Introduction to Portraits Class (3 day)

Brief

Being able to achieve realistic portraits will elevate you above other artists. However when a portrait goes wrong it usually goes spectacularly wrong! Simon will guide you through the pitfalls of painting portraits in easy to understand stages irrespective of the surface you are working on.

What will you learn?

Keeping perspective
Finding and choosing the right images
Image transfer
Creating texture
Using transparent and opaque colours
Painting in black and white or monochromatic
How to achieve realistic eyes
Understanding light sources and shadows
Rendering hair and eyelashes
Fixing mistakes
How to achieve incredible skin tones with Simons easy to understand skin tone formula
And much more!

What do I need to bring?

Absolutely nothing. We will supply you with everything you need to complete the course, from paint and equipment to panels and practice items. Lunch and all day refreshments are supplied.

We do however recommend you bring a notepad and camera with you. Although we give you extensive course notes on color formulas and techniques, it is impossible to digest the sheer amount of information Simon imparts. Therefore we recommend you take notes throughout the day.

Bear in mind that a lot of tutors don't actually paint during their class. They prefer to give you an image and talk you through it. At SM Designs we get our hands dirty. Simon actually paints every project you paint, working side-by-side from start to finish. Some tutors dislike the use of cameras on their classes and some even forbid it. At SM Designs we encourage you to take as many pictures as you can. Taking photos of these "live demos" is an invaluable part of learning and a permanent visual reference for you.