Art Passports To Morocco

What is Studioworks Creative Academy?

Lesson 1 : Connecting to Morocco from Afar

There are so many ways to connect to a place from afar. In this lesson, I will guide you through how to find sources that can help inspire your work and apply them throughout the class. We all have a distinct way of seeing the world and each of us is naturally drawn to some things over others. I hope you use these lessons as an introduction to Morocco through art and that you follow the path you are drawn to once completed.

We will start by collecting elements to inspire our work and create a color palette inspired by different aspects of the culture. We will apply what we have gathered to our art journals to help us better connect to the country and to our selected palette. At this stage, my hope is that you experiment and find hues that resonate with you. Combining mixed media elements, collage, marks, stencils, and a variety of mediums we will connect to Morocco in a warm-up journal exercise.

lesson 2 : discovering Patterns & Designs through Tiles

I love to look to the local art and architecture of a country to discover more about its rich history and culture. Tile design is such an integral part of Moroccan art and culture. Elaborate geometric patterns and vibrant colors cover the cities. We will study the pattern and designs of Morocco creating our own unique tile designs with pen and watercolor.

Lesson 3 : Roaming the Souks in our Journals

There is no better way to immerse ourselves in this amazing country then to roam the narrow alleyways of the souks or markets. We will recreate the energy in our art journals by relying on our senses. Put ourselves in the markets by way of sight, sound, smell and feel. Exploring techniques on perspective to help the viewer feel as if they are walking through the markets when they view your journal. We will create layers with collage, paint, ink and pastels, and marks to create the dimension of a bustling maze within our pages.

Lesson 4 : Expression through the Valley of Roses

We will journey to the Valley of the Roses to inspire our expressionistic floral paintings. Exploring two different palettes in this lesson so you can play within your own practice. We will mimic the movement of the petals rather than create detailed petals to add drama and energy to our marks.

lesson 5 : The Faces of Morocco

This lesson is densely packed with painting inspired by the people of Morocco. We will discover the history of the Imilchil Wedding Festival to create our first portrait. This will be a combination of drawing and painting inspired by more traditional aspects of the culture. For our next portrait, we will learn oil painting safety and techniques. I have heard from so many artists that they fear oil painting. I hope to take away some of those fears and discuss ways to safely use oils, layer our paints from lean to fat, and create expression within our portraits and design in the background, looping back into our tile design lesson.

lesson 7 : Abstract Riad

For this lesson, we will be using our intuition to embody the feeling or emotions we gained while studying Morocco. My source of inspiration for this piece are the Riads or multi-level homes with a central courtyard. These beautiful homes have since been turned into boutique hotels and serve as these oasis’ or getaways from the hustle and bustle of the city life. In the middle, you will often find fountains, pools, or gardens. These spaces are decorated and embellished with intricate tile work, Berber carvings and arches to create a serene environment. Stencils,

• Explore sources from afar

• Discover color palettes that resonate with you

• Use a reference photo as a guide

• Explore geometric design and patterning

• Create layers in our art journals

• Use perspective and focal points to draw the viewer into your piece

• Create expressionist florals

• Use palette knives to create loose marks and movements

• Combine drawing and painting in a portrait

• Breaking the face into shapes to add contrast

• Learn oil painting techniques and safety

• Use vibrant colors as a way to highlight in your paintings

• Take your own artistic approach in your landscapes

• Architecture details

• Find fluidity in your abstracts allowing your painting to guide you

• Learn about the history and culture of Morocco by way of art

I always include all the supplies that I use in our class for reference in case there is a new material you want to add to your studio. However, I want you to use the materials you have on hand and enjoy the most. I always recommend watching the lessons first and then deciding if you want to add a new medium into your practice. If you have questions about alternative mediums, feel free to reach out to me directly.

SUBSTRATES

• Art Journal (Ranger Dylusions Creative Journal)

• Mixed Media OR Watercolor Paper (Arches Hot Press or Cold Press Watercolor Block OR Canson Mixed Media Paper)

• Wood Panel OR Canvas (8”x10”, 9”x12”, 11”x14”)

PAINTS & MEDIUMS

• Clear Gesso

• White Gesso

ACRYLIC PAINTS

• Charvin Extra Fine Acrylic Paints OR Golden Acrylics, Liquitex, Arteza, Blick Acrylics Colors used: Charvin Alexander’s Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Green of Nice, Burnt Sienna, Cobalt Blue Hue, Payne’s Grey, Tanned, and Ocean Blue)

• Natural Pigments & Natural Acrylic Medium (Sourced and from Natural Earth Paint)

OIL PAINT SUPPLIES

• Gamblin 1980 Artist Oils and Winsor & Newton Oils

• Gamblin Gamsol

• Gamblin Galkyd

• R&F Pigment Sticks

• Gamblin Gamvar Matte Varnish OR Winsor & Newton Dammar Varnish

• Colors Used Skin Tone: Titanium White, Burnt Umber, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow Light, Payne’s Gray, Raw Sienna

• Additional Colors Used: Phthalo Green, Turquoise

*NOTE: If you prefer you can work in acrylics, watercolors, or gouache for our oil painting project.

OIL PAINT SAFETY TIPS: Gamblin Oil Painting Safety Guidelines

WATERCOLORS

• Ocean Paper Watercolors in Glass, Gold Ochre, Terracotta, Grey Azul, Paris Blue, Mauve, Peony, Phthalocyanine Green, Sandstone, Turquoise Blue

• Other Watercolor Options: Arteza Watercolor Set, Sargent Watercolor Cakes

INK

• Edelstein Smoky Quartz Ink

• Natural Inks

DRAWING TOOLS

• Sennelier Soft Pastels in Black Brown, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean Blue, English Blue, Flesh Ochre

• Neocolor II Artists’ Crayons

• Permanent Pen

• White Gel Pen

• Mechanical Pencil (Zebra M .7mm)

• Drawing Pencils (Faber Castell Drawing Set)

• Conté à Paris Crayons

• Stabillo Pencil

• Willow Charcoal

• Tombow Mono Zero Eraser