Portrait Drawing Workshop

From Foundation to Finished Study

Master the art of portrait drawing in this comprehensive workshop that combines classical techniques with personalized instruction. Working in your choice of graphite or charcoal, you'll develop essential skills through a structured approach to portraiture. The workshop adapts to your experience level, offering flexible reference options including self-portraiture with a mirror, high-resolution photographs, or digital references via iPad.

Throughout the course, you'll explore medium handling, shape design, and facial anatomy while developing a deeper understanding of the head's gestures and planes. Students will study classical academic approaches, including Charles Bargue drawing plate exercises, building a strong foundation in portrait construction. The workshop culminates in a final project that brings together all learned techniques.

Our goal is to help you establish a sustainable drawing practice that extends beyond the classroom. With individualized guidance, you'll learn to integrate these classical methods into your own artistic journey, developing confidence and skill in portrait creation.

Outcomes:

  • Learn to create compelling portraits

  • Learn a structured classical approach.

  • Comprehensive workshop experience

  • Each student receives personalized guidance to integrate these techniques into their ongoing artistic practice using charcoal or graphite

Core Components:

  • Medium mastery and technique

  • Shape design and composition

  • Essential facial anatomy

  • Head gesture and expression

  • Planar analysis of the head

  • Classical academic methods

  • Charles Bargue plate studies

  • Guided final project

Choose your preferred reference method:

  • Self-portrait using a mirror

  • High-resolution photographs

  • Digital reference via iPad

Perfect for artists seeking to:

  • Develop a sustainable portrait practice

  • Master foundational drawing skills

  • Learn classical techniques

  • Build confidence in portraiture


 

Figure Drawing Workshop

Classical Methods & Individual Expression

Immerse yourself in the time-honored tradition of figure drawing in this comprehensive workshop that accommodates both beginning and intermediate artists. Working from a live model each session, students will develop their observational skills through a carefully structured approach that honors individual artistic expression.

The workshop follows a classical progression, beginning with quick gesture studies and building toward longer more detailed poses. Early sessions establish fundamental rhythms through 20-minute warm-ups, focused block-ins, and dual 45-minute poses, eventually advancing to immersive 2-hour studies that allow for deeper exploration of form and light.

While grounded in the sight-size method, the instruction embraces diverse drawing approaches. Beginners will receive focused guidance on essential skills—proportion, light, and shadow—while intermediate students can work more independently, creating multiple studies or developing extended poses. Brief presentations on academic figure-drawing traditions will inspire students to experiment within the classical framework, finding their unique artistic voice.

Student Outcomes:

  • Confidence in figure drawing fundamentals

  • Understanding of drawing methods

  • Integration of personal drawing process

  • Ability to analyze and construct the figure

  • Portfolio of studies and completed drawings

  • Enhanced observational skills

  • Knowledge of artistic anatomy basics

  • Experience with various pose durations

  • Practical understanding of sight-size method

  • Foundation for continued figure study

Core Structure:

  • Live figure model each session

  • Progressive skill-building lessons

  • Flexible format for varied skill levels

  • Focus on sight-size drawing method

Weekly Session Format:

  • 20 minutes: Warm-up gestures

  • 20 minutes: Initial block-in

  • Two 45-minute poses (early weeks)

  • Single 2-hour pose (later weeks)

Skills Covered:

  • Short gesture studies

  • Block-in techniques

  • Basic artistic anatomy

  • Master drawing analysis

  • Proportion fundamentals

  • Light and shadow relationships

Beginner Focus:

  • Drawing fundamentals

  • Proportional accuracy

  • Light and shadow basics

  • Core observation skills

Intermediate Opportunities:

  • Professional studio environment

  • Multiple pose studies

  • Extended pose development

  • Advanced technique exploration

Teaching Approach:

  • Sight-size method instruction

  • Academic drawing presentations

  • Individual style development

  • Personalized critiques

  • Demonstrations and discussions


Online Mentoring 2025

Embark on a transformative artistic journey through personalized mentorship designed to expand your drawing practice. Over multiple weeks, you'll explore diverse drawing techniques, experiment with new mediums, and develop your unique aesthetic voice in an encouraging, focused environment.

Each two-hour session combines technical instruction with creative exploration, allowing you to build skills while discovering what resonates with your artistic vision. Whether you're looking to strengthen fundamentals or push creative boundaries, this mentorship provides the guidance and structure to help you achieve your artistic goals.

Personalized Drawing Mentorship

Discover Your Artistic Voice

Outcomes:

  • Expanded drawing vocabulary

  • Confidence in multiple mediums

  • Refined personal aesthetic

  • Strong technical foundation

  • Portfolio development

  • Sustainable creative practice

Core Focus:

  • Explore and expand your drawing abilities

  • Master new techniques and mediums

  • Develop diverse aesthetic approaches

  • Build a personalized artistic toolkit

Format:

  • 2-hour focused sessions

  • Flexible multi-week program

  • Individual attention and guidance

  • Hands-on experimentation

Skills Development:

  • Traditional and contemporary methods

  • Medium exploration and mastery

  • Composition and design principles

  • Technical skill advancement

  • Personal style development