Foundations of Portrait Drawing & Painting
Drawing and painting is essentially about shape. How wide. How tall. What are the angles. Learning to see and strike shape accurately is an acquired skill. And everything else builds upon that premise.
You begin at absolute ground zero. Learning to accurately draw rectangles. Sure, it's not slick but it is effective and indispensible. From there you acquire the skill of drawing shape. And that is where the likeness of the portrait resides -- in the big shape which I call the arabesque. Terminology implies intent.
Module 1: Shape & Proportion is your foundation. Here you are trained to see and strike shape. The workshop is designed so that you can check the accuracy of your drawing and to make the necessary adjustments. Every time you strike, verify and correct you are acquiring and sharpening this critical skill.
Module 1: Shape & Proportion is comprised of twenty chapters. Running time: 5 hours 26 minutes. Review the syllabus and supply list.
This is a sample chapter, unedited, but reduced in file size and resolution for your perusal.
Order Module 1: Shape & Proportion for $197
OR BEST VALUE: Order all four modules for only $297 (SAVE $491)
Module 2: The Facial Features Having acquired the skill set of rendering the architecture of facial form we proceed to understanding the structures of the facial features in both the frontal and the 7/8’s profile view.
It is poor practice to learn drawing from the photograph. Drawing/Painting is a distinct language from that of the photograph which often distorts and presents an exaggerated depth of field. Instead you will study the facial features from my template paintings.
Module 2: The Facial Features is comprised of eighteen chapters. Running time: 5 hours 50 minutes. Review the syllabus and supply list.
Order Module 2: The Facial Features for $197
OR BEST VALUE: Order all four modules for only $297 (SAVE $491)
Module 3: Elements of Portrait Drawing Applying the lessons learned and skills acquired in Modules 1 and 2 you proceed to putting it all together in a structural portrait drawing. Step-by-step beginning with striking the arabesque and establishing the facial matrix you proceed to constructing the planar elements and feature placements to render a convincing, three-dimensional portrait drawing. Bonus: Module 3 also includes two practice templates and my Atlas of Facial Anatomy video and PDF textbook. A $97 value!
Module 3: The Elements of Portrait Drawing is comprised of fourteen chapters. Running time: 4 hours 21 minutes. Review the syllabus and supply list.
Order Module 3: The Elements of Portrait Drawing for $197
OR BEST VALUE: Order all four modules for only $297 (SAVE $491)
Module 4: Beginning Portrait Painting John Singer Sargent’s portrait study of Rosina Ferrera (Capri Woman) is an excellent starting point for the beginning portraitist. It proffers a solid planar structure that is accessible to the beginner’s understanding of facial form.
Here you will learn to draw with the brush, foregoing the restrictions imposed by a preliminary drawing, and to block in the primary light/dark pattern.
From there you will learn how to 'serve it up in the abstract', following Sargent's curriculum of developing the ebauche with three half-tones and constructing the planar forms seeing through the eyes of a sculptor.
A limited palette of four colors—white, yellow ochre, indian red and vine/ivory black—is your initiation into mixing flesh tones. It is much more efficient to learn how to master the subtleties of flesh tones with this restricted palette than to begin with an expansive range of colors. That comes later.
Module 4: Beginning Portrait Painting is comprised of twelve chapters. Running time: 4 hours 40 minutes. Review the syllabus and supply list.
Order Module 4: Beginning to Paint for $197
OR BEST VALUE: Order all four modules for only $297 (SAVE $491)
