Oil Painting Studies Certificate Program

interlochen online oil painting studies certificate

Next session begins Jan. 12

Tuition Rate: $799

Rates increase Jan. 1

Register Now

Speak with an Advisor

FAQs

Learn the fundamental techniques of oil painting, like how to mix colors and get the most out of your brushes, and walk away with several still life and landscape paintings of your own with a clear understanding of how to continue your creative process.

Taught by a world-class artist and educator, the Oil Painting Studies certificate program offers a unique opportunity to deepen your craft, earn a valuable credential, and receive credit from Interlochen. This program is designed for both adults and teens and consists of three four-week courses that must be taken in sequential order.

Introduction to Oil Painting

✔Mix oil paints and prepare a canvas for painting
✔Discuss the history, advantages, and examples of oil painting
✔Apply the five basic rules of composition to your paintings
✔Create a viewfinder for any canvas that you will paint
✔Draw thumbnail sketches to help you visualize your paintings
✔Determine or set the light source for maximum impact on and consistency with your compositions
✔Set, light, compose, and paint a still life

Still Life Oil Painting

✔Identify and put into practice 6-10 different strategies for creating strong compositions
✔Set your own still life of colored objects including background draping
✔Identify line, shape, and color in your still life subjects
✔Draw a still life to paint, with an understanding of why it is important to draw your composition before it is painted
✔Understand the concepts of transparency and translucency and use them in your paintings
✔Mix shades of gray without using black and create shadows with complementary colors
✔Create a still life by balancing tonal values, working on shadows and highlights, and putting finishing touches in place

Landscape Oil Painting

✔Create the underpainting of a landscape composition
✔Paint variations of skies, clouds, trees, and other foliage
✔Observe the color of water and how to create movement with it on canvas
✔Add shadows to your painting by using the complementary color palette
✔Complete your landscape painting, with the foreground, shadows, and finishing touches
Courses

Tuition

$ 897   $799

Ages

Teens: Grades 6-12

Adult Learners: Ages 18+

Register Now

Expert guidance
Receive direct, personalized feedback from a professional artist.
Collaborate
Work with your instructor and peers through messaging or optional real-time weekly classes.
Learn on your own schedule
Explore meaningful instruction in about five hours a week per course.
Real growth
Develop skills and projects that are important to your artistic and professional growth.
For all students:

✔ A respected credential from Interlochen Online
✔ Physical and shareable digital certificate upon completion
✔ A portfolio of completed, polished projects
✔ A strengthened résumé, college application, or LinkedIn profile

For middle school and high school students:

✔ An official transcript awarding high school credit
✔ Accreditation by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)

No, course sections are designed for their respective age groups, either for adults (students 18 and older) or young people (students under 18).

Yes, there are eight sessions of courses per year. View the academic calendar for more session dates.

Meet the Faculty

Jeannette Pomeroy

Instructor of Visual Arts

Questions? Speak with an Advisor.

Email: online@interlochen.org 

Phone: 231.276.5990 

You can also schedule an appointment.

Start Your Next Masterpiece with Confidence

Get access to 5 Composition Rules Every Painter Should Know, an exclusive guide developed by Interlochen Online faculty.

An Interlochen students works on her still life oil painting