Course Description

This workshop will focus on Portrait Painting Fundamentals. The instructor will demonstrate on day one how to Block-in directly on the canvas with the brush. No previous drawing or transfer is necessary. The painting will be developed in 4 Layer: Block-in, Underpainting, Form Pass and Over Passes. Diana will explain each step with demos and lectures, including the structure of the head, comparative measurements, color properties, Light and form. Students begin working on day one in the afternoon session after Diana’s morning demo. A long pose will serve the student to slow down and learn how to work from observation and achieve likeness and naturalism.

A fundamental part of the workshop will focus on understanding our palette and characteristics of color: Hue, Value and Chroma. Diana will lecture and demo at the beginning of the class, followed by individual critiques.

See detail schedule below: 

Day 1: Direct Block in with Raw Umber on the canvas. Lecture on the Structure of the Head and Comparative Measurements in the morning. Students work in the afternoon, individual critiques.

Day 2: Diluted and abbreviated Underpainting using Raw umber and White. Demo in the morning. Students continue working on their block-in of necessary or begin the underpainting. Individual critiques.

Day 3: Form Pass with Color. Demo and Lecture on Color and Form in the morning. Students begin working in the afternoon. Individual critiques.

Day 4: Form rendering continues. Diana demoes alongside the students while they work in their paintings. Students work all day. Individual Critiques all day.

Day 5: Final day. Diana will explain how to come back to a painting to do the revision passes, including the Oil out technique, Palette knife scrapping, and sand paper technique. During the revision passes, the Over Passes are made as well, such as Glazings, Stumbling and Impasto. Diana will explain the differences of each one and their applications. Lecture and demo in part of the morning, students begin to work after the demo. Individual critiques.

Diana recommends using the Apelles or Limited palette and work on linen. Please see the the supply list.

This workshop is open to all levels of painting, however, a previous knowledge of drawing is strongly recommended.