Portrait of a Lady

Immediate Access

Regular Price $68.00

I begin every creative project the same way, first by paying attention to that tiny glimmer of an idea, one so small that I can barely hold on to it. Then, I go into my studio, put on some music, and begin gathering materials. I pull out old sketchbooks, finished pieces, photos, color, vintage papers, and whatever else jumps out at me.

It was during this process that I came across a perfume box from a trip to Paris. My husband purchased a small bottle of perfume for me from Fragonard, a famous perfumery in France. There was a very small portrait by Jean-Honore Fragonard, a famous 18th Century French artist on the box. And, this is what led me down the path to creating this class.

My intention for this class is not about studying a master artist, but to study the women in the portraits, their clothing, the setting, the hairstyles, the color palettes, and embellishments. To speculate about their untold stories, ones they kept close to their hearts.

So, with a slight nod to the past. We will explore a variety of techniques using different types of charcoal to create beautiful, layered portraits. We will also combine acrylic paints and pastels to create rich, luminous effects as we create a series of inspired and contemporary portraits.

Lesson 1

Inspiration & Art Supplies

As artists, each one of us has a unique, creative voice. We’re in constant search for something to spark our imaginations to create art with meaning. We want to feel connected to our work.

In this lesson, we will gather inspiration, favorite art supplies, develop a beautiful color palette, explore charcoal, and create a small pamphlet journal to track everything you want to create in the class.

Lesson 2

Christina | Charcoal Portrait

In this lesson, we will be exploring charcoal and the many different effects you can create using this beautiful medium. I will also walk you through how I create a portrait using a reference photo. We will begin by using soft charcoal to establish the relationships between the features.

We will move to create a “scaffolding” of the face and further develop the portrait. I will share how I combine classical portraits techniques and more expressive techniques and marks to create a beautiful and soulful portrait.

Lesson 3

Les Fleurs | Two Mixed Media Portraits

Inspired by the feeling of femininity and floral adornment of the 18th Century French artists, we create two mixed media paintings using charcoal, acrylic paints, and pastels.

Lesson 4

Portrait in Acrylics & Pastels

I will demonstrate how I paint a portrait in acrylics and then add soft pastels and pastel pencils to create a luminous portrait. Also, I will share with you how to mix flesh tones using a limited palette. We will mix a value string and mix color for darker values, shadows, highlights, and lip color.

This lesson's focus will be on the painting, so we will not walk through the drawing first. Instead, I will demonstrate how I take a "practice" drawing on newsprint and then transfer it to a primed and toned cradleboard.

Supply List

Substrates:

Hot or Cold-Pressed Watercolor Paper - I am using Arches Hot Press

Strathmore Drawing Paper - any size

Cradle board or canvas

Art Supplies

Powdered Charcoal

Vine or Willow Charcoal

Nitram Charcoal - Green B & Yellow - Soft

Big Stick Charcoal - use code ROKA for discount

General's Charcoal Pencils - H, HB, 2B, 4B

White Charcoal Pencil

Acetone

Spray bottle

Pastels - If you’re new to Pastels, I suggest trying out the Dick Blick set of pastels and then ordering a three flesh tones from Sennelier - dark, med, & light. Or, just select a few in colors that you love.

Caran d'Ache and Stabilo Pastel Pencils and use the following colors in the final portrait of Olivia

Caran d’Ache

40, 80, 89, 745

Stabilo Pastel Pencils

675, 645, 585, 64, 435, 640, 770

Soft Pastels in your favorite colors - I use Sennellier and have most pinks, green golds, olive greens, ochers, blue-grays

Soft Pastels in flesh tones

Acrylic Paints: Please use what you have on hand

Brands I Like: Liquitex Heavy Body, Holbein, Golden Fluid Acrylics, Charvin Paris

Note: I will demonstrate two flesh tone formulas and we will choose one for our final portrait.

Flesh tone #1 Alizarin Crimson, Nickel Azo Gold, and Payne’s Gray

Flesh tone #2 Quinacridone Crimson, Nickel Azo Gold, and Payne’s Gray - you may substitute Ultramarine Blue for Payne’s Gray

Acrylic colors used throughout class:

Alizarin Crimson - you may substitute Quinacridone Crimson or Cad Red Medium

Quinacridone Crimson - you may substitute Alizarin Crimson or Cad Red Medium

Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold (I’m using Golden Fluid)

Quinacridone Magenta

Cadmium Red Med

Julia’s Pink by Charvin Paris

Pale Pink - I don’t use this much and you can mix white with Cad Red as an option

Yellow Ochere - Optional - I end up using a yellow ocher pastel.

Titanium White

Payne’s Gray

Bone Black - Golden’s Fluid -optional

Chromium Oxide Green

Sap Green - Optional

Green Gold

Raw Umber

Burnt Umber

Raw Sienna