Portraiture and Proportions

Course Description

This preliminary course focuses on the fundamental study of portraiture and its proportions. It is designed to help you build confidence and develop the skills needed to render facial features realistically using structured approaches and tools. The use of forgiving mediums, such as charcoal and tonal conte sticks, makes the transition to painting enjoyable and accessible. This class is ideal for anyone looking to begin a lifelong passion for drawing the human face. You will learn the importance of understanding the basic proportions and placement of facial features by studying the underlying structure of the skull. This knowledge is fundamental to the creation of a portrait that appears three-dimensional on a two-dimensional surface. Each step-by-step lesson builds upon the previous one, providing excellent references on the subject. Over time, you will gain confidence in studying diverse faces while working at your own pace and in the medium of your choice. This course is non-refundable, but each session will be recorded, and you’ll receive a downloadable copy within 24 hours. All reference materials for class will be emailed to you weekly. Materials list: - Black Charcoal Pencil - Gray Charcoal Pencil - White Charcoal Pencil - Soft Vine Charcoal - Kneaded Eraser - Mono Zero eraser by TomBow - Gum Eraser - Strathmore 400 series 9x12 sketchpad - Strathmore Gray Toned 9x12 sketchpad - Strathmore Tan Toned 9x12 sketchpad - Conte Tonal Stick Sets - Brown Tone set of 4 or Gray Tone Set of 4 - Small 12" plastic T-Square - Artist tape white 1/4 inch - Scissors - 2 small new nylon brushes for blending