Limited to 12 students (all skill levels welcome)

Capturing a likeness is among the most elusive yet emotionally satisfying of artistic endeavors.  In this workshop Joshua will walk students through the steps necessary to create a luminous, in-direct portrait painting from life.

Instruction and critiques for this workshop will center around the elements of form and how to achieve the illusion of three-dimensions.  By better understanding the importance of form the student will gain new insight into value, color, drawing and expression.

Joshua will be demonstrating the in-direct approach to oil painting. This is distinct from the alla-prima, or wet-in-wet, method in that it is done in layers and can therefore achieve wonderful and subtle effects by the use of semi-transparent veils of paint.

Each morning session will begin with a thorough portrait demonstration from the model including a dialogue of all important concepts, while the afternoon will focus on personal critiques.  Students will begin their portraits directly on the canvas, drawing with paint and establishing large value relationships with a thin, neutralized underpainting.  The second day a slightly thicker layer will be applied where the form is built up and more color will be added.  And finally, the third day will be left for a refining pass and a discussion of glazing and scumbling.

Schedule: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10am-5pm (1 hour lunch break)

Day 1: Block-in drawing in paint – composition, emotion, lighting, 2 dimensional vs 3 dimensional concepts

Underpainting – Establish large value relationships, introduction to form

Day 2: Building up form – lighter lights, darker darks. Discuss color space. Anticipate final layer.

Day 3: Polishing and refining - Discuss glazing and scumbling; edges.

Materials List

Location: Tucker Studio Gallery

5015 Mt Moriah Rd.

Durham, North Carolina 27707

(917) 225-1001