The Art of Painting Greens in the Landscape

July 25th - 26th, 2026

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (PDT) 

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

Level: Suitable for Beginner & Intermediate Level

Medium: Oil

Workshop Overview:

Green dominates much of the natural world, yet it’s one of the most complex and misunderstood colors in painting. In this hands-on oil painting workshop, we’ll explore how to approach greens artistically — not as a single color, but as a living spectrum of light, temperature, and atmosphere. Through guided demos and exercises, participants will learn to see beyond “local color” and capture the nuanced harmony that makes landscape painting feel alive and believable.

We’ll cover practical methods for mixing natural greens using a limited palette, balancing warm and cool variations, and establishing value structure before introducing color. Emphasis will be placed on observing nature intelligently — understanding how distance, light, and air affect greens, and how to simplify and design them to serve the overall composition.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a clear, painterly approach to handling greens with confidence and subtlety. Whether painting plein air or in the studio, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how to translate the vibrancy of nature into rich, harmonious color relationships on canvas.

About the Instructor - Igor Staritsin, SFCA

Igor Staritsin is a classically trained painter whose work bridges the worlds of fine art and cinematic storytelling. With a deep foundation in traditional painting, Igor has been creating art since early childhood, cultivating a lifelong passion for visual expression through oil, acrylic, and digital art. His paintings reflect an artistic sensibility - rich in atmosphere, light and color as well as emotional resonance.

Since returning to Vancouver, Igor has become an active voice in the Canadian art scene. An award-winning artist and a Signature Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists since 2017, he has participated well over 50 juried exhibitions in the Gallery, earning recognition for his evocative landscapes and poetic realism.

In addition to his gallery work, Igor is an accomplished art-director, concept artist and matte painter in the film and visual effects industry. His contributions span over 60 feature films and game cinematics, including iconic franchises such as Alien, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, and Jurassic World. This unique crossover between fine art and blockbuster cinema infuses his work with a distinctive sense of drama and scale. 

Website - https://www.igorstaritsin.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/igorstaritsin/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/igor.staritsin.10/ 

Student Testimonials:

• " I really valued Igor’s practical, experience-based feedback. He always took the time to respond thoughtfully and go in-depth, ensuring I truly understood each concept. " -Jonathan

• " Igor was going above and beyond to provide us with the feedback and armed us with knowledge we needed to tackle each task. On top of that he is a really nice and open person. I had amazing pleasure to learn and grow along his side. Thank you, Igor. " -Arthur 

• " He’s a great instructor — patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about teaching. His explanations are clear, and he knows how to guide you toward real artistic improvement. " -Jose