2 Day Learning from Sargent, The Alla Prima Portrait: 13 - 14 March 2027

£240

Dates Available:

• 13 - 14 March 2027 (Sat & Sun)

2 day course: 10am - 4pm

A highly informative, structured and hands-on painting workshop learning the alla prima (wet-into-wet with oil paint) approach used by the great, John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). Working from photographs and inspired by the painterly approach used by Sargent, Peter will teach and demonstrate the artistic principles and practices used to create a single head-and-shoulders portrait.

Working Alla Prima (wet-into-wet with oils) you will discuss and learn the importance of a tonal colour palette and how Sargent used this to build up his exquisite, painterly portraits.

Working from excellent photographs (although participants are welcome to bring their own images should they wish) you will explore;

• Exploring the face through form, shape and value rather than reliance on a tight underdrawing

• Painterly mark-making and the bravura brush stroke

• Getting the most out of a limited palette and which brushes the great artists used

• Achieving both a likeness and (more importantly) capturing the character of the model

• Details - when to add them and when to leave them out

This course is ideal for those painters who are;

• Looking to deepen their understanding of traditional Alla Prima oil painting

• Wishing to explore the methods and ideas used by some of the great portraitists of the past

• Looking to move away from working tightly

• Wishing to achieve a greater understanding of tonal values and a limited palette

• Wanting to know when to use painting mediums such as linseed oil and when to leave them alone

This 2 day course is suitable for painters with some experience of portrait painting in oils and is not suitable for the complete beginner. 

By the end of the course, artists will have completed (or near completed) a single head and shoulders portrait, approx 50x40cm. 

What to bring:

• 1 x preferred painting ground such as canvas/canvas boards, approx 50×40cm or a little bigger

• Paint brushes suitable for oil painting

• Studio sundries such as paint palette, palette knife, kitchen paper, apron, sketch book for notes and any of your other preferred studio essentials

• Reference image/s should you wish to paint from one of your own

• Lunch

What is provided:

• Peter will have a wide range of oil colours by Michael Harding available to use throughout the course, if you would like to use them. Alternatively, pleases bring your own preferred oil paints

• Studio easels, low odour solvent for oil painting, tables, chairs and other spare studio sundries

• Excellent photos to work from

• Teas, coffee and biscuits

Location:

This course will take place at Peter’s own studio at the Village Hall in Botolph Claydon, MK18 2LR. As part of the workshop, participants will be invited to visit and explore Peter’s own working, on-site studio.

Please read our terms and conditions before booking.

If you have any questions you’d like to ask about this workshop, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Limited to 12 participants.