Camille Przewodek Workshop

Camille Przewodek's Workshop

Painting the "Light Key"

Color Bootcamp - Madison, MS - Fall 2012

For those who are familiar with Camille Przewodek's work, you know that they are filled with light.  Whether it is a gray day or sunny day, she captures light in her paintings like no one else!  Camille studied under Henry Hensche and today she is dedicated to pass along Hensche's approach to painting the illusion of color.

We started by painting blocks of different colors set out on a table with colored clothes.  Now that sounds really simple doesn't it?  I soon learned that there was a great deal of complexity in painting these blocks.  One has to determine what is in light and what is in shadow of course, but then recognize that a blue block's sunny side or edge must be a hue that represents or gives the illusion that it is in sun. Therefore, you might paint the sunlit edge warm pink, yellow or orange.  As you move to painting each of the other blocks, you would need to look at the color relationships between the blocks (and the cloth too) to make sure that you paint the differences in the relationships.   I am here to tell you that this is not easy.  The goal, of course,  is to be able to apply all this to painting the landscape, portraits and
still life which Camille does beautifully!  She admits that it has taken many years of study to develop the way she teaches and the way she paints.

Camille pours tremendous energy into teaching her students.  She is caring and giving and dedicated to helping you if you want to learn this way of seeing and painting.  She is a really great teacher.  She breaks it down, answers your questions, and makes it around to your easel often... really spends time with you at your easel.  Camille is assisted by her husband and artist, Dale Axelrod.  They are a great team and do everything possible to make the time you spend with them rewarding.  I will definitely be taking another workshop with Camille.  I love, love, loved it!  She also has online learning sessions and you can find out more about them on her website and a DVD.