From Realism to Abstraction: Creative Portrait Painting | Rosso Emerald Crimson

Instructor: Rosso Emerald Crimson (View Bio)

Registration Deadline: August 15, 2024

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Portfolio Review Required: No

Class Size: 14

Daily Lunch Included: Yes

Learn how to paint creative expressive portraits merging realism with abstract art, in Rosso’s style. Using a combination of photographic reference and imagination, Rosso will share her technique to create beautiful portraits in oil with abstract patterns that are vibrant and full of life.

The course is suitable from beginners to advanced, and tailored to each students’ level.  It is recommended to use oil paint for the course although acrylics can also be used.

Workshop Details:

1. INTRO/GENERATING IDEAS:

Rosso will introduce students to her painting approach. Starting from basic portrait photos, she will show simple techniques and exercises that stimulate imagination and help departing ‘creatively’ from the photographic reference. During these “creative exercises”, students will also address some compositional issues as well as creating colour studies that will be used as a guide for the final painting.

2. SKETCHING THE PORTRAIT:

Once ideas and drafts are in place, we will begin creating the portrait.

Rosso will briefly talk about head anatomy, and how to get the likeness of sitter/model in order to create realistic portraits.

Students will be encouraged to start sketching the portrait either directly onto the canvas or on paper.

3. PAINTING THE PORTRAIT:

After the portraits are sketched and transferred onto the canvas, students will start developing the sketch/underpainting with paint.

Rosso will show how to arrange the palette and how to mix realistic skin tones for different skin types.

The portrait will be built up in layers (in 2 / 3 days), starting with a general blocking-in then slowing adding on more, until the finest details.

Rosso will cover specific topics (ie. what mediums and brushes to use) and give short demos at every stage of the painting process.

5. PAINTING THE BACKGROUND:

The background is one of the last yet very important aspects of the painting to focus on. Rosso will show how to create a background using colours and texture that adds more depth, mood and expression to the entire painting.  She will also show how to use a range of tools as well as as well as applying metal leaf to create very interesting abstract patterns and texture.

6: RENDERING/FINAL TOUCHES

Once the portrait and the background are all in place , it’s time to assess our painting: adding final touches where necessary, removing details that are not essential, etc. Rosso will talk about her personal way to decide when a painting is ‘finished”; she will offer practical advise to help us seeing the painting more objectively, as well as pushing it to a higher level.

By the end of the workshop, students will leave with an accomplished portrait piece, in an abstract-realist style.  The workshop will end with a review of the work created, the process explored, and recommendations on how to move forward from here.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

- how to create a realistic/ expressive portrait painting using a combination of reference images and imagination

- how to create compelling compositions

- how to paint a realistic portrait in oil

- how to mix skin tones for portraiture in oil

- how to use the background to add depth and expression

- how and when to merge realism with abstract art

- how to use gilding /apply metal leaf in a painting