Portrait Workshop

Creating refined, lifelike portraits with Mixed Methods

This hands-on intensive portrait workshop will include exercises, demonstrations, one-on-one guidance and feedback, as well as discussions on composition, value, planes of the face, and color. 

Exercises and discussions will include: 

• Tools for laying out and planning your portrait
• Creating depth in skin tones
• layering and glazing
• The effective use of "nontraditional" color schemes in the face and how to make them! . 
• how to personalize and use your photo references so you are not simply copying. 
• Intentional and effectively using mixed media as a means of enhancing the portrait
• Color as tool for creating harmony 

Things to know before you register: 

• • You will be automatically registered when you pay in full and you will receive a welcome email. 

• • This class is suitable for those with an existing studio practice and not absolute beginners as we will not be covering the basics.  Please have familiarity with basic color mixing and paint handling
  • I will be working with acrylic and water based mediums.  

Materials:

You can use any good quality acrylic and mediums that you like. 

For example: I like Golden brand, Utrecht, Liquitex, Winsor and Newton (there are many more).

The links I provided are only for reference and may not be available outside the US. In most cases there is a suitable alternative. 

The paint colors I listed below are suggestions.  It is not necessary to have every one of these paint colors.  For example, if you have raw umber instead of burnt umber or cadmium yellow hue instead of cadmium yellow light- that is fine!  In most cases I suggest you use what you have and supplement your supplies after the course when you decide what you’d like to incorporate. 

Suggested Acrylic Paints:

• Zinc White

• Titanium White

• Black (any)

• Yellow Ochre

• Burnt Umber 

• Cadmium Yellow Light

• Cadmium Red light

• Ultramarine blue

• Pthalo Green

• Turquoise Blue or Teal
  

Mediums:

Again, these are suggestions.  In this case the heavy gel is being used as an adhesive for those that want to explore mixed media. You can use any medium that is compatible with your acrylic paint.  We will be using the fluid medium to create glazes.  

• 8 oz jar Heavy gel in sheen of your choice 

https://www.dickblick.com/products/golden-heavy-acrylic-gel-mediums/?fromSearch=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fsearchword%3Dheavy%20gel%20gloss

Other Materials:

• Palette knife or spatula

• A variety of small and large brushes that you’ll be comfortable working with as long as they are suitable for acrylics.  Be sure to include a couple of detail brushes and larger brushes for background etc.  You may want to also include a wide, 2  inch inexpensive brush for applying mediums.

• Palette (disposable paper palettes work well)

• Drawing materials such as pencils, markers, charcoal, scrap papers. 

• Spray bottle for water

• Rags or shop towels.  

• Your choice of mixed media- ephemera, fabrics, found objects, etc. 

For example: Playing cards, newspapers, maps, phonebooks, ads, postcards, parking tickets, old letters, old photographs, paper bags, business cards, ticket stubs & stamps.