Tips and Tricks for Painting Portraits in Oil
PD-Class | Available
Painting a good portrait is often a test of both skill and patience. Learn to capture not only a likeness, but also a person's essence. Take your painting ability to the next level by creating a figure that really "comes to life" before your eyes!
Prereq: PD103 and PD157 or similar exp.
- Prerequisite: Oil Painting I, Fundamentals of Color, Drawing I, or similar experience
• Oil Paints – Oils preferred but acrylics are acceptable as well.
Colors – Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow Pale or Light, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Transparent Oxide Red or Burnt Sienna.
These are all that you really need but more colors are fine if you have them especially any green such as Viridian, Winsor Green, or Prussian Green.
*Acrylic Paint – Raw Umber and Titanium White
Canvas – 2 or 3 stretched canvases or gessoed panels at least 9 x 12 inch and up to 16” x 20” or largest for full figure 36” x 24”.
• Brushes – Filberts and Flats recommended and various sizes from #2’s up to # 10 or #12.
• Charcoal – Several sticks of thin Vine Charcoal and a medium charcoal pencil and a kneaded eraser. *
• Palette – Any wooden or plastic palette or tearaway palette for mixing paint.
• Paint Thinner – Odorless Mineral Spirits preferred.
• Paper Towels – And a couple of soft cotton cloths. *
• Palette Knife – Optional for mixing paint. *
• Spray Fixative – Keeps your drawing intact. *
Small mirror.
Bring some of your own portrait photos of a person that you would like to paint. We will look for some that have more of a classic look, good light and shadow and that are nicely composed. Painting a copy from a good print of a master portrait such as Sargent is also a possibility and I will bring in several as options.
• * All supplies with the asterisk * means that I will have this on hand in case you are without it.
Tom Sadler
Since moving to Orlando in 1983, Sadler has dedicated his efforts toward capturing the light, color, and mood of the Central Florida landscape. The intense light, combined with the natural beauty of the many lakes, rivers, and parks of the area provide a never-ending source of inspiration. His paintings come to life as a celebration of this beauty found in nature, sometimes exuberant, at other times more subtle. Receiving his BFA at Auburn University, Sadler’s education included the study of oil painting that he considers of utmost value with instructor Jack Dempsey at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He also attended the School of Visual Arts in New York. Since then, he has studied the work of a variety of artists that have had different influences on his work. Sadler feels a pressing desire and necessity to paint each day- that the door is just opening to the world of revealing all that is possible for him through his artwork.