The Self-Portrait from Observation
The Self-Portrait from Observation
This four-session online course will guide students through the process of painting a self-portrait from observation. Each pre-recorded session begins with a slide lecture in which we discuss examples of the self-portrait throughout history and in contemporary painting. During the second half of each session I do a live painting demonstration, building week by week from a color study to a finished portrait along with the class. Instruction will include composition, drawing with paint, making use of a limited palette, and the structure of the head.
Details:
Each pre-recorded session is 2.5 hours long and includes a lecture, demo, and Q & A or critique. These videos are available to view on an ongoing basis.
Assignments are included with each session and you are invited to work through them at your own pace.
Session 1: More than a face
Demo: Compositional color study
Environment, pose, value range, and color relationships
Session 2: Strategies of self-representation
Demo: Starting the portrait
Drawing with paint, color strings for flesh (Zorn or alternate 3 color palette) and color mixing for large masses
Session 3: Rembrandt: Volumes of the head
Demo: Painting the head
The head as a volume, structure of the face, warm/cool color shifts from shadow to light
Session 4: The active and passive hand: Embodiment and Courbet/Menzel
Demo: Painting the hands, clothes and larger space
Structure of the hands, assessing the painting as a whole, moving toward a finish
Materials List:
I work with oils, but feel free to use whatever materials you are comfortable with. Acrylics or other media are completely fine, but will not receive specific instruction.
Two small surfaces for color studies, around 8 x 10”: could be canvas paper, primed water color paper or something similar
Surface: panel or canvas, could be around 18 x 24” but really any size. You will pick your surface in week 2 after making color studies to decide your composition. I would love to see someone do a full-length standing portrait which might be much larger and a narrower proportion, for example.
Glass or wood palette
Palette knife
Gamsol/Terpenoid
Linseed oil, or I’ve been liking Winsor and Newton artists painting medium
Brushes:
Bristle brushes (I like Signet filberts) sizes 4, 6, 8
Sable or synthetic (I like Simply Simmons synthetic sable filberts) sizes 2, 4, 6, 8
Paint: Any artist grade is great. I’ve been mainly using Gamblin these days. Something like the following:
Titanium or Lead White, Naples Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Lemon Yellow, Cad Yellow Medium, Burnt Sienna, Cad Red Light, Alizarine Crimson, Ivory black, Ultramarine Blue