School of Classical Realism


Who are your teachers:

Marissa Oosterlee

She enjoys a good reputation in the world of airbrush and contemporary art, due to an unconventional combination of several techniques, some of them acquired by professional institutes like the Blair School of Art. She has managed to build up a successful career as a classical artist in an amazingly short period of time. This link will lead you to an interview which has been published in 2004, where you can read more about Marissa.

Eddy Wouters

Eddy started his career working as lead artist and art director for several international advertising and illustration agencies. In co-operation with a German publisher, Eddy also established the cornerstone of what would become the largest airbrush magazine in the world. After 10 years, this magazine, which was called Airbrush Art + Action, was re-branded into Art-scene International. Recently he decided to go back to his roots of once again being a full-time illustrator and artist, and also share his knowledge with others.

In co-operation with the Blair School of Art:

Marissa and Eddy are a team, strong enough to cope with virtually any artistic challenge and technique. They are also the only artists in the world qualified by Dru Blair to teach his unique approach towards photorealism, including his color buffer theory.


Workshop Dates 2008:

Product illustrations like this game cover, require the ability to depict a large variery of textures like stone, explosions, metal, and so on. (click image to see a larger version)

There are no prerequisites, however, for those who have no experience with an airbrush at all, we would strongly suggest to enroll in our optional, 1 day, foundation instruction class to be held the day prior to the main class. Make sure to mention the foundation course when you secure your seat.

Other things you should know:

Our Dutch classes are still held at the Pyckestraat 50 in Antwerp (South), Belgium, nearby the Museum of Fine Arts and the old Palace of Justice, 2 landmarks in Antwerp at 15 minutes walking distance.

As mentioned above, our English classes will take place in South Carolina, at the new school of Classical Realism of Dru Blair. More details about these classes will be released very soon, right here at this very spot.

Important:

At request, we will continue to teach English classes in Antwerp. We decided to keep providing this service for European artists who do not wish to travel to the US.

We require a minimum amount of students for this, so if you are a group of minimum 4 and maximum 6 people, feel free to contact us. Depending on your requirements and the overall status of our schedule, we will gladly discuss a date with you for an English class in Antwerp/Belgium.

You do not need to be a 'group' to contact us for this. We can put you on a waiting list and if we have enough people who are willing to participate, we will contact you.



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Product Illustration: This cover was produced for a video game called "Great Invasions'. The client wanted a condensed but vibrant composition that would attract the eye. (click on the image for a larger version).

Photorealistic Portrait class

There are no prerequisites, but for those who have no experience with an airbrush at all, it would be useful to enroll in our optional, 1 day, foundation instruction class to be held the day prior to the main class.

What you learn:

- How to use the right tools and materials to achieve maximum results.

- How your airbrush works: do's and don'ts.

- Understanding color theory and how to use it to your advantage.

- How to create accurate fleshtones and other colors.

- The difference between transparent and opaque colors and when to use them.

- How to work with opaque colors.

- How to properly use white and what influence it has on your images.

- Achieving perfect proportions.

- How to repair small and catastrophic painting errors.

- How to understand and work with light and shadow.

- Checklist with the 10 most important requirements for photorealism.

- How to develop observation skills that allow you to expand your visual discrimination.

- Rendering hair, and how to make it look real.

- How to render details such as hair, lips and eyes with accuracy.

- How to promote your own work.

The classroom is designed as a professional studio, able to accommodate up to 8 airbrush illustrators. The environment is provided with a state of the art color corrected lighting and ventilation system. Everything needed to complete the class is supplied and included. Each student has his own professional workstation, featuring a high end airbrush, paint, x-acto knives, frisk film, acetate etc.

Food is not included, but a refrigerator and microwave are available for students who wish to bring their own snacks. For practical and safety reasons it is not allowed to smoke in the classroom. For those who insist on smoking, there will be a small, designated area outside where an ashtray is available.

This 4-day workshop can be attended for 495 Euro.

As mentioned above, for this workshop there will also be an optional foundation instruction class, for those who have no experience with an airbrush, or for those who want to improve their airbrush control. This will insure that everybody, regardless their level of competence, is able to follow and comprehend the workshops. The instruction class will be held the day before the workshops begin.

This one day class can be attended for 100 Euro.

Note: Prices and itinerary for our US classes will be announced soon.


Photorealistic Illustration class

There are no prerequisites, but for those who have no experience with an airbrush at all, it would be useful to enroll in our optional, 1 day, foundation instruction class to be held the day prior to the main class.

What you learn:

- How to use the right tools and materials to achieve maximum results.

- How your airbrush works: do's and don'ts.

- Understanding color theory and how to use it to your advantage.

- How to create accurate colors.

- The difference between transparent and opaque colors and when to use them.

- How to work with opaque colors.

- How to properly use white and what influence it has on your images.

- How to repair small and catastrophic painting errors.

- How to understand and work with light and shadow.

- Photorealism and it's rightful place in the commercial world.

- Checklist with the 10 most important requirements for photorealism.

- How to develop observation skills that allow you to expand your visual discrimination.

- How to master texturing techniques that allow you to render various materials like glass, stone, water drops, clouds, fire, metal, wood and other attributes that illustrators are often called upon to produce.

