Portraits 3
Choose a start date
- Course Code: VH303
- Dates: 28/04/25 - 14/07/25
- Time: 18:00 - 21:00
- Taught: Mon, Evening
- Duration: 10 sessions (over 12 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Brian Sayers
Course Code: VH303
Choose a start date
Duration: 10 sessions (over 12 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Take your portrait painting to the next level. You will develop your existing skills in painting such as colour-mixing for skin tones, brushwork and composition to create mood, character and expression in building convincing portraits. You will have the opportunity to explore more expressive and experimental portraits, working predominantly from the life model as well as using secondary sources.
What will we cover?
Proportion, colour and tone, anatomical structure of the head for form and volume. Explore different viewpoints. mConvey emotion, expression and mood. Studying and responding to a variety of artist’s work, you will make use of a variety of strategies to develop convincing portrait paintings.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Draw and paint the portrait head with improved understanding of the underlying anatomical structure
- Develop convincing likeness and expression
- Create expressive mood and character
- Use a variety of painting and drawing strategies used by artists
- Explore the portrait subject in context including how to set up the model.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is ideal for students who have progressed from Portraits 2 or those with equivalent previous experience in painting from the figure and/or portrait.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Talks, practical work, demonstrations, individual tutoring, group discussion. Optional homework tasks to ensure you gain the most from the course.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
All drawing and painting materials are provided. Advice will be given if you would like to invest in your own brushes and canvas.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Year of the Figure and Portrait
Advanced Figure and Portrait
Advanced Painting
Life Painting: Contemporary Approaches
Life Painting: Experimental Approaches.
Brian has taught painting and drawing for over 30 years in a variety of different places and at different levels. He graduated from the Slade School of Art in 1978 and has continued to practise painting ever since. He has had over 10 one-person shows in the UK and exhibited in Germany and the USA. Although still life has been a principle interest, he has completed a number of portraits and exhibited 3 times in the National Portrait Gallery and is often in the RA Summer Exhibition. Brian particularly likes to include knowledge of art historical contexts with practical work to extend students' methods and approaches. He aims to focus on painting from diverse periods and cultures to develop individual ideas. When teaching he hopes to encourage a liveliness of approach with a solid understanding of technical issues involved. This can, in his opinion, lead on to a more confident, personal approach.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
