Beginner Portraits in Oils
Class | Available
Take the mystery (and the fear!) out of painting portraits. A face is just another subject—built from simple shapes, thoughtful proportions, and clear values. With patience and guidance, you’ll learn the essentials of form and anatomy that bring a portrait to life. The rewards are well worth the journey!
Week 1:
We’ll begin with a brief introduction to composition and lighting. Using just one color, you’ll map out the major shapes of the head—placing features, simplifying forms, and establishing lights and darks. This step-by-step approach allows you to make adjustments easily before moving into paint.
Weeks 2 & 3:
You’ll begin working with a limited palette—only four colors—to understand how subtle and beautiful skin tones can be mixed without overwhelm. You’ll develop a strong foundation in value, temperature, and color harmony that can be applied to any medium going forward.
Whether this is your first portrait—or your first in a long time—you’ll build confidence as you see your painting come to life layer by layer. Perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to strengthen their portrait fundamentals.
- Note: There is no class on Feb 9th
You will need a photo to work from, no smaller than 6x8 and in focus.
Canvas… no smaller than 8x10 and no larger than 16x20
Brushes… filberts sizes 4,6, and 8
Palette
Paper towels or rags
Odorless turpentine
- Titanium white, Ivory black, yellow ochre, cad red light
Arlene Marcoe-Davis
For as far as I can remember making art in its many forms is the way that I express myself in this world. In school I studied drawing, ceramics, painting, jewelry and stage design and leaving with a modest scholarship I intended to attend the Art Student League in NYC. Fate however had other plans and I moved to the Island of Maui.
I was an active member of the Lahaina Art Society and the Hui No’Eau. I furthered my studies with seminars on the mainland with master pastelist Albert Handel and Daniel Greene as well as watercolorist, Judi Betts. After 25 years in the islandsI found myself here in New Jersey and I took advantage of being able to study portraiture and anatomy with instructor Al Gury at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. It was then that I fell in love with oil paint.
Today I work in my studio that overlooks the marshland of South
Jersey. I know longer paint for prizes or profit, just the sheer joy of it. I recently withdrew my membership to the Salmagundi Club in NYC and am enjoying teaching locally.