Service Description

Two-Day Portrait Painting From Life Develop a portrait painting directly from a professional model over two focused days. Working from the same pose throughout the workshop gives you time to move beyond a quick study and develop a more considered painting. Through demonstrations and individual guidance, I’ll teach you a clear process for taking a portrait from the initial drawing and tonal block-in through to colour, refinement and finish. The aim is not simply to complete one painting, but to develop a practical approach that you can apply to future portraits from life. Day 1 — Drawing, Structure and Block-In We begin by establishing the placement, proportions and underlying structure of the head. You’ll learn how to simplify what you see into clear shapes, organise the main light and shadow pattern and create a strong tonal foundation for the painting. Day 2 — Colour, Modelling and Refinement On the second day, we develop the portrait in colour, focusing on flesh-tone mixtures, temperature changes and modelling three-dimensional form. We’ll then refine the likeness, edges and smaller transitions while keeping the painting unified and avoiding unnecessary overworking. What You’ll Learn * Measuring and placing the features accurately * Understanding the structure and proportions of the head * Simplifying complex forms into clear shapes * Organising light and shadow * Creating a strong tonal block-in * Mixing natural and believable flesh tones * Modelling form with paint * Controlling edges and levels of finish * Refining likeness without losing the overall structure Who Is It For? The workshop is suitable for beginners with some drawing or painting experience, as well as intermediate painters who want to strengthen their approach to working directly from life. ### An Intimate Studio Workshop The workshop takes place in my working studio at Magdalen Road Studios in Oxford. The class size is deliberately kept intimate, creating a focused and supportive environment in which every participant receives the individual attention, feedback and practical guidance necessary to make meaningful progress. ### What’s Included * Two full days of tuition * The same professional model across both days * Painting demonstrations throughout * Individual feedback and guidance * A completed portrait study to take home * A structured process you can continue using independently A full materials list and practical information will be sent after