Portraits – Realistic & Abstract
8 Weeks starting Monday, September 30th, 2024
All Media – Online Interactive
Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Painters Welcome
Faces and their expressions are endlessly fascinating. Come join an 8 week journey to explore both realism and abstraction in this captivating subject. Find your favourite unique expression for head and shoulder portraits.
All Media
Demonstrations will rotate between acrylic, oil, and watercolour. You may work in any paint type.
Note: Watercolours will need a tube of white gouache. Fluid acrylics should have a tube of heavy body titanium white acrylic.
Grow Your Skills
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The assignments begin easy and build to more challenging. A combination of videos and written lessons will be available. Approximately 4 hours per week should cover most assignments – or dive in deep and do more if you have more time. The goal is to immediately apply the concepts taught; the best way to learn. Each week also has opportunities to explore less traditional, more creative, approaches. With art, learning mode is play mode. Chances are – you can do this! |
Convenient
New lessons and assignments are posted every Monday into the site. The site is open 24/7 – drop in whenever it suits you to review the teaching and assignments.
Optional: Post Studies for Feedback
Although Cheryl will not comment on every painting that is posted, you will benefit from seeing her suggestions whether on your work, or someone else’s. Posting is always optional, but is recommended for the best learning experience.
No Perfection Expected!
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The assigned paintings should be regarded as studies. Perfection just slows down the learning curve and is not expected in this course. Sure, accuracy is required if you want to catch a likeness, and you will be given the tools to go there. However, for the first 6 weeks, we work on images of people we do not know, with the goal of understanding all the components that make a great portrait. The last 2 weeks students may choose whatever references they want. |
An Easy to Use Platform
The course will be hosted on Mighty Networks. This platform is easy to navigate and Team Members are happy to support those new to this format. If at the end of the first week you are not happy, for any reason, you may request a full refund ($25 admin fee retained).
- Understanding proportions.
- Techniques for individual features, e.g. eyes, mouths, hair, etc., demonstrated and those oh-so-common errors presented as well.
- Recipes for skin tones, both realistic and more abstract, including how to shade for both.
- Understanding lost and found edges in portraits.
- Realistic techniques will be covered as well as…
- Abstracted large shape portraits.
- Loosely painted portraits with thick acrylic/oil paint.
- Free flowing water media portraits.
Note: This course presents ‘alla prima’ (Italian for ‘at first attempt’ or ‘at once’) techniques for portraits. It does not present old masters’ techniques such as extensive glazing and many layers requiring each layer to dry before adding the next.
Dates
Starting Monday, September 30th for 8 weeks.
The website is open 24/7 for your convenience. Each Monday new concepts being taught, and their assignments, will be added.
Last day of the course is Friday, November 22nd. No further posting or commenting after that, but the course will remain open until December 13th to give you lots of time to review or copy information. Videos are not downloadable, however, all key content is included in written form as well, and that can be copied for your own personal use only.
- Tuesday, October 1st at 7 pm; this gives you two days to look around the site first.
- Monday, October 28th at 7 pm; mid course.
- Friday, November 22nd at 7 pm; end of the course.
Supplies
Find my lists of recommended art supplies here. Yellow ochre is optional on these lists, but is used extensively in this course. You will need some graphite paper – that is paper that has been coated with pencil on one side, available at art supply stores.
Note for TPC Members
Members of The Painters Creative will receive a coupon code for $50 off. This coupon will be posted inside of Painters Creative and is not to be shared – it is not transferable to others. Members – please do not sign up without entering your coupon code, or you miss the discount. (No refunds for forgetting the code.) Scroll to the very bottom of the form to see “Have a coupon code?” and enter it there. You will see the price change before clicking ‘Complete Order’.
As well please note, the coupon code can only be applied to the one time payment option below. It does not work with the split pay option.
Bonus for New Students
If this is your first time to connect with Cheryl, you will receive a free 4 Day Mini Course about art supplies by email over the next 4 days. This ‘dry’ subject has been sprinkled with silliness to keep you smiling – enjoy!
A few comments from previous courses:
“[I enjoyed] the freedom, the sharing of ideas, the tips and tricks, the teachings…” Genevieve L.“Lots of inspiration!” Rachel L.“It’s wonderful to paint so joyfully and let go of perfection, in short, Cheryl’s approach.” ― Donna Z.“Great teaching. Great knowledge.”― Penny W.“I enjoyed everything!” Philippa J.
Refund Policy
Full refund minus $25 admin fee by request up to 6 days after the start date of the course. No refunds after Saturday, October 5th.
Here is the Privacy Policy Page to check policies and procedures.
IMPORTANT – About the Form Below
The tax will not show correctly until you fill in your address. All fields in the form must be filled out or nothing happens when you click ‘Complete Order’.
Please be patient after hitting ‘Complete Order’ while your payment processes. You will immediately receive your receipt by email.
Please watch for your emailed receipt!
It includes your invitation into the site, plus a link for you to receive your Course Quick Guide.
And yes, do have a peek inside before the course starts.
Thank you and I look forward to painting with you!