Still Life Painting for Beginners (Online Course)
Tori Cole
Saturdays, 11 AM – 1 PM ET – please adjust for your timezones
October 3, 10, (no class October 17), 24, 31, November 7, 14, 21, (no class November 28), December 5, 2026
Plus over 12 hours of recorded demos. Each week’s corresponding demo is provided a week before each live class session.
There is a homework assignment due the first class.
8 weeks– Tuition $525
Limit: 10 students per section
Take this class:
- To learn the traditional approaches to constructing a painting from start to finish.
- To gain insight into the methods employed by many artists at the GCA.
- To formulate better strategies when problems arise in your painting process.
- If you’re a beginner or have been painting forever.
Is this class for me?
- Some oil painting experience is recommended.
- Taking GCA’s Painting Orientation Seminar is helpful if you are new to GCA.
- Some drawing experience, especially in the Academic method, is always useful for painting classes at the GCA.
How often is this class offered?
- This class is offered once or twice a year.
Class Format Notes:
- 2 hours of pre-recorded demos distributed weekly. The first demo is distributed the week before the first live class. Homework is due on the first class.
- 2 hour live critiques class.
- Students work on their weekly assignment outside of class time.
- The class will be conducted on the Zoom platform and is a live online experience.
- The pre-recorded demos will be shared via a private video link on YouTube. YouTube is free but will require an account to view the video.
- This class also uses Google Classroom to distribute materials. Watch this video for more insight. All of these services are free but require registration.
- It will be necessary for students to have access to a computer, tablet or smartphone. The recommended device is a laptop or desktop.
- Every online class is recorded.
- Critiques are only given during the live class time.
- Attendance at every live class isn’t mandatory.
- Absentee students can still submit their work at least 15 minutes before the live class starts and the instructor will critique the work during the class. The critique will then be viewable in the recording.
- Students receive access to the class recording within 24 hours of the class finishing. The recording gets posted into the google classroom.
- Access to the recordings is available for the duration of the class plus an additional 30 days. There are no extensions.
“Tori was very engaged and encouraging, and her suggestions were always helpful. I really liked the class.” -Susan
Course Description
Still Life for Beginners is an in depth look at all aspects of the still life painting process from set up to composition, from color study to corrections, no stone will be left unturned.
For students new to painting or the art of still life, this class is designed as a guide to an approachable, step-by-step process for making remarkable and realistic paintings.
By distinguishing each individual piece in the process, Tori will guide students through a deliberate start to finish strategy which makes the technique feel approachable and comfortable.
This class will work entirely from life on a simple still life set up of 1 to 2 simple objects. Throughout the sessions are discussions of color theory, how to paint form, how to handle paint application, and the most common pitfalls we can fall into as new still life painters.
This class is designed to be suitable for those with no experience in still life painting, but will also be a chance for anyone wanting to reinforce the basics that make up a strong foundation and workflow for any painting.
Week 1 – How to set up for a still life and choose your still life objects
- Discussion of composition
- How to do a thumbnail drawing
Week 2 – Color Study
- Discussion of Munsell color theory system
- How to paint a color study
Week 3 – Block-in Drawing
- Discussion of how to block in for a painting
- How to use comparative measurements
Week 4 – Transfer and Underpainting
- How to transfer your drawing onto your painting surface
- Discussion of different underpainting methods
- How to do an ebauche underpainting
Week 5 – First pass: Painting the background
- How to pre-mix your oil paint mixtures using your color study
- How to paint the background
- Discussion of paint application
Week 6 – First pass: Object 1
- Discussion of GCA’s form methodology
- How to start form painting your object area by area
Week 7 – First pass: Object 2
- Discussion of utilizing master paintings to help our own paintings
- How to form paint area by area on a second object
Week 8 – Correction pass
- How to oil out
- How to utilize a correction pass to push your paintings further