Intro to Painting Portraits in Oil with Tam Cao
This course has no current classes. Please the waiting list.
This 4 week painting course is a great introduction for students who want to learn how to paint portraits in oils or improve their skills. Tam Cao is our visiting tutor this term. Primarily a portrait and landscape artist, Tam studied at the Julian Ashton Art School and was awarded the John Olsen Scholarship in 2010. Students will benefit from working on tonal studies and colour mixing and the course can cater for students who wish to improve their painting skills using oils. Students Can work from their own reference material or your tutor can provide images. Your tutor Tam Cao, will be acting as a mentor offering personal critique and guiding beginners in step by step processes to painting portraits in oil.
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What students will achieve
Students will learn :
- About the anatomy and structure of the face and head
- About using light, tone and proportion in producing a likeness
- Colour mixing in oils with a limited colour palette so the colours don't get muddy
- About tone, proportion and form.
Is this course right for me?
This class is suitable for all levels from beginners, to artists wanting to improve their skills.
Materials List
Students will need the following:
- Surfaces: Canvas board or stretch canvas for oils (acrylic primed) approx 12x16" / 30x40cm
- Titanium White and Raw Umber acrylic paint for the 'mid-tone ground' to prepare the surface for painting.
- Brushes: bring a selection of brushes that you normally use, for oils a 'Long flat' synthetic is best.
- Palette and palette knife (long flexible knife with a tapered tip).
- Paper towels or rags.
- Packet of sanitising wipes for clean jup
- Paint: The following is the recommended colour palette for portraiture. Vermillion Red or cadmium red, Ivory black Titanium or Zinc White, Burnt sienna. Yellow ochre.
- If unsure, just bring Titanium White and Raw Umber oil paint for your first monochrome study.
Note: Students are welcome to include other paint colours they may already own. For better results, we recommend buying 'artist quality' paints.
When using oil paints
Use odourless artist quality solvent for cleanup and diluting mediums. Solvents MUST be odourless. You will need jars with lids to store spent solvents/mediums. Your tutor will give you information on reusing and disposing of spent solvents and mediums.
About studio classes
Our class sizes are small, ensuring you receive the individual tuition you need. We have a maximum of 12 students per class.
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