Workshops & Classes
Classes at Portland Community College, Continuing Education:
Students benefit from a lifetime of knowledge compressed into just two sessions, with demos, notes, personal attention, and constructive critiques.
Prior experience helpful, or expected in advanced courses.
Most classes are at the PCC Rock Creek campus, Beaverton, Oregon.
Review all classes at https://www.pcc.edu/staff/edward-labadie/
Enroll Online at https://www.pcc.edu/community/registration or phone 971 722-8888.
Sorry, Continuing Ed does not offer a wait list; register prior to beginning of a new Term.
Note 50% discount for age 62+ at PCC. Apply at 971 722-8888 after enrollment.
Sketching and Painting
Monitor PCC Registration for 2025 classes.
Combine quick sketches and painting in one class. Small black and white sketches are brilliant guides to design and compose superior paintings. Simplify a complex scene with rapid studies, edit, invent, then advance to better watercolors or acrylics. Learn painting methods, tools and techniques. Visual aids, class notes, demos, analysis techniques and valuable constructive critiques included. Prior experience helpful.
Advanced Acrylics
Two Saturdays, Feb 8 and 15, 2025, 9 am to 3 pm. CRN 15307
Explore the special characteristics of acrylics, from washes to glazes and final opaque brush strokes. Learn to use the transparent qualities – similar to watercolors, AND opaque features – similar to oils. Discover how Gesso can help resurrect a troubled painting and launch you into new inspired directions. Prior experience helpful.
Land and Sea Painting
Two Saturdays, Dec 7 and 14, 9 am to 3 pm.
Learn to master traditional landscapes, seascapes, or any celebration of nature in watercolors or acrylics in two comprehensive sessions. Capture light and atmosphere; explore essential design and composition lessons; discover the similarities and techniques of both mediums. Prior experience helpful.
Intermediate and Advanced Watercolors
Two Saturdays, Mar 1 and 8, 9 am to 3 pm. CRN 13928
Master advanced watercolor techniques: masking, large washes, wet-into-wet techniques, layering (glazing) to build values, refine colors, and define subjects. Also, analysis techniques to evaluate works in progress to expose shortcomings, edit distractions, add refinements, make corrections. Prior experience required.
Stop Dithering, Start Creating
Two Saturdays, Jan 25 and Feb 1, 9 am to 3 pm. CRN 13315
Celebrate imagination and creativity with novel tasks and experiments; overcome temptation to obsess over inconsequential details. Stimulating exercises present pathways for inspiration, new directions, and personal creative growth. Acrylic or watercolor. Expect encouragement, demos, practical painting techniques. Prior experience helpful.
Acrylics and Oils Immersion
6 Fridays, Feb 14, 21, 28. Mar 7, 14, 21, 10 am to 12:50 pm. CRN 15306. Willow Creek Campus
Join this community of painters who work on individual projects. Focus on encouragment of individual style in oils or acrylics. Ed guides students with new skills, techniques, and creative problem solving. For painters with basic experience.