warmup lesson - ALCHEMISTIC TREASURE MAP

How to generate ideas and create small intuitive sketches in graphite

How to open to exploring alchemistic symbology

Inspired by the ancient symbology of chakras, we open the journey by working intuitively with the fascinating realm of alchemy. We open up to the visionary space playing around loosely with gold, graphite and symbols.

You will learn how to sketch in gold and graphite, and my best tips for getting a polished feeling, so you can develop your sketches into drawings with a great finish. This lesson is the portal into the deeper techniques that follows in the succeeding lessons.

Lesson 1 - ALCHEMISTIC MANDALA

In this lesson, we dig deeper into the mystical earthy realm of alchemy. Grounded in relaxing work with making mandalas, we go deep on the combination of gold and graphite and you will learn my techniques for real gilding in 24 karat gold leaf or imitation gold leaf.

We will continue the work we opened in the warm-up lesson, intuitively choosing symbols that speaks to us, exploring our own story and soul journey through the work with alchemistic archetypical language.

You will be guided on how to take your gold and graphite sketches to the next level, creating rich and saturated surfaces.

lesson 2 - AURORA – GODDES OF THE GOLDEN DAWN

In this lesson, you will be guided through my full process of rendering the female face in graphite. I show you my best techniques for adding graphite in a smooth, silky veil, going deep on both shadow and light.

Expanding on lesson 1, we venture deeper into adding gold, experimenting with different ways of applying both fluid and foiled gold.

We will create a female portrait in graphite, embodied by the ancient goddess of Aurora, the bringer of Dawn. Aur is also an ancient term for gold, and in this vision of her, she emerges out of Earth as Goddess of Alchemy. She will be our gentle guide in ascending the soul, the deeper, metaphysical aspect of alchemical work.

No drawing skills are required to enjoy this lesson and all levels are welcome!

I show you how you can work from references in a creative and free process of transferring the base image. If you are confident with drawing, then you are of course invited to add your own drawing process to this project.

This is the biggest project in our Journey of Alchemy and I am so excited to share with you, this magical work in gold and graphite.

lesson 3 - THE PHOENIX OF ALCHEMY

The phoenix is a powerful symbol of resurrection, emerging renewed and empowered from the ashes and flames. I find it has a strong connection to the symbolic language of alchemy.

In this lesson, we soar into the skies with Phoenix and open up to its healing properties and deep symbology.

We continue the exploration of my classical graphite techniques, working with blending, smoothing and adding fine texture. Also, we further explore the symbols of alchemy, rendering them in gold.

No drawing skills are required and all levels are welcome!

I show you how you can work from references in a creative and free process of transferring the base image. If you are confident with drawing, then you are of course invited to add your own drawing process to this project.

Bonus lesson - THE LOTUS OF ALCHEMY

In this super bonus lesson, you will learn the foundations of my classical free-hand drawing techniques, that can be used to draw anything.

To round off gently and come full circle with our alchemical artwork, we free-hand draw a soft and embracing lotus flower. Lotus is a beautiful symbol of beauty emerging from the depths of mud, and so, shares symbolistic meaning with the process of alchemy, the making of gold from lesser substances.

We work on the lighter end of the scale with the graphite and envision gold emerging from within the budding lotus. I experience the lotus as a symbol of the ascension of the Soul, and so we conclude our alchemical journey through gold and graphite with honoring this beloved symbol.

WHO IS THIS CLASS FOR?

This class is designed so anyone can benefit from it, no matter their previous experience. All levels are welcome and ALL is taken care of so you will create finished artwork in this class.

I show you how to use the materials and techniques step by step, and no matter if you are a beginner, intermediate or experienced creative, there will be great learning in this class. Art is a path. The techniques are universal and can be applied on all levels of skill.

We will journey gently through the art process from blank paper to finished piece, working with alchemistic symbols, the divine feminine, the natural world and animal spirits, all weaved together by the enchanting combination of gold and graphite, two materials, coming right out of Mother Earth

Anyone who loves symbolistic and enigmatic art will feel at home in this class.

