difference between weak, better, and good composition? There are, in fact, several practical and easy-to-implement practices we can work with. The more awareness we have of them, the greater control we have over our compositions.
BONUS: Mitchell will also explain the role of NOTAN and how to use the Notanizer app!
Supply List
No materials or supplies are needed.
Instructor Bio
Mitchell Albala is an award-winning landscape painter, workshop instructor, and author. His semi-abstract and atmospheric landscapes have been exhibited nationally and are represented in corporate and private collections. He is the author of two best-selling books on landscape painting: Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice (Watson-Guptill, 2009), with over 60,000 copies in print; and The Landscape Painter’s Workbook: Essential Studies in Shape, Composition, and Color (Rockport Publishers, 2022), which is currently the #1 selling book on landscape in the nation. Mitchell leads plein air workshops in Italy and teaches workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest. He is also a mentor with the online mentoring community Mastrius. He has lectured on Impressionism and landscape painting at the Seattle Art Museum and has written for International Artist and Artists & Illustrators magazines. Mitchell also hosts a popular painting blog, which is among feedspot.com’s “Top 100 Painting Blogs for Artists.” He is a Signature member of the Pastel Society of America.
🎥 COURSE RECORDINGS available for 1-MONTH after the course ends!
High School, University, and College students get 20% OFF. See FAQs at the bottom of page.
