Developing Portraiture (online)

Drawing / Oil / Figure

We haven’t scheduled this course yet. Please email us to register your interest for future availability.

Register Interest

Course details

Are you frustrated that your portraits of people just never look convincing, but you don’t know why? Get the tools, tips and support you need so you can start to paint with more confidence.

This course is an invaluable introduction to drawing and painting the human face. Work from a clothed model broadcast live in our St Ives studio on the first day and then from a still over the next sessions. Initially you will familiarise yourself with the face through drawing, studying anatomy, tone and composition in pencil. Then use gouache to paint monochromatic studies that deepen your understanding of tone and progress to full colour oil paintings on canvas to capture the essence of the sitter.

Teaching will be through live demonstrations from your tutor Gary Long and one to one time with each student with group feedback as well from your fellow students. You will have 3 mornings of live teaching and a final self study day with online feedback.

The group is kept small at just 12 and you will be able to interact will your fellow students at the live zoom sessions as well as on our private image sharing platform with daily feedback from your tutor. This private online space is a chance for you and your group to connect with each other and share progress during the course.

We record these live sessions so you can watch again on demand for 1 month after the course.

You will need to gather your own materials for the course and have access to the internet. We will have staff on hand to assist with your connecting on Zoom with a dedicated tech session. You will receive a comprehensive handbook on setting up ready for the course covering equipment and materials.

  • Gary Long painting a portrait

Day to day plan

This is a 3 day course with daily live and interactive sessions lasting three hours. You will work on your own piece during these sessions.
Each day, upload images of your artwork, which your class and tutor will be able to view and provide feedback on.

Tech session

Live Zoom session Thursday 21st January 1pm – 2pm

Technical induction with our digital administrator to ensure everyone is comfortable and ready for the first session.

Day 1

Monday 25th January – Live Zoom session 10.00am – 1pm

After an introduction to the course Gary will show you how to read the face through drawing, studying anatomy, tone and composition. You will work from the model broadcast from our studio in St Ives. If you have an easel either desk or standing have this set up ready, otherwise work on the table.

Day 2

Tuesday 26th January – Live Zoom session 10.00am – 1pm

Gary will move on to developing monochrome studies using gouache again working from a still taken the day before. If you don’t have gouache at home acrylic will be fine to use. We then move into oils and colour starting with applying thin washes on the canvas. Look at how to mix your skin tone palette.

In your own time in the afternoon develop you work further working from the video or a still. Share your studies on our image platform and get feedback from your fellow students and tutors.

Day 3

Wednesday January 27th – Live Zoom session 2pm – 5pm

We start the session with a quick look at everyone’s progress. We then continue to start look at techniques for applying the paint to canvas and developing a likeness. There will be time during the session for Gary to looking at progress on each persons work to help you make adjustments. This final session will help to cement your learning and provide you with a solid foundation to move on from.

Day 4

Thursday January 28th – Self study day

Continue to work on your painting using a still sent to you from the previous days sessions. Upload your final work to our platform and Gary and your fellow students will give you some final feedback at the end of the day via the platform.

What you will get out of this course

  1. Broaden your visual language.
  2. Learn to build a likeness through studying the architecture and anatomy of the face.
  3. Learn how other artists have tackled the challenges of portrait painting
  4. Understand how line, tone and colour work together to create a successful portrait
  5. An opportunity to watch an experienced portrait artist at work and see the process of creating a figurative painting first hand

Is this course for me?

Have you ever wanted to do a portrait but don’t know where to start or are you frustrated that your portraits of people just never look convincing?

You might be struggling to get a likeness or perhaps your paintings just don’t look anatomically correct but you don’t know why?

Learn reliable ways to tackle these challenges and build your confidence. Get the tools you need to progress so you can paint the portrait that you want to.

Developing Portraiture (online)

Drawing / Oil / Figure

We haven’t scheduled this course yet. Please email us to register your interest for future availability.

Register Interest

Taught by

Gary
Long

View Gary’s Work

After many years as an illustrator I taught on the BA Illustration course at Falmouth University. In 2011 I began teaching at St Ives School of Painting. I deliver courses involved with the figure, still life and landscape. My practice as a painter feeds into the teaching, often through demonstrations. The school is wonderful – the history the ethos and most of all the people.

What to Bring

You will receive a comprehensive handbook on setting up ready for the course covering equipment and materials. We will guide you on how best to set up in your own home environment whatever that might be from the kitchen to the studio. It would be useful to be able to print the image we send you to work from after the first day.

You will be provided with a full materials list and you will need to use oil paint and either low odour white spirit or Zest It, if you are sensitive to solvents. You will need 2b pencils, cartridge paper, drawing board, willow stick charcoal (soft charcoal that crumbles) and putty rubber, ivory black and white gouache or acrylic. A selection of oil paints, a canvas 20 inches by 16 inches roughly.

IT Equipment

You will need a laptop or tablet with audio and camera enabled so you can have a screen near where you are working. A phone is not ideal as you will struggle to see enough. You will also need reasonable broadband connection and speed.

