Review: Jar's Beginner Class, Augsburg, Germany

Hi!

So, some feedback on the "practicalities" of the course

 - stress that one should take "a lot" of superglue :D

 - there are calipers in the "material to bring" list - I guess there is a reason for that (like checking bricks/stuff for scale), but maybe this could be marked as optional (I don't remember anybody using it)

 - other that these nitpicks, everything was absolutely smooth and well thought out!

 - I liked the example pictures - as somebody else also said - I've read what you said many times before, but this finally made sense

 - the obvious simplicity of not saying "do someting, because I say so" but "do something because reasons" and more importantly "do something, because you feel like it"

 - I love that you refuse to make the "vision" decisions for the students, but then strive to help making the outcome awesome

And the emotional one - feel free to use it (or parts of it) publicly, or not, whatever 8=D

Before the beginner class, I have not painted a miniature for almost a year - you could say that I burned out, and was having a hard time finding the fun in what seemed to be a chore (painting an army just so I can play with the tiny soldiers was the last proverbial straw breaking the camel's neck). Add the everpresent "you must paint as a demigod, or it's not worth it" mindset on dem interwebz, and the recipe for disaster is complete.

But man, I have to tell you, after building the display base (first one in my life), I was happy, and then you showed us the careless, yet awesome way of sketching the mood, and I was on the emotional top - wanted to scream in joy and jump around 8=D This alone unlocked the fun in painting for me, once again.

Of course, on top of all of that - you are an awesome person, with great heart, and if you mix in all the other people on the fun-train, all the jokes, helpful tips, subtle puns, music, and the smell of the jungle... I'm going to miss this a lot, but it is a happy place in my mind, to which I'll be traveling each time I grab a paintbrush.

All in all, I absolutely loved the whole weekend, and I hope I'll be able to come back to studio again!

- Josef

"It was/is a perfect class. I was able to develop my painting skills and the best thing is that I gained freedom from color recipes. During the last year while I was painting and tried to improve I bought myself more and more paints because i thought I "needed " them to receive the results I saw on pictures and posts which listed: "colors used:...". When I moved I saw the ridiculous amount of paints i had and decided something had to change. You taught the course very professional and you made this change happen for me! While being in class I felt how much fun and joy can be involved in and during the painting process and that finding your own colors is very freeing and makes more fun than just using the "premixed" colors from a pot (and it's a cheaper as well ). So once more at this point: Thank you Roman for this amazing class! I'm looking forward to take some more classes taught by you in future! 
Best wishes"                                                                                                                         -Uwe



Teaching in the MV studio is just so wonderful.
I am a much more relaxed teacher if I am not travelling the world. Something my students benefit from, but well, they also have to make their way to Augsburg. As this was an international, english languaged class I was proud and honoured to see students come from Austria, Germany, Canada, the US, the Netherlands, France (Australia :D) and Czech Republic (right, Josef?) ...

Thanks to everyone for joining up,
also to Johannes, the repeater of the class to manifest his knowledge while not painting a demonette. Did you know? If you take this seminar for the first time you have to paint up a demonette. If you are doing it again, you can arrive with your project and your questions and I will help you through your questions :)



Base beauty ...

A burned down house on a base ...

Basing buffet ready ...

When it comes to basing I got to thank the supporters of this class who made the class wonderful due their help in sponsoring some of their products, beside my own crazy material collection:

PK-Pro
Sockelmacher
Juweela
Modelmates
and Kellerkind Miniatures.

This review is quite mixed up when it comes to photos. It will not follow the structure of the class.
Call it a freestyle review  :)

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feel invited to check back with

Some bases after priming ...






Time for painting and understanding colors better:



Alex is very focused ...


The word 'beginner' might be confusing to many first time participants of this class.
It is not a class for 'only' beginners. In fact it is a class for every person, at every age interested in figure painting, whatever their experience level is.

'Beginners class' means here that Roman aka jarhead gives an introduction into his way of thinking while painting, in detail a lot of important theory is explained while doing a walk through Art History and is used in practical exercises. During the weekend you will not only learn to improve your painting skills, you will also learn the 'Why?' behind everything explained and with that you will be able to teach yourself in your own hobby future by just recognizing what nature has to offer.


The theory parts contain:

- Learn to see your world with different eyes
- Introduction into basing composition
- Learn how to feel harmony in different aspects
- Important contrasts for figure painting
- Explanation about how to paint a light situation on your figure
- Understand colour theory and learn how to use it properly
- Learn about different materials, their unique properties and learn to paint them
- Learn to lose fear of doing something wrong
- much more!

More reviews!

Even due the heat in the studio we painted on for the full weekend.
Tons of theory, combined with painting time and once in a while a little break and food did lead to wonderful results.

Looking at the results of my students I can only say "wow!" ...
Every project is telling a story in color and basing. As a teacher I know exactly what I want to explain in all these different portions on the class and I can always see if it is understood as a full seminar by its results.

Thank you all for enjoying the class so much!

Keep on happy painting!
Best Wishes
Roman

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