Fundamentals of Figure Painting

One of the most common difficulties for beginning and intermediate painters is finishing a painting. Starting a painting is simple enough, but understanding how to organize that start into a coherent, finished illusion of reality is the most difficult aspect of naturalistic painting. This class will teach you a step by step procedure to methodically navigate through a full figure painting. We start with a precise line drawing, then transfer it to a toned canvas, and lastly finish part by part, moving top to bottom in a process referred to as “window shading” by the 19th century masters. Having some familiarity with life drawing is recommended as a prerequisite for this class, although you don’t need to have painted before.

Instruction tailored to all skill levels!

• Week 1: Drawing & Transferring
• Week 2: Color Mixing & Portrait Painting
• Week 3: Rendering the Torso & Arms
• Week 4: Finishing the Lower Body

• 18x24 inch canvas
• 18x24 inch sheet of paper
• 2b graphite pencil
• medium vine charcoal
• kneaded eraser

The doors to our events open 15 minutes before each session. If you arrive before then, there is no room to wait inside the building, so please plan accordingly. The doorman will direct you to the classroom.

This event occurs on the third floor of a building without an elevator. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the monitor.

There is no photography when the model is posing.