Unlock Artistic Foundations: the Keys to Value & Composition

April 5th - 6th, 2025

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (PDT) 

Federation Academy on Granville Island, 1310 Johnston St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3S1 

Level: Suitable for Beginner & Intermediate Level

Medium: Acrylic & Oil 

Workshop Overview:

Improving value and composition is a foundational way for developing artists to level up their painting.

Dominique Walker created this practical and informative two-day course because of how many developing artists she saw struggling with value. Too often she’d see artists spending hours dressing a painting with colour and brushwork only to get frustrated part way though or be disappointed with the end result because the compositional bones of the painting weren’t solid enough to build on. 

If you look at your finished work and think “Why isn’t the light working?”, “Why is everything so muddy?”, or “It’s just …. blahhh” then this is the course for you.
 

In this course we will work step by step to:
- Choose the right reference material to set you up for success
- Plan your painting by doing Nōtans before you start working
- Do a simple grisaille underpainting to guide your painting process
- Understand value; and how hue and saturation relate to value
- Work effectively with a Value Finder

With these refined skills in place, you will build on your foundation for success.
 

This course is suitable for both beginner and intermediate artists who are looking to level up core composition and value skills. Dominique will be using oil paints, but you are welcome to use either oil or acrylics (see supply list). 

About the Instructor - Dominique Walker: 

Light is her earliest memory and constant curiosity. Capturing the way light defines and shadows connect is her relentless muse. The quiet tread of shadows knitting together. The way light reveals and plays around the edges of form. Moving through the West Coast wilds Dominique is constantly inspired. Whether its trying to capture the cool morning light of alpine meadows, the filtered light of the deep rainforest or the last waves of warmth dancing across the Pacific. It is the place she can be still with reflected wonder.

Dominique currently teaches in the IDEA School of Design at Capilano University. She is the fourth generation of a family of female landscape painters known as the Everard Group, who’s work can be found in private collections worldwide and the national galleries of South Africa.

Website:  https://dominiquewalker.com/