A mixed media artwork featuring a realistic portrait of a woman's face on the right, with detailed features including eyes and nose, and an abstract, black-and-white painted face on the left, blending into the background with expressive brushstrokes and contrasting styles.

Beginner Painting

Beginner Painting

Taught by:

Shira Leah Garfunkel

$50/week
12-week program · $600 Total

Learn the Foundations of Painting

What makes a painting feel believable, dimensional, and full of life? It starts with understanding the fundamentals.

This course gives students a strong foundation in the essential skills behind oil painting—from understanding color and mixing it accurately to creating values, light, shadow, and depth. Students will learn not only how to paint, but why each step matters, developing the ability to paint ideas into reality.

Students will discover how color, light, and shadow come together to bring a painting to life. They’ll learn how to build a painting from the first brushstroke to the finished piece while developing the skills and confidence to keep growing as artists.

    • Color & Color Theory — Learn the colors, understand how they interact, and discover how to mix the colors you see.

    • Color Mixing — Develop the ability to mix colors intentionally rather than relying on guesswork.

    • Value — Understand light and dark and how value creates form and dimension.

    • Light & Shadow — Learn how light affects objects and how to create believable shadows and illumination.

    • Edges — Discover how hard and soft edges help create depth and realism.

    • From Black & White to Color — Learn how to translate the values of a black-and-white reference into a full-color painting.

    • Building a Painting — Understand how to approach a painting from the initial stages through the finished piece.

    • Seeing Like an Artist — Train your eye to observe color, value, light, and relationships rather than simply painting what you think you see.

  • Level: Beginner

    Prerequisite: None

    Age Group: Kids & Teens

    Medium: Oil Painting

    Duration: 12 Weeks (3 Months)

    Schedule: Once a week

    Class Length: 1½ hours for Kids · 2 hours for Teens

    Starts: October 11

    Price:

    Kids - $600
    Teens -$660

    Supples: Not included

    Instructor: Shira Leah Garfunkel

  • This is the perfect place to begin your oil painting journey.

    No previous painting experience is required, and students don't need to already know how to draw. The course is designed to take students through the fundamentals from the ground up, giving them the understanding they need to approach painting with confidence.

    Rather than simply following instructions and copying a finished painting, students learn why they are making each decision. They develop a deeper understanding of the process so that the skills they learn can carry into their future artwork.

  • Students will work primarily with still lifes and simple objects, learning to observe their subjects and translate what they see into oil paint.

    Each project builds their understanding of color, value, light, form, and the painting process. The goal isn't simply to finish a few paintings—it's to give students a strong foundation they can build upon as they continue practicing and move into more advanced painting courses.

    This course is the first step toward creating truly masterful paintings.

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Shira Leah Garfunkel

Shira Leah is a fine artist specializing in highly detailed pencil art and oil painting. She has pursued art from a young age, developing her skills through years of dedicated practice before expanding into oil painting under the guidance of Toby Bergman. Her work focuses on portraiture, still life, and Judaic art, characterized by intricate detail and depth. She has sold her artwork privately and teaches art to children and teens. As an instructor, she is passionate about helping students build confidence, recognize their potential, and discover the beauty and depth in the world around them.

ARTIST & INSTRUCTOR

CLASSES OFFERING

Foundations of Art- See Course→

Beginner Painting- See Course→

SAMPLES OF HER WORK

A black and white drawing of a man wearing a helmet with a light, sitting at a desk, reading a newspaper.
A black and white portrait sketch of a woman with her hair tied back, with strong shading and contrast, showing a side light illuminating her face.
Abstract artwork of a person's face with expressive brushstrokes in shades of purple, black, and white.
Decorative gold and black horizontal border with a central flourish.