Please email me about taking workshops in my studio for your group of 3-4 students.


 PAST CLASSES

Mixed Media: Surface Textures

This workshop will introduce you to ways of creating texture in drawings and paintings using acrylic pastes and grounds. Light molding paste, fibre paste, absorbent ground, gesso, fine pumice and acrylic ground for pastels will be explored.

You will learn a variety of techniques including resists, rubbing, lifting, scraping, incising, veiling and burnishing.

You will work on watercolour paper, cradled panel and stretched canvas. The workshop includes demonstrations and hands-on practice and will provide you with endless ideas and approaches for drawing and painting projects. The workshop is suitable for all levels of experience.

Surface textures above are by Jill Ehlert

The images below are by a variety of artists;  they are examples of some of the surface textures we will be exploring in the workshop.

Click on an image to see a larger image and to begin slideshow.

Sketchbook Development

This daylong workshop consists of a series of fast-paced exercises to get you comfortable with working in your sketchbook. A wide range of ideas, materials and techniques will be explored. Backgrounds, mark-making explorations, sketching, drawing and writing will also be covered. You will leave this workshop inspired to make your sketchbook a part of your daily practice. No experience necessary. All materials are provided, including a sketchbook and pens for you to take home with you. No experience necessary. 


Drawing: Pen & Ink and Found Tools

In this workshop, you will create a personal visual language of marks and textures, beginning with making marks with a traditional dip pen with a variety of nibs using India and walnut ink. You will learn ways to hold the pen as well as how to control movement, speed, pressure and spacing. You will build on your vocabulary by making your own unconventional tools, beginning with a "Cola" pen, a handmade dip pen/nib, and then you will transform found objects into drawing tools that you will use with ink. "Found" tools will include sticks, twigs, cotton swabs, fingers, toothpicks, dried plant material, bamboo skewers, string, seedpods, feathers and wire. Surfaces to work on will include: Mylar, Stonehenge, tracing and rice paper. The workshop includes demonstrations and hands-on practice. 
 

"Found" tools will include sticks, twigs, cotton swabs, fingers, toothpicks, dried plant material, bamboo skewers, string, seedpods, feathers and wire.

The images below are by a variety of artists; these are examples of the experimental pen & ink and found tools mark making we will be exploring in the workshop.

Click on an image to see a larger image and to begin slideshow.

More pen and ink mark making examples: All Images below are by Jill Ehlert. Click to see larger image or to start a slidehow


Mixed Media" Creating Backgrounds

The focus of this workshop is on making a variety of surfaces that can be used for drawings or paintings, or as works of art on their own. You will learn how to create backgrounds using a variety of mixed-media techniques with resists, washes, gesso veils, ink runs, rust printing, stamping, folding, crumpling, rubbing, burning and waxing. You will use new and found surfaces to work on, such as Mylar, Yupo, watercolour, printmaking, rice, and tracing papers. The workshop includes demonstrations and hands-on practice. This workshop will give you a compilation of ideas and approaches to use in drawing, painting or collage work. All materials are included but you are encouraged to bring an assortment of surfaces to work on, such as cardboard, book pages, commercial papers, plastic and newspaper. 
 

The images below are by a variety of artists; these are examples of creating backgrounds that we explore in "Creating Backgrounds".

Clilck on an image to see larger and to view in a slide show.


Drawing: Creating Marks Through Actions

This two-day workshop focuses on unconventional ways of creating marks. The first day involves creating a collection of marks on paper using traditional tools including pen, ink and graphite, as well as more unconventional ones such as an awl, smoke, needle, thread, hammer and nail. A range of movements and actions will be explored: puncturing, smoking, burning, rubbing, cutting and sewing, etc. You will make a book and a collage from mark-making explorations on the second day. Design and composition will be covered along with a demonstration on different methods of adhering collage materials. This workshop is ideal for those looking to expand their mark-making vocabulary and create unique surfaces with inventive marks. No experience necessary. 
 

EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENT ACTIONS, TOOLS AND PROJECTS WE WILL EXPLORE IN THIS WORKSHOP.

All samples below are by Jill Ehlert ©  Click on thumbnails below to see a slideshow.


SKETCHBOOK DEVELOPMENT

The focus of this class is to give a series of fast paced exercises to get you comfortable and working in your sketchbook. A wide range of ideas, materials and techniques will be explored in your sketchbook to get you started; they are designed to keep you going back to your sketchbook. Backgrounds, techniques, mark making explorations, sketching, drawing, writing, etc. will be explored. You will leave this workshop inspired to make sketchbook work part of a daily practice. No experience necessary. 
 

Sketch books in the image and above and below are by Jill Ehlert ©


EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE WILL DO IN THIS WORKSHOP

All samples below are by Jill Ehlert ©  Click on thumbnails below to see larger images in a slideshow.


Drawing: Collecting, Observing, Exploring 

This workshop concentrates on ways of looking and working. You will work with plant material as sources of inspiration to extract information and interpret what you see through mark making. The focus of this workshop is to explore new ways to respond to your “collections” and to discover their essences rather than a direct representation. There will be an exploration into materials, techniques and mark making through sketching, drawing, painting and ink washes. This workshop will provide a great way to get new ideas for drawing, painting and other forms of design. No experience necessary. 
 

Jill Ehlert ©

Jill Ehlert ©

Click on images below to enlarge.  All photos and work below are by Jill Ehlert ©

EXAMPLES OF SOURCES OF INSPIRATION AND CLASS PROJECTS.