Timings and Breaks

On the Monday before the course starts there will be technical session with our digital administrator to make sure you are comfortable with the technology and everything is working correctly.

Key Dates: Live Zoom Sessions

Tech session

Live Zoom session Thursday 21 January 1pm – 2pm

Technical induction with our digital administrator to ensure everyone is comfortable and ready for the first session.

Day 1 Monday 25 January Live Zoom session 10.00am – 1pm

Day 2 Tuesday 26 January Live Zoom session 10.00am – 1pm

Day 3 Wednesday January 27 Live Zoom session 2pm – 5pm

Day 4 Thursday January 28th self study day

These classes will be recorded and available to view a couple of hours after the session ends so you can review and recap.

All recordings will be available for you to watch again on demand as many times as you like for one month after the course ends. This means you can review, pause, rewind and further develop your skills.

What our students say

Greg focused on making sure, as beginners, we had the understanding and confidence with oils.

Darcy Chapple

Greg gently pushed me into attempting things I would probably never try otherwise

Geoff Evans

a fantastic experience – it exceeded my expectations and has inspired me to unleash my creativity!

Shana Tam

Greg was very generous with his time and knowledge…Best experience for a long time

Jaci Richards

Greg gave an excellent overview to oil painting technical disciplines plus an introduction to charcoal and gouache. It was intense but extremely satisfying to learn and appreciate the challenge in the ‘dance of chaos vs control’!

Shana Tam

FAQs

Art Courses

Do I need any previous art experience?

Not always. We offer courses for all levels, including complete beginners, intermediate students and more experienced artists. You can look for the experience level listed on the individual course page to find the most suitable option for you. If you need any guidance on what course might suit you best, contact on our friendly team on 01736 797180 and they will be able to help.

In Person Courses

How large are your art classes?

Our studio courses are taught in small groups of around 10 to 12 people, allowing tutors to provide individual guidance alongside group demonstrations and discussions.

What is included in an art course?

Course fees include professional tuition from a practising artist and use of the School’s studio facilities. Materials and equipment are all included in our in person courses, workshops and life drawing sessions – so you can just turn up and get started. Teas and coffees are also provided throughout the day.

Can I attend an art course on my own?

Absolutely. Many students come to St Ives School of Painting independently. Courses offer a welcoming and sociable environment, with plenty of opportunities to meet other people who share an interest in making and learning.

How do I choose the right art course?

Start by considering how you would like to work. You may want to learn a particular medium, improve a skill such as drawing or colour mixing, explore a subject such as landscape or still life, or develop a more personal approach. Each course page explains the content, materials, level and teaching approach to help you decide. Our friendly, helpful team are always available to help further.

Please call us on 01736 797180 to discuss your options or email [email protected].

How do I get my work home?

Tutors have special techniques for transporting oil paintings and for our 3 day courses we will give you a plastic folder with a handle. These are also available to purchase for £3.50 or do bring a portfolio.

Please note: For the course Bigger, Bolder, Braver with Boo Mallinson, we will provide a large A1 size plastic folder for your work but please consider how you will be able to transport the larger canvases home safely before signing up for the course as we will not be able to store large paintings in the studio. On this course you will be painting on a 50cms x 50cms and a 1m x 1m canvas alongside smaller pieces.

For international students we are happy to arrange transportation of your work back home, postal costs will be borne by you.

What do I need to bring?

You don’t need to bring anything with you unless we specify beforehand. All materials, aprons and tools are provided, however some people do like to bring along their favourite set of brushes or sketchbooks.

What do I do for lunch?

Courses allow an hour’s break for lunch and there are numerous places nearby or you are welcome to bring a packed lunch into the studio.

What times do courses run?

Most of our courses start at 10am and end at 4.30pm on the first day. Subsequent days we start at 9.30am ending at 4pm.

Short workshops start at 10am in the Summer and 9.30am/ 1.30pm during September festival


Can I bring my dog?

The studios are busy places with lots of equipment and not suitable for bringing a pet dog. We can accommodate assistance dogs with prior notice so we can make suitable adjustments. If you wish to bring an assistance dog please call 01736 797180 or email [email protected]

Choosing an Art Course

Do you run life drawing classes in St Ives?

Yes. We hold regular life drawing sessions in St Ives, including Thursday evening and Saturday morning classes. These welcoming, tutored sessions are open to a range of experience levels and provide an opportunity to practise drawing from a life model. Our life drawing sessions are held just a 5 minute walk from our studios at The Island Centre.

Do you offer art courses for adults?

Yes. We run art classes and courses for adults throughout the year, from accessible introductory workshops to more intensive courses for people looking to deepen their creative practice.

What types of painting can I learn?

Our courses cover a wide range of approaches, including oil painting, acrylic painting, watercolour, gouache, landscape painting, still life, portraiture and abstraction. We also offer courses exploring colour, composition, mark-making and creative confidence.

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