Painting Portraits of Children (Online Workshop) Spring 2024 w/ Jane French

May 1 to May 15 (Wednesdays), 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Eastern Time

**All sessions are live and will be recorded, students do not have to be present. All recordings will be available to students for 3 months after the final session, after 3 months the recording will be deleted.

Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite.

DEMO: https://youtu.be/gGfIeop0l3M

Workshop Description

This Workshop will focus on the challenge of successfully painting children’s portraits using oils. We will look at how to accurately draw proportions as well as how to sympathetically convey form and colour. 

Workshop Outline

Week 1 - In the first session, we will look at working from life, how to select good photo references and the use of artistic licence. We will focus on the differences in proportions of children - as compared to adults. We will draw from a reference together.

Week 2 - In the second session, we will paint - in full colour - a portrait of a child. We will focus on sensitively using colour and value to portray skin tone and form.

Week 3 - In the third and final session, we will paint another portrait in full colour. This portrait will be of a child who is a different age and ethnicity than the child painted in Week Two. The focus will be on brushwork and use of texture. 

Workshop Materials List

OIL PAINT

Essential:

Titanium White

Lemon Yellow Hue

Yellow Ochre

Cadmium Red Hue

French Ultramarine 

Burnt Umber

Optional/Desirable:

Permanent Rose 

Magenta

Cerulean Blue Hue

Black

OIL PAINTING MEDIUMS

Solvent to clean brushes

Thinners to thin paint - ie Low Odour Turps or Zest-It Oil Paint Dilutant

BRUSHES

Selection of good quality brushes (synthetic or hog’s hair) 

I recommend short, flat, synthetic brushes - equivalent to 5mm, 7.5mm and 10mm

For example - https://www.rosemaryandco.com/evergreen-short-flats (Size 1, 3 and 5)

PAINTING SURFACE

Oil Painting Paper/Board/Canvas - approximately A3 in size

PALETTE

Some form of palette for use with oil paint - ie Perspex/Wood Palette or Tear off Palettes

MISCELLANEOUS

Oil painting paper or cartridge paper for testing values/colours

Jars, cleaning rags/paper towels, apron…