An Introduction to Painting
Instructed by Dan O'Connor
Wednesdays, 6-9 PM
October 8 - December 3, 2025
(No class November 26)
Registration Deadline: October 5
[ *** REGISTER HERE *** ]
Description
Ready to explore the rich world of painting from the ground up? Introduction to Painting is a supportive, beginner-level course designed to help you develop foundational skills in this timeless medium. Whether you’ve never held a brush before or you're returning after a long break, this course will guide you step by step through the essentials: how to set up a palette, mix colors effectively, use different types of brushes, and build a painting through layers. You'll learn to see color relationships clearly, control value and edge, and compose images that feel intentional and complete. Projects are grounded in direct observation, helping you connect what you see with what you put on the canvas. Along the way, you’ll get comfortable with the tools and materials of traditional painting while gaining insight into the visual language of painters—color, form, light, and space. This course gives you the skills and confidence needed to continue painting on your own or move into more advanced studies.
This class will cover the following topics:
• Learn how to set up your palette, mix colors, and handle brushes.
• Understand the basics of painting through simple, direct exercises.
• Practice working from observation with traditional materials.
• Exploration of expressive mark through the use of various tools and paint application techniques
• Basic color theory, including identification of local color and expressive use of color.
Tuition: $370
Class Size
Minimum: 5
Maximum: 12
Materials List: (link to printable PDF)
Level of Study: Beginner
No experience? No problem. Or, perhaps you're returning to art after a hiatus. Beginner-level courses are designed for individuals with little to no prior experience in making art. These courses focus on building confidence, developing observational skills, and encouraging creative exploration.
Suggested Prerequisites: N/A
LOCATION: Unless otherwise specified, all courses are hosted at Manifest's new facility at 'M1' in Clifton at 3464 Central Parkway (see map and directions below). Manifest's new facility provides multiple studio classrooms, private lesson space, a darkroom, a film processing room, and a multi-purpose lecture and class meeting space as well as on-site parking, grounds, and exterior spaces in which to relax, discuss, and make art. The studios are outfitted with professional equipment, furniture, and study aids.
Map to Manifest's M1 Studios | Studio Calendar | Darkroom Calendar
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Morandi
About the instructor
Dan O’Connor is a painter and sculptor originally from Kentucky, currently based in the Camp Washington neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds a BFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Cincinnati and an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he collaborated closely with Scott Noel to sharpen his ability to observe—both paintings and the potential that the physical world holds for them.
For over a decade, Dan has taught painting and drawing at higher education institutions, including the University of Miami in Florida, Shawnee State University in Ohio, the University of Cincinnati, DAAP, and the Art Academy of Cincinnati. In that time, he has also expanded his field of study to include digital media, both to support his traditional work and as finished work. He is intrigued by the boundlessness of digital space and the peculiarities of individualized perception.
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