Fridays, January 16 – March 20, 2026, 1:30 – 4:00pm
9-week Art Clinic with J. Jordan Bruns
This class explores the full spectrum of color—vibrant and muted, light and dark—while developing strategies to manipulate color effectively for stronger, more compelling paintings. Designed for both abstract and representational painters, this class emphasizes that a deep understanding of color is essential for all artists. While students are encouraged to bring their own painting ideas, guided exercises will provide hands-on practice with the concepts introduced, helping to refine their color skills in a supportive, exploratory environment. 9 sessions.
Class Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
Schedule of Classes
Class 1 — January 16: Lecture – Color Theory Basics
We’ll start the term by diving into the language and logic of color: hue, chroma, and value. This foundational lecture will help establish a vocabulary for discussing color relationships in both representational and abstract work.
Exercise: Mixing Greys Two Ways — Experiment with creating greys through complementary mixtures versus dulling with earth tones.
Class 2 — January 23: Lecture – High Chroma / Low Chroma Balance
Learn how to balance intense, saturated colors with subdued ones to achieve harmony and impact.
Demo/Exercise: Mixing Greys for Effect — Through a color grid exercise, artists will manipulate chroma and juxtaposition to guide the viewer’s eye and enhance compositional flow.
— January 30 Snow Day —
Class 3 — February 6:Discussion – The Artist’s Palette
What makes a complete palette? How does color organization influence painting workflow and visual results? We’ll discuss palette arrangement, pigment selection, and strategies for mixing efficiently.
Begin Independent Work.
Class 4 — February 13: Independent Work Continues
Class 5 — February 20: Independent Work Continues
Class 6 — February 27: Lecture – Color as Space
Our lecture explores spatial color — how hue, value, and chroma shifts can suggest depth and distance, even within abstraction. We’ll discuss atmospheric perspective and spatial illusions in non-representational compositions.
Continue Independent Work.
Class 7 — March 6: Independent Work Continues
Class 8 — March 13: Lecture – Color Connotation and the Emotional Aspects of Color
Color carries emotional weight and psychological associations. We’ll look at how artists use color to evoke feeling and mood.
Exercise: Painting Two Ways — Depict a single subject twice on side-by-side small canvases, exploring contrasting emotional interpretations (e.g., happy/sad, energetic/lethargic).
Class 9 — March 20: Finish Exercise – Painting Two Ways
Conclude the exercise with group discussion and critique, reflecting on how intentional color choices alter emotional and spatial perception.
Supply List
All mediums are welcome
