ABOUT THIS COURSE

Having your model pose for hours over many sittings while you carefully capture their image might be the purest form of portrait painting, however this timeless method tends to a rare luxury in the digital age. Also try getting a child to stay still for more than a minute....!

Swapping the purity of tradition for the opportunities of technology can still provide some stunning results. During course we will initially look at the best way of getting the best photo reference, lighting, composition etc. We will then look at techniques to transfer/convert the image to the canvas/paper and finally the painting techniques using your preferred painting medium.

During this course you will cover:

• Choosing the ideal photo (not all good photos make great paintings!).

• Cropping, composition and colour.

• From photo to canvas/paper: Getting the proportions right is vital for a good portrait...and there are lots of ways of skinning that cat - we'll look at a number of options. 

• Sketch-work and underpainting.

• Making the foundation marks on your canvas or paper and laying down the first layer.

• Painting your portrait: Neil will work with you as you bring your painting to life.

This class would not be suitable for beginners.

Materials needed

Please have the medium that you wish to work in - pastels, oil, or so forth, brushes etc

Ensure you bring a good clear reference of the portrait you are eager to work from. If you have a tablet/ipad available to use please have this at hand as there are a number of very good applications that can be used to grid your reference material.

Please note that low odour solvent is required do not bring turps or other odourful solvents.

Meet Neil

Following a 35 year in the graphic design industry Neil decided to follow ‘his dream’ and pursue his love of painting in 2008. Neil considers himself a ‘mature’ student of ”Galleries, Google, YouTube and anywhere else I can study how other artists do it – graduating anytime soon is unlikely!”.

Neil’s evocative painting ‘upon small shoulders‘ was bought by singer/songwriter Sinéad O’Connor and used as the image for her current album ‘How about I be me and you be you’. He enjoys painting in oils and pastels and digging his hands in clay. His forté is portraiture.

Neil is the founder/director of the Schoolhouse for Art.

www.condron.ie

“I did the pastel workshop with Neil recently and had a really enjoyable day. We learned a lot in a very relaxed way, it was a lovely atmosphere and I would highly recommend it – a de-stress day and I will definitely be back! ”— Caroline Flood

“Neil had a lovely way of teaching and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. great setting…therapy for the soul! so much so I have just booked another workshop” — Margaret Joyce