- How to promote your own work.

The classroom is designed as a professional studio, able to accommodate up to 8 airbrush illustrators. The environment is provided with a state of the art color corrected lighting and ventilation system. Everything needed to complete the class is supplied and included. Each student has his own professional workstation, featuring a high end airbrush, paint, x-acto knives, frisk film, acetate etc.

Food is not included, but a refrigerator and microwave are available for students who wish to bring their own snacks. For practical and safety reasons it is not allowed to smoke in the classroom. For those who insist on smoking, there will be an designated area outside where an ashtray is available.

This 4-day workshop can be attended for 495 Euro.

As mentioned above, for this workshop there will also be an optional foundation instruction class, for those who have no experience with an airbrush, or for those who want to improve their airbrush control. This will insure that everybody, regardless their level of competence, is able to follow and comprehend the workshops. The instruction class will be held the day before the workshops begin.

This one day class can be attended for 100 Euro.

Note: Prices and itinerary for our US classes will be announced soon.


MASTER TRAINING I

Course material: Photorealistic Portraits
Important: To finish this Master Training with success, it is necessary that you have sufficient knowledge of the special color theory and how to apply it, as demonstrated and practiced in-depth in our portrait and illustration classes. Therefore it is necessary that you attend at least two workshops before you sign in for this Master Training.
This will also enable the instructors to determine whether or not the student has enough creative potential to achieve a highly professional level in photorealism within a short period of time.

This 7-day training session is limited to 4 students and will be priced as follows:

- After following 2 courses: 995 Euro
- After following 3 courses: 895 Euro
- After following 4 or more courses: 795 Euro

Note: Prices and itinerary for our US classes will be announced soon.

You are given the opportunity to finish a photorealistic portrait within 7 days, under intensive supervision. You will learn how to work under pressure, just as would be the case with a real assignment, without having to sacrifice on quality.

Attendees of these sessions will be selected and invited to join, based on their achievement during regular classes. The course will be very intensive and based on similar conditions as how you would work as an illustrator or intern in a professional art-studio.

What else do you learn:

- How to take full advantage of dramatic compositions, light and shadow to give your artwork added value.

- How to achieve maximum impact with your portraits.

- Checklist with the most important rules (guidelines) of portraiture.

- How to recognize potential problems with reference from your clients.

- How to avoid pitfalls when you make or choose your own reference.

- How to make a professional portfolio and convince customers that you are the artist they want to work with.

MASTER TRAINING II

Course material: Fantasy Art
Important: To finish this Master Training with success, it is necessary that you have sufficient knowledge of the special color theory and how to apply it, as demonstrated and practiced in-depth in our portrait and illustration classes. Therefore it is necessary that you attend at least two workshops before you sign in for this Master Training.
This will also enable the instructors to determine whether or not the student has enough creative potential to achieve a highly professional level in fantasy pin-up art within a short period of time.

This 7-day training session is limited to 4 students and will be priced as follows:

- After following 2 courses: 995 Euro
- After following 3 courses: 885 Euro
- After following 4 or more courses: 795 Euro

Note: Prices and itinerary for our US classes will be announced soon.

You are given the opportunity to finish a fantasy warrior or setting within 7 days, under intensive supervision. You will learn how to work under pressure, just as would be the case with a real assignment, without having to sacrifice on quality.

Attendees of these sessions will be selected and invited to join, based on their achievement during regular classes. The course will be very intensive and based on similar conditions as how you would work as an illustrator or intern in a professional art-studio.

What else do you learn:

- How to manipulate color, light and shadow to give your paintings more impact.

- How to increase your creative potential to design and render original props like clothing and various other fantasy attributes.

- Checklist with the most important rules (guidelines) of fantasy art.

- How to find or make your own reference by using photography or digital and other techniques.

- How to make a professional portfolio and convince customers that you are the artist they want to work with.

MASTER TRAINING III

Course material: Photorealistic Super Cars
Important: To finish this Master Training with success, it is necessary that you have sufficient knowledge of the special color theory and how to apply it, as demonstrated and practiced in-depth in our portrait and illustration classes. Therefore it is necessary that you attend at least two workshops before you sign in for this Master Training.
This will also enable the instructors to determine whether or not the student has enough creative potential to achieve a highly professional level in creating photorealistic super cars within a short period of time.

This 7-day training session is limited to 4 students and will be priced as follows:

- After following 2 courses: 995 Euro
- After following 3 courses: 885 Euro
- After following 4 or more courses: 795 Euro

Note: Prices and itinerary for our US classes will be announced soon.

You are given the opportunity to finish a photorealistic Formula I car within 7 days, under intensive supervision. You will learn how to work under pressure, just as would be the case with a real assignment, without having to sacrifice on quality.

Attendees of these sessions will be selected and invited to join, based on their achievement during regular classes. The course will be very intensive and based on similar conditions as how you would work as an illustrator or intern in a professional art-studio.

What else do you learn:

- How to take full advantage of dramatic compositions, light and shadow.

- How to achieve maximum impact with your illustrations.

- Checklist with the most important rules (guidelines) of depicting super-cars.

- How to give your artwork added value.

- How to make a professional portfolio and convince customers that you are the artist they want to work with.

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