Full Course Details
10 x 3 hour sessions, once per week, spread out over 10 weeks (specific weekly times to be decided between student & tutor). ‘Zoom’ is to be used for all tutorials (web-based video conferencing tool, downloadable for free.)
To download Zoom click here.
What topics does the course cover?
- Portrait painting (with elements of drawing)
- Shape
- Tone (light & dark)
- Colour
- Glazing Technique
- Grisaille Technique (grey underpainting)
- Verdaccio Technique (green underpainting, used for skin)
- Portrait Composition
- Drawing/Sketching
By the end of this course you will:
Have a further understanding of how to identify shape, tone and colour, with specific regard to painting portraits. Have experience of using glazing techniques, using grey underpainting to create a sense of 3D form (grisaille technique), to help create more convincing skin tones; and different applications of thickness and texture of paint.
What will I be required to do during the online tutorials, and will I be required to do homework?
Presentations are given by Carl Randall to illustrate methods and ideas, with which students will then use to make their own work during the lesson, in response to what was shown in the presentations. It is advisable for students to have a pencil and paper to hand, to take notes during presentations. You will generally not be required to homework. To get the most out of the learning experience, students are strongly encouraged to continue practising exercises set in lessons during lessons their own time, though this is optional. For the first three lessons, students will work from photographs (provided by the tutor), and the remaining seven lessons will be from a live model (provided and organised by the school).
Use of ‘Padlet’
Students will be required to upload their work onto the Heatherleys ‘Padlet’ account (a free online sharing and teaching and sharing platform). This will allow the tutor and other students to see work you produce, and for group discussions to occur. Details of this will be sent to you nearer the time of the start of the course. The tutor will show you how to use it, if you are not familiar with it. Access to a digital camera will be required for this (mobile phone is fine), in order to take photos of your work and upload it onto Padlet.
Notes about online meetings.
For privacy and copyright reasons, all forms of recording of the presentations and lessons are strictly prohibited (audio, video, screen-grabs etc) – without the express permission of the tutor (for example when the tutor may occasionally instruct you to do so, as part of the learning exercise).
Please also note that presentations start exactly at start of the scheduled meeting. Therefore, please ensure you are on time. Usually meetings are open 30 mins in advance of their starting, which you welcome to sign into early. The school or tutor cannot be responsible for students not being able to sign in on time, or for any internet connection problems on the students side.
COURSE SCHEDULE & DESCRIPTION:
Lesson 1: Shape (drawing)
1/3 (three lesson project).
Using pencil on paper, students will be taught how to identify shape within the human head, with regard to patterns & shapes created by light & shadow. In this lesson (and the following 2 lessons/for the entirety of this 3-lesson project), students will work from photograph provided by the tutor.
Materials required: Canvas or canvas board (medium size), and a piece of paper the same size as the canvas (for example, if your canvas will be 45 x 35cm, then your piece of paper should also be 45 x 35cm). Graphite pencils (2B or 4B), compressed charcoal, paper, erasers.
Lesson 2: Tone (light & dark). 2/3 (three lesson project).
2/3 (three lesson project).
Using black & white paint, a tonal portrait is created, using the drawing made in the first week as the blueprint.
Materials required: Painting paper or canvas, brushes, paints (only black & white), brushes, painting medium (eg. Oil Painting Medium, Liquin, Zest-it, or Linseed Oil).
Lesson 3: Colour
3/3 (three lesson project).
Colour is dry/brushed on top of the previous lessons tonal painting. This is in practise and preparation for lesson 6, when you will be repeating the process except with a live model.
Materials required: Painting paper or canvas, brushes, paints (full colour), brushes, painting medium (eg. Oil Painting Medium, Liquin, Zest-it, or Linseed Oil).
Lesson 4 : Shape (drawing). Grisaille project step 1.
1/3 (three lesson project).
Using pencil on paper, students will be taught how to identify shape within the human head, with regard to patterns & shapes created by light & shadow.
Materials required: Canvas or canvas board (medium size), and a piece of paper the same size as the canvas (for example, if your canvas will be 45 x 35cm, then your piece of paper should also be 45 x 35cm). Graphite pencils (2B or 4B), paper, erasers.
Lesson 5: Tonal underpainting in grey. Grisaille project step 2.
2/3 (three lesson project).
Using black & white paint, a tonal portrait is created, using the drawing made in the first week as the blueprint.
Materials required: Painting paper or canvas, brushes, paints (only black & white), brushes, painting medium (eg. Oil Painting Medium, Liquin, Zest-it, or Linseed Oil).
Lesson 6: Colour on top of tonal underpainting. Grisaille project step 3.
3/3 (three lesson project).
Colour is dry-brushed on top of previous lessons tonal painting.
Materials required: Painting paper or canvas, brushes, paints (full colour), brushes, painting medium (eg. Oil Painting Medium, Liquin, Zest-it, or Linseed Oil).
Lesson 7: Using thick paint and strong brush marks to create a portrait.
1/1 (one lesson project)
Materials required: Painting paper or canvas, brushes, paints (full colour), brushes, painting medium (eg. Oil Painting Medium, Liquin, Zest-it, or Linseed Oil).
Lesson 8: Using a palette knife to create a portrait.
1/1 (one lesson project)
Materials required: Painting paper or canvas, palette knife, paints (full colour), brushes, painting medium (eg. Oil Painting Medium, Liquin, Zest-it, or Linseed Oil).
Lesson 9: Painting a portrait using different paint applications
1/2 (two lesson project)
Creating a portrait using a variety of different marks and paint applications.
Materials required: Painting paper or canvas, brushes, paints (full colour), brushes, painting medium (eg. Oil Painting Medium, Liquin, Zest-it, or Linseed Oil).
Lesson 10: Painting a portrait using different paint applications
2/2 (two lesson project)
Creating a portrait using a variety of different marks and paint applications.
Materials required: Palette knife, painting paper or canvas, brushes, paints (full colour), brushes, painting medium (eg. Oil Painting Medium, Liquin, Zest-it, or Linseed Oil).
