Thursday Introduction to Painting: Portrait

This Introduction to Painting course is ideal for beginner-intermediate students who want to learn a step-by-step process of making a portrait painting. No previous experience needed.
Using an image of a Jhon Larriva’s portrait, students will learn how to paint according to the face’s shapes and forms, modulating tones and colors, light and shadows, color application, and comparisons. They’ll also learn how to represent the different features of the face, sense of unity, balance of the composition, and final details.
Pablo will evaluate each student’s work while they are painting. At the end of class, he will provide a final critique to raise awareness of all learned techniques and approaches, proper execution, and areas to improve and modify to improve the painting process.
The class virtually meets once a week for four consecutive weeks:

Class #1

• Color theory and practice
• Palette setup
• Color combination

Class #2

• Make a drawing of the portrait on the canvas
• Symmetry, proportions, comparisons and measurements
• Use of brushes and paint application
• Start painting the background

Class #3 and # 4

• Completion of the painting
• Color application and comparison
• Paint application and brushstrokes
• Light and shadows
• Modulating tones and colors
• Shapes and forms of the face
• Alla Prima painting
• Sense of unity and balance of the composition and final details

About the Instructor
Pablo Contrisciani earned his Masters in Fine Arts, Painting at Facultad de Bellas Artes, National University of La Plata, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He has participated in several solo and group exhibitions locally, nationally, and internationally. His work forms part of public and corporate collections from USA, Latin America, and Europe. Pablo is an Oolite Arts alumnus (1998-2006 and 2010-2015) and works as a painting instructor since 1998.