(8)-Week Course $190.00            Classes are forming for the Fall of 2022           Spaces are LIMITED

DRAWING THE FACE (PORTRAITS):

   If you’ve ever tried to draw a portrait, you already know it’s difficult. To get the results you want, there are so many things that have to be done correctly that it can seem overwhelming. When you see beautiful portraits by others, they often seem like magic and can leave you wondering “how did they do that?” This 8-week course will provide participants with the fundamentals of drawing. We will explore drawing materials as well as foundational art practices such as color, line, and shape/form. These lessons will transition into using tools for drawing portraits, such as grid drawing, shading, and different ways to draw facial features. This course is an introductory, so the goal is to facilitate the practice of portrait drawing, not perfect it. 

 COURSE OUTLINE:

WEEK: 1, 2 & 3

   Working with photographs, you will learn outlining and using tools to measure the face. We will be discussing famous portrait artists, their styles and techniques to capture a portrait. Then we’ll discuss the usages of different mediums to capture and create effects. Using Charcoal’s, pencil and pastels on paper to create a truly archival look. Incorporating lighting techniques and usage of composition.

Demonstration: showing usage of technique and facial layout 

Exercise: several short photos to catch gesture poses to learn how to catch people’s faces quickly. Open Critique to discuss improvements and observations about technique to become comfortable with charcoal medium how to capture subtle curvature easily and accurately. 

WEEK: 4, 5 & 6

   Working with photographs to create portraits with different mediums and learning which mediums create which effects for effective portraiture. Also, in these three weeks we will work with subject accessories such as glasses and portrait compositions. 

Demonstration: each class will have a short demonstration to show little tricks and tools to create a representation 

Exercise: working with different medium such as charcoal, pastel and ink washes to create effects Understanding facial plains and surfaces and how to shadow with different lighting.

WEEK: 7 & 8

   Working with a live model to learn to catch a live drawing with realistic colors using pastels and watercolor washes. All the techniques will help a novice artist learn how to use value progressions to capture the effect of the light and make a portrait appear 3-dimensional with different mediums. In our final week or Beginning Portraiture, we will do critiques of your best work and discuss options to improve and how to move forward in your work. 

 MATERIALS: (Please bring all your materials to class every week)

    • Graphite pencils ranging in density (HB, B, 2B) 

    • Charcoal pencils ranging in density (medium) 

    • Compressed charcoal (hard & soft, several sticks) 

    • Vine or willow charcoal (several sticks) 

    • White drawing paper pad (18x24”) you will need approx. 5 sheets per day 

    • Rough newsprint pad (18x24”) you will need approx. 5 sheets/day, except for weeks 6, 7 and 8 (bring entire pad) 

    • Straight-edge ruler (12” minimum) 

    • Kneaded eraser 

    • X-acto knife with blades 

    • Hand pencil sharpener 

    • Sketchbook (min 8x10”, choose a size that fits into your bag) 

    • Drawing clipboard 

 (Optional Materials)

    • Several sticks of soft color pastel (basic set) 

    • Waterproof black India ink 

    • India ink 

    • Watercolor/ink brushes 

    • Archival pastel paper in varieties of grey (several sheets) 

    • Watercolor or Bristol paper (several sheets) 

    • Blending tool such as rolled paper blenders, or a rubber tipped blending tool .

Materials can be ordered online at: Dakota Pastels or picked up at: Dick Blick located in Carle Place, 11514

Child classes are held M-F at: Art & Soul Studios in Nesconset, 11767