Drawing With Scissors: Collage Inspired By Matisse

When Henri Matisse swapped his paint brushes for scissors, he created a new art form that he described as "drawing with scissors". His collage changed contemporary art-making. In this course you'll learn Matisse's technique of cutouts and a new approach to shape, color, and composition.

This course will help you truly grasp such expressive elements as silhouette, design, space, and rhythm, and get your creative juices flowing. You'll start with hand-painting sheets of paper in rich colors to create your own "color palette". This experience will enable you to make two unique works of art by "cutting directly into color", as Matisse called it. Just like Matisse, you will combine abstract shapes with representational forms and explore the special expressive means, where the bold shapes dance across your page with rhythmic intensity. Absolute beginners are welcome.