Portrait Classes
Portrait Classes
Intro to Figure Drawing
Instructor | Ryanne Phillips
Two weeks | December 3-12*
Tuesdays & Thursdays | 5-7pm
Tuition | $200
$45 Add-on Life Drawing Lessons
$150 Add-on Open Studio Members
This 4 class introduction is perfect for students new to figure drawing, those who want to reacquaint old skills, or as a preparatory to our 2024 Extensive Figure class. Ryanne will move students through the classical process of drawing the figure.
- Gesture Drawing Essentials | Breaking down the line of action and recognizing key skeletal masses—head, clavicle, rib cage, and pelvis—to capture the overall energy of the pose.
- Adding Mass to Gesture Drawings | Learn how to add mass to arms and legs on top of the gesture, using shapes to represent larger body parts and enhance the figure’s structure.
- Gesture and Proportion | Introduction to key proportions using the head as a measuring unit to establish the figure’s height and position on the page, alignment, enveloping to make sure the figure fits within the composition of the picture plane, becoming familiar with the 7 average proportions of figure drawing.
- Finishing the Drawing | Focus on accurately placing shadow shapes, solidifying form, bringing in hints of anatomical structure and capturing details to bring the figure to life on paper.
Supply list for students: 18×24 Strathmore 400 Series drawing pad, 18×24 Newsprint drawing pad, Willow charcoal sticks, Two each of compressed charcoal pencils: 2B, 4B, and 6B, One each graphite pencils: HB, 2B, 4B.
Sculpture Portrait/Figure
All Levels | Rachel Chang will take students on a three dimensional journey as students sculpt a portrait or figure. Lessons and demonstrations will provide students with an understanding of anatomy, proportions, and details of facial features. Artists will use tools to sculpt clay, employing techniques such as additive (adding material) and subtractive (removing material) methods to shape the likeness. Learn how to use sculpting tools, surface textures, and the ability to capture emotions and expressions are crucial technical aspects in creating a lifelike portrait sculpture.
Instructor | Rachel Chang
Saturdays | 10 am – 2 pm
Tuition | $90/weekly class – ongoing (recommended time 6-8 weeks) *Materials fee for Armature and clay
Instruction, model, and materials included in tuition
- 1/2 to 3/4 life size head/12″ figure
- Wood armature and base*
- photo prints
- Oil or water based clay*
- Tools for in workshop use
- Option to mold making/casts
- Option for additional studio time
Beginner I
This beginner level is for newbies who have never attempted drawing people or for those who need a refresher. The goal of these five weeks is to provide students with an overall understanding of what we see and how to render it for a portrait. We will learn the various planes of the head, draw from a variety of viewpoints, and break down each of the parts in depth : eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and hair/neck. The fifth week we will draw a complete portrait.
5 Mondays | 10:00-12:00pm
Instructor | Denise Wada
Tuition | $200
Two start dates:
• Jan 22 – Feb 19
•. Feb 29 – Mar 25
Beginner II
BEGINNER II | With an understanding of placement, spacing, size, and proportion; this next four weeks we will learn how to key a drawing in terms of both light and dark, light and shadow, and perspective.
4 Mondays | 5:00-7:00pm
Instructor | Denise Wada
Tuition | $160
Two start dates:
• Feb 26 – Mar 4
•. Apr 1 – 22
Portrait Intermediate
INTERMEDIATE | For students with a basic understanding of how to draw the features of the head in accurate values but would like to improve certain aspects of their drawings. In this class we can really make strides by concentrating on certain techniques or aesthetic qualities of our drawing/painting. Students will begin with black and white studies in either drawing or painting mediums with the option of developing color.
6 Wednesdays | 4:30-6:30pm
Instructor | Denise Wada
Tuition | $240
Two start dates:
• Jan 24 – Feb 28
• Mar 6 – Apr 10
Sculpture Portrait/Figure
All Levels | For students with a basic understanding of how to draw the features of the head in accurate values but would like to improve certain aspects of their drawings. In this class we can really make strides by concentrating on certain techniques or aesthetic qualities of our drawing/painting. Students will begin with black and white studies in either drawing or painting mediums with the option of developing color.
Instructor | Rachel Chang
8 Fridays | 10 am – 2 pm
Tuition | $760
Portrait Sculpture
March 1 – April 19, 2024
Figure Sculpture
April 26 – May 17, 2024
Instruction, model, and materials included in tuition
- 1/2 to 3/4 life size head/12″ figure
- Wood armature and base
- Male model present
- Sight size photo prints
- Oil or water based clay
- Tools for in workshop use
- Option to mold making/casts
- Option for additional studio time
Portrait Tuition
These classes require a 3 person minimum.
Portrait Beginners I
Five classes
$200
Portrait Beginners II
Four classes
$160
Portrait Intermediate
Six classes
$240
Sculpture Figure – Eight classes, not including materials
$720
Portrait Drawing Supply List
Students are required to bring their own supplies or pay the $5/class materials fee.
Drawing supply list
Spiral sketchbook, 8x10 or 9x12
Graphite Pencils
HB, B, 2B, 3B, 6B
Kneaded erasers
Plastic eraser
Strathmore Drawing pad, Series 400, 9x12
Stabilo, Aquarellable #9046 pencil
Faber-Castell Perfection Eraser Pencil
Chamois, Blending stumps or Tortillons
Generals Charcoal Pencils (hard, medium, soft)
Sanding pad
Single-edged razor blade, exacto knife, or AMFAT Manual Long Point Pencil Sharpener
Inexpensive bristle brush, flat, size 6
Vine charcoal (preferred: Coates or Winsor & Newton)
White charcoal pencil
11”x14” Grey Toned Strathmore sketchbook
Oil Painting
supply list
Spiral sketchbook, 8x10 or 9x12
Generic Pencil
Plastic eraser
Blue gray pastel pencil
Frederic Canvas Pad, 8x10 or 9x12; and 11x14 MDF panel board for taping sheets
3/4" masking tape if using canvas pad
Canvas or Gessoed Panels, 8x10 or 9x12
Long Handle brush suggestions
- Hog Bristle Filbert preferred but flat acceptable: Various sizes 10-1
- Teachers Favorite Silver Grand Prix: Long Filbert #1034: sizes 6, 4, 2 and Round #1000: size 1
- Synthetic Bristles: Trekell Golden Talkon #2520: sizes 10, 6, 2
Professional Oil Paints (sm tubes)
- Titanium white
- Yellow ochre
- Cadmium Yellow Light
- Cadmium red light
- Alizarin Crimson
- Cobalt Blue (alternative Ultramarine Blue)
- Cerulean Blue (optional)
- Ivory Black
Note: Avoid pigments with “hue” in the name
Portrait Class Gallery – coming soon
Create what you love. Love what you create.
Come in and give it a try!
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