This portrait painting course will focus on encouraging you to think about more than just the technicalities of painting a portrait and looking at ways to express a connection between artist and sitter.

Beginning with a short introduction by your tutor, with insights into her own approaches and techniques of painting a portrait. This will be followed by painting exercises to encourage playfulness with the paint, ways to connect with the model and the rigor of keen observation in order to gain a likeness. You will be encouraged to develop your own unique way of looking, seeing and working.

Once you have made initial studies in paint, you will then use these to help inform your final portraits, which you will spend the remaining time creating.

You will be working from the same model throughout the course, and you will be provided with group tuition, demonstrations, as well as one-to-one support throughout.

Included

On this course the College will provide the model who will sit for the course.

What students need to bring

• A set of oil paints in the following recommended colours: Titanium white, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue and Burnt Umber
• Studio safe odourless solvent (such as Zest-it, Gamsol or Sansodor)
• Paintbrushes: a range of brushes from size 1 to 12 - a mix of hogs hair and synthetic brushes in a mix of flats, filberts and rounds
• A palette (at least A4 size - preferably bigger)
• A palette knife for mixing paint (size 11)
• Two lidded jam jars or a brush cleaning pot
• Old rags and paper kitchen towels
• Sheets of oil painting paper
• Stretched canvases or canvas boards

Available to buy

Available from shop: A good variety of art materials including: Oil paints in a variety of colours, including Titanium white, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue and Burnt Umber Oil painting paper, stretched canvases and canvas boards in a range of sizes Palettes, palette knives and studio safe solvent A good range of paintbrushes, sizes 1 – 12 in both hogs hair and synthetic in flats, filberts and rounds.

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).

Arrival day
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 7.15pm for registration. Students arriving earlier are welcome to purchase dinner in the College Dining Room from 6pm.
Students meet their tutor in the Bar at 7.30pm prompt to go to studios.
First Teaching session: 7.30pm - 9pm (attendance is essential)

Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am - 5pm
Morning session: 9.15am - 12.45pm including coffee/tea break
Lunch break: 12.45pm - 2pm*
Afternoon session: 2pm - 5pm including coffee/tea break
Teaching finishes: 5pm
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Departure day
Course teaching: 9.15am - 3pm
Teaching finishes: 3pm

Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am. Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.

*Lunch can be purchased on campus, view options

Terms & Conditions