In this six-week charcoal atelier, students will study the foundations of classical portrait drawing through the traditional academic methods once taught in the great European art academies. The course is designed for people who truly wish to develop their artistic understanding seriously and deeply — not simply as a casual hobby, but as a discipline and craft.
Having studied at one of Europe’s leading art academies, I want to share the same principles and methods that have shaped generations of painters throughout history. Through careful observation and structured practice, students will learn how to understand the human face through construction, proportion, light, shadow, and form.
We will begin with a small charcoal portrait, allowing students to focus fully on the essentials of portraiture without becoming overwhelmed by detail. Throughout the six weeks, students will develop a deeper understanding of:
* Proportions of the head
* Construction and anatomy of the face
* Light and shadow
* Tonal values
* Form and volume
* Observation and accuracy
* Classical charcoal techniques
This course is intended for dedicated students who genuinely wish to improve their artistic foundations and train their eye in a more classical and academic way.
Although students may later choose to continue into the oil painting atelier, I strongly recommend beginning with drawing first. A strong understanding of charcoal drawing creates the foundation for everything that follows in painting. The knowledge gained through drawing — understanding structure, value, light, and form — becomes invaluable later when working with oil paint.
Students who wish may later continue into the Classical Portrait Painting in Oil course, where these same principles will be developed further through painting techniques, color, and brushwork.
My goal is not only to teach technique, but to help students truly learn how to see — with greater sensitivity, understanding, and precision.
Because every master painter first learned how to draw.
