Imagine Yourself Creative
Portrait Painting Workshop – Charcoal to Oils
A One Day In-Person Workshop for All Skill Levels
£115.00
Including All Materials
This portrait painting workshop allows you to discover the satisfaction of building a portrait in oils, focusing on shape and value. I’ve created this workshop for beginners who want a clear, structured route into portrait painting, a simple way of seeing that actually works.You’ll begin looking at notans and choosing your subject. Setting you up for success and what makes a good subject? We’ll continue to explore in charcoals for tone and shapes, then with a clear understanding move into oil paint.We’ll be working with the Zorn palette: just four colours (white, yellow ochre, cadmium red and black) used by John Singer Sargent and Anders Zorn himself.With so few colours to choose from, you’re free to focus on what really makes a portrait convincing, value and form, rather than getting lost colour.Through a live demonstration and guided one-to-one painting, you’ll learn to see the head as simple geometric planes turning through light, mix convincing shadows and build a portrait with real solidity and life in it. Working from your own images or a selection of mine.This workshop is perfect for complete beginners to oil painting, and equally suited to anyone who’s painted before but wants to build on basics and build a stronger foundation.
What you’ll learn:
- Seeing and blocking in the head as simple form shapes
- Reading the five value families: highlight, light plane, core shadow, reflected light and cast shadow
- Mixing a full range of flesh tones and shadow colour from just four paints
- Edge control — where to go sharp and where to lose an edge
- Using reflected light to bring a shadow to life without losing its depth
I aim for simplicity in all my creative work, and this includes my workshops. I keep numbers limited to 5 or 6 students on my workshops, this allows me to offer detailed one to one instruction throughout the day. You may also be interested in my Oil Painting Workshop – Still Life
Included in the workshop is everything you’ll need for your exploration into portrait painting for the day.
- Easel and canvas paper or board, charcoal and papers.
- Zorn palette oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, ivory black), medium and brushes.
- Excellent, high-quality subject material and references to work from.
- Detailed structured teaching notes that accompany the workshop to take home.
- Refreshments, tea, coffee and homemade cake.
Please see the tab below What To Bring for more information.
We’ll start with a short, visual introduction to seeing the head in simple form shapes and a demonstration in charcoal and encourage you to do the same. After we understand the shapes we are working with we’ll move into oil paint, either painting a tonal study or painting with the Zorn paletteFrom there I’ll demonstrate a full block-in, working with a big, simple shadow shape and no detail, you’ll be following the same steps on your own canvas alongside me.This will take us up to a relaxed lunch break. The afternoon moves into value gradation within the shadow itself, mixing a convincing Skin tones from the Zorn palette, edge quality, and incorporating reflected light, the detail that brings a shadow to life rather than leaving it flat and finally focusing on the likeness of the subject.We’ll wrap up somewhere around 4.00 with a relaxed look at everyone’s work before we say our goodbyes.
This workshop is for everyone. All my Imagine Yourself Creative workshops are structured to cater for a wide range of abilities, and reflect my teaching style – one small imaginative step at a time.My own artwork is a blend of process and practise founded on a few simple rules, one of which is to keep things as simple as possible.If you’ve found portraits intimidating in the past, this workshop will give you a concrete, repeatable process and the techniques to fully explore your portraiture.You don’t need to be able to draw a perfect likeness on day one. You need curiosity, patience with the process, and a willingness to work in big simple shapes before chasing detail.
When you have a beginners mindset, you’re not worried about looking smart. You’re more interested in exploration, discovery, asking questions, trying new things, and perhaps above all you see opportunities instead of obstacles in your learning experience.
How to Practice the Beginner’s MindsetAsk more questions. Especially basic fundamental questions.Be open to feedback. This should feel like a conversation between you and your creative project.Let go of being right. Focus on being open, learning not winning.Try something completely new. We are numbed by comfort, push yourself into a new space.Stay curious. Imagine how a child would respond to what you see and feel.
You can read the full Imagine Yourself Creative post on my blog [here]
My purpose built studio is located in East Cowton, DL7 0DX (Noble Fine Art), which is about 6 miles north of Northallerton. It’s a creative space where in addition to running art workshops I offer picture framing, fine art reproduction, scanning and giclée printing, along with (my husband’s) lovely old vintage printing presses.
Please click the link Contact Me & Studio Location Map above to view more details on my location.
What to bring? All you need is suitable comfortable clothing and a packed lunch, the studio is well heated. There’s a small kitchen area with tea and coffee making facilities, a fridge, microwave and toaster in the studio which are all available for use. I recommend an apron or old shirt, and a beginners mindset, everything else is provided.
Read the Imagine Yourself Creative Beginners Mindset post on my blog [here].
The studio is a new building with good access which is suitable for wheelchairs, and all of my courses take place on the ground floor directly through the main double door access to the studio.We have a small kitchen area with tea and coffee making facilities, a fridge, microwave and toaster which are all available for student use. The kitchen is immediately accessible from the central ground floor area.
Click the Contact Me & Studio Location Map link in the top section of the page for more details.
Younger Students – 14 to 16 are always very welcome, though they will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Gift Vouchers – Being creative is one of the most therapeutic pursuits, and benefits us in so many ways, improving our mental health, concentration and focus, and in generating a sense of well-being.
You can purchase a gift voucher for £25 / £50 / £100 which you can use against any course / workshop & one to one tuition, or use against purchases for framing, prints and original fine art.
If you’d like any more information please just click on the link in the upper section of the page Contact Me & Studio Location Map.
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan, and if you’re unable to attend a course you’ve paid for, and would like to cancel I will always try and accommodate any request as fairly as possible. In any case, please just get in touch.
More than 8 weeks notice – You’ll receive a refund of 80% of the cost of the course.
More than 4 weeks notice – I’ll transfer you to another workshop / course to the same value. If there isn’t a suitable one free, your credit will be maintained and you’ll get priority bookings as more courses are released. Or, as below I’m happy someone to take your place.
Less than 4 weeks – I’m happy for a family member or friend to take your place, just let me have there details to confirm the booking.
