Expressive Painting for Adults

This course encourages students to loosen up, explore emotion and movement in paint, and develop a personal expressive style. Through guided exercises and creative experimentation, students will learn to use color, gesture, and composition to convey mood rather than realism.

Week-by-Week Breakdown

Week 1 — Introduction to Expressive Painting

• Overview of expressionism and modern painters (e.g., de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Van Gogh)
• Discussion: What does “expressive” mean to you?
• Warm-up: mark-making and gestural brushwork
• Short exercise: painting emotion (choose one feeling and express it abstractly)

Week 2 — Color and Mood

• Color psychology and emotional palettes
• Mixing expressive color schemes (complements, saturation, temperature)
• Exercise: create two paintings of the same subject with contrasting moods

Week 3 — Gesture and Movement

• Using body movement and rhythm in brushwork
• Tools: large brushes, palette knives, unconventional materials
• Exercise: paint to music or timed gestures from life

Week 4 — Abstraction from Reality

• Loosening from realism: simplifying forms and exaggerating color
• Exercise: paint an expressive version of a photo or still life
• Group critique: identifying emotional intent in each piece

Materials Used/Provided

• Acrylics, watercolor, or oils (student’s choice)
• Canvas boards/paper
• Brushes (small to extra large), palette knives
• Rags, spray bottle, palette, sketchbook
• Optional: mixed media (charcoal, pastel, collage elements)

Learning Goals

1. Gain confidence using color, texture, and gesture expressively
2. Develop awareness of emotional and personal content in painting
3. Experiment freely and embrace creative risk
4. Learn to discuss and critique expressive artwork constructively

All skill levels welcome.

Cancellations are non-refundable within 48 hours of this event.

Patrick Wise is a full-time painter based in Northern Michigan. 

He holds a Master’s degree in Painting from Wayne State University and has taught drawing and painting at several colleges in the Detroit area. 

Inspired by the beauty of Northern Michigan, he encourages creativity and personal expression in his classes.