Kathy Ostman-Magnusen’s Neighborhood

Elizabeth spent her days in the loony bin of Graduate School making these little baubles. They began innocently enough, finding a few kits at an upscale garage sale. The Silver Princess below was her second, and according to the Elves that think them up- the hardest. They take days. And days. And a few more days. Plus, maybe, an afternoon lingering into the 10pm hour. But they sure are purdy- I made the mistake of thinking a few more on the tree would really make things Xtra Xmasy. My bad. Now she is combing Ebay for affordable kits...

Our first Christmas as Newlyweds in our new-to-us house got us to thinkin about the nice little pine tree out front, and how it was a bit lonely, and maybe would like a bit of holiday cheer. First we wrapped the big gate that was my first project for the house back in June. The bow was looking dapper with a layer of hoar frost this morning.
The outdoor ornaments are made with v-8 cans, Coke cans, holiday paper plates & plastic cups, brought to life with magic of hot-glue and Christmas Cheer.

Over the weekend where the area mountains saw 48" of snow in 48 hours (and the roads were head-shaking impossibilities) we hunkered down and put on our Elf Caps, Elf Tool Belts, and Elfin sweet-tooth for our first foray into Gingerbread Construction. Luckily, construction specs are very lax for Gingerbread Houses, as all we had for chimney was marshmallows- we see the possible conflagration and loaded the interior space with chocolate just in case a Semore episode of fire occurs. The house has a bit of public art; an interpretive tree, and a simple  modular repetition peppermint stack (so conceptually minimal!)

Two proverbs say it best: Quis custodiet custodes ipsos? ("Who watches the watchers?") and "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Doubt and mistrust are the mere panic of a timid imagination, which the steadfast heart will conquer and the large mind transcend. - Helen Keller

Entering into this long darkness of winter, it's important to remember to be steadfast.

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Strike and fear not with ostentation and delight stay hewed to the mark and let chips fall where they might.

#1010 - Beginning Figure Drawing

Instructor: Alex Alvarado
Sunday, 10am-1pm

This course is an introduction to the fundamental principals of sketching and drawing the human figure. Topics covered will include: Gesture drawing and the study of body movements and kinetics, the basic geometry of the human figure, the general proportions of the human head and figure, value studies and basic rendering technique. This class will start off with short 5-min poses and gradually advance to 2 1/2 hour poses.
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT: Enroll by December 19th and get $25 off

#1001 - Basic Drawing Fundamentals

Instructor: Eric Pedersen
Saturday, 10am-1pm

This course introduces the fundamentals of drawing. How to hold a charcoal pencil, simple shapes, volumes, c-curves, s-curves, straights, edges, 4-value system, thumbnails, introductory composition, light sources, core shadows, reflective lights, are all covered in this course. This is an excellent course for students with little to no formal drawing training at all, or those wanting a refresher course in the basics.

#2223 - The Verdaccio Approach to Painting

Instructor: Brianna Lee
Wednesday, 7pm-10pm

In this course students will focus on drawing the subject accurately, learn to transfer the drawing and how to prepare the Verdaccio under-painting for the final stages of glazing. Glazing can give luminous effects that cannot be achieved by direct painting. It is especially good for painting the translucent and luminous qualities of human flesh. This course is great for those who are new to painting because it begins with the drawing stage and introduces painting in a very methodical and simplified manner. This class is also suitable for intermediate to advanced students who are interested in learning how the Renaissance masters painted and how to make a painting glow. The course will consist of two 5 week paintings, one still-life and one portrait.

#2380B - Alla Prima Head/Figure Painting A and B

Instructor: Ignat Ignatov
Friday, 10am-4pm
This course will consist of painting demonstrations and lectures covering the important elements of painting such as value, color and edges, as well as composition and design. This class will also cover the limited palette and the amazing advantages that it offers. Each week the artists will paint from life a different model using the Alla Prima (wet into wet technique) and will receive individual instruction and critiques. The goal is to advance your skills in the direct painting method while applying the fundamentals to achieve a solid understanding of painting the human form in various light conditions and settings.

#2800B - Alla Prima Impressionist Painting A and B

Instructor: Vadim Zang
Monday, 10am-4pm

This painting course will emphasize tonal construction of the figure, the light and shadow relationship, and science of color. Vadim Zang will explain limited palette technique, giving demonstrations to help the student in applying tonal knowledge to paint.Students will then progress on to full color, with control of paint application. Individual critiques and instruction will guide the student.

#2367A - Figure Painting A and B

Instructor: Joseph Todorovitch
Wednesday, 12pm-3pm
We will paint the figure from life and discuss choices for setting up the pose, composition, color harmony, lighting, pacing, and bringing the painting to a decent level of resolve. We'll also discuss the language of describing paint in order to better understand our mixtures. Joseph will explain his approach and demonstrate by painting along and illustrating his ideas about the approach. Pose lengths will vary from single days to multiple days. Previous drawing experience is highly recommended.

The Winter Quarter starts January 4th. If you are interested in taking any of these classes, call 818.708.9232! To view a list of all our other classes, visit our website at www.laafa.org/sessions/calendar

Reminder: Open house Sat. Dec. 19th from 11am-4pm!

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