Week 5:

I highly recommend starting a new alla prima painting. Start with the same approach as class and try using a different brush (smaller, or round, or filbert, or flat, or even bigger!)

Week 4:

Continue working on your piece from last week if you didn't finish in class.

Tips:

• Step back from your painting
• Squint / blur your vision to see tonalities
• Take lots of photos to document your painting's progress
• Compare features and shapes to one another (use the hugging gaze)

Week 3:

I highly recommend to only work on the portrait you started in class, in class. If you'd like to continue painting portraits, start a new artwork. You can either use the same photo reference or a different one. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me!

Week 2:

Continue working on the portrait from class. Remember to squint, step back, and paint shapes, not things. It can be helpful to print the photo out and outline on the printout the areas of light and dark on the portrait.

The second image above can be used for additional practice.

How to choose your own image:

In week 3, you have the option to use your own photography. I recommend finding or taking a picture of a figure where the face is either frontal or 3/4 where the figure is relaxed, almost casual. Look for angles of the face and shoulders. If the face is looking straight on with level shoulders, it may feel stiff. Candid photos are great options to work with. Bring a few photos to next weeks class and we can discuss how to pick the image you'll work from for class.

I will also be sending out an image if you want to follow along with my demonstration.

Week 1:

Here are the 8 points of creating a portrait:

1. Eyes are in the middle of the head
2. The distance between the eyes is equal to the length of one eye
3. The length of the nose is ¼ the length of the head
   1. Divide the bottom half of the head, the distance between the two lines will be the length of the nose
4. The length of the mouth is about the length of one eye
5. The mouth is in the middle of the bottom half of the face
6. The nares overlap the inner corner of the eyes
7. The ears are at the level of the nose
8. The neck is the width of the face

Here are the things you can manipulate between features to create different characters:

• Face
  • Shape of the oval
  • Position of the oval on the page 
  • Color of the face
  • Placement of the shadows
  • Contrast of the shadows
• Eyes
  • How close to or far apart from each other
  • High or low
  • Open or closed
  • Looking forward, up, down, or sideways
• Nose
  • Wide or narrow
  • Position of the highlight
• Mouth
  • Width
  • Open or closed
  • Smiling, neutral, or frowning
  • Highlights

• Ears
  • Higher or lower
  • Shape of the ear
  • Big or small
• Eyebrows
  • Shape
  • Far apart or close together
  • Contrast
• Hairs
  • Color
  • Shape
  • Texture
• Necks
  • Width
  • Clothing
• Background
  • Color
  • Texture / design
  • Contrast

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