In this workshop, you will learn how to paint realistic and expressive portraits. Develop your skills in mixing life-like skin tones, creating glowing light effects, and achieving accurate proportions of the face. 

You’ll begin by learning how to draw the head with a brush, using a variety of measuring techniques, then moving on to simple methods for painting shadows, halftones and light. In working from professional photo reference materials, you will create finished portrait paintings in the all prima technique, using imprimatura, ‘tiling’ colour, and glazing techniques. Emphasis will be placed upon accuracy, and capturing the subtle nuances of skin by adjusting colour, edges, value and temperature.

You’ll leave this workshop with everything you need to paint realistic portraits for years to come.

Take a deep dive into widening your scope with creative portraiture. Bringing together traditional and contemporary techniques, emphasis will be on achieving a likeness while experimenting with colour, glazing, texture, and mark-making.

In working from professionally shot photo reference, you will bring together naturalistic skin tones with high voltage colour, and develop a series of dynamic paintings.

Justin will work with you at your own pace, offering personalized technical and creative guidance, along with demos, lectures, and slideshow presentations throughout the course.

In this course, you will examine the skeletal and muscular structures of the human body to create powerful, dynamic and realistic drawings.

Each class begins with a brief anatomy lecture on a specific body region, followed by drawing from the live model. Using basic drawing media in both gestural and long drawings, you will explore the expressive use of line, value, weight and volume, as well as techniques in shading, measurement, and gesture. Emphasis will be placed upon identifying key landmarks, and simplifying anatomy into geometrical shapes and planes.

Attendees of this course will master the anatomical structures that will help them improve their drawings for years to come!

In this essential course, you will learn how to draw realistic portraits with accuracy and expressive force.

Each class begins with a brief anatomy lecture on a specific facial region, followed by drawing from the live model. Using basic drawing media in short & long poses, you will examine the head & facial features from various angles, learning how to draw them into simplified geometrical shapes & planes. Emphasis will be placed upon solidifying structure and proportion, achieving a likeness, and utilizing shading techniques to create convincing, 3-dimensional drawings.

Attendees of this course will be able to draw the head from their imagination with ease, and enjoy greater realism in their portraiture!

In this exciting workshop, you will explore Jenny Saville’s expressive approach to creating powerful and evocative paintings, charged with daring and energetic mark-making. Working from a master copy (choose from a selection of high-resolution images), you will create a fully finished portrait painting, learning Saville’s approach step-by-step. 

Learn how to layer natural skin tones alongside high-voltage colour, and expand your vocabulary of mark-making (drips, splats, scrapes & loaded brushmarks), while maintaining a sense of harmony and realism. The instructor will work with you at your own pace, offering technical and creative guidance, along with brief lectures, slideshows and demonstrations throughout the weekend.