Supply List

In this list, I lay out the materials I use throughout the class. The class doesn´t require many materials and is quite budget-friendly.

I encourage you to use what you already might have, buy a few things inspired from the list and adapt. The list is NOT brand specific and there are many wonderful materials. I recommend buying artist-grade materials since they tend to be easier to work with and create more vibrant results. That being said, use what you have, and have fun!

Paper

• Watercolor paper, 300 gms. We use water in some of the lessons, so good paper is essential. I use Canson XL Watercolor 300 gms, a cellulose type paper, that lends itself well to the techniques I show. Cotton paper is also great. I will discuss this in the lessons.

• Sketching paper for graphite sketching. Any drawing paper will do. I draw on watercolor paper throughout the class, but for drawing, I also recommend Fabriano Accademia spiral sketch pad A4.

Substrate for mounting the watercolor paper

• I like to work on watercolor paper, mounted with painter’s tape on a rigid board. You can however work as you prefer, on a glued watercolor block, or similar. We do use a lot of water so mounting is helpful. So mounting board of a kind plus painter’s tape is great to have.

• Trays for mixing watercolor

• Having some nice mixing trays is very helpful. It doesn’t matter whether they are plastic or porcelain. I use both. In the workshops, I use porcelain, mainly because it’s so beautiful.

 Graphite

• Any graphite pencils you have, wooden or mechanical. Ranging from H, F, HB and up to around 6B. I tend to use the brands Faber Castel and Caran D´Ache, but there are many wonderful graphite pencil brands.

• Graphite Stick. I recommend Caran D´ache Graphicube in 9B. This one is raw graphite on the outside (which is what we need) contrary to many, that are waxed or varnished on the outside.

Gold

• In the class, I use both imitation gold foil, very budget-friendly, and real 24 karat gold foil. Both are wonderful, so choose according to your budget.

Gold Glue

• Water-based acrylic gold glue. In the lessons, I use the brand La Doratura, but gold glue can be bought from many different brands. Full guidance is in the class.

  Avoid choosing/buying oil based gold glue for this class as it doesn’t apply to the techniques I show (and is for a completely different adhesion technique).

Watercolor

• I recommend artist quality, but not any particular brand. My box is a mix of many different brands like Schmincke , Maimeri, Daniel Smith, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton etc.

• The specific colors for the class are: Gold and Graphite. You can buy both gold and graphite watercolors from many brands. I use Daniel Smith and Schmincke. The graphite one is called “graphite grey” in both brands.

• Posca Pens, gold and white

• In the class, I also use a few white and gold Posca Pens (any size) for making dots, lines and patterns.

Other Materials

• Kneaded eraser. I use Faber Castell brand

• Eraser pens. I use Tombow Mono Zero round and Faber Castell Perfection pen 7058

• Cotton pad

• Ruler

• Compass

• Pencil Sharpener (remember they blunt quickly so a new one with a fresh blade is good)

• White acrylic ink

• Traditional pen and nib (for adding lines and dots of gold glue)

• Brushes, both for painting, smudging and dusting off gold leaf

• When it comes to watercolor brushes, I am very messy. I use a happy mix of old and new brushes, synthetic and natural hair. Anything will do, so chose what is affordable for you and go for a mix of sizes between 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and some bigs, 12 or 14. Also it´s good to have some “mop” type makeup brushes. See image for inspiration

Printing Out References

• In the class, we work with a few reference images. If you have a printer, it is of course nice and luxurious. I print it out on a cheap and very nice photo paper called Canon Matte Photo paper. If you don’t have a printer, however, don’t let this hold you back. You can be inspired directly from your computer screen, and you can make traces of the photos on transparent paper directly from your screen fx with a thin black liner, and then use that to transfer to your watercolor paper. Only imagination is the limit here, so get creative and have fun!