• LIVE ONLINE CLASS - STARTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th •
From Drawing to Painting
Learn a time-honored method for creating an oil portrait
Join along to learn and practice the classical "cartoon transfer process", a method which involves doing a careful drawing on paper before transferring to the canvas for painting.
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What You'll Learn:
Learn a practical historical method for creating a highly resolved portrait study in oil, from start to finish.
- The benefits of starting with a “cartoon” on paper to be transferred to the panel. Work out the hard stuff before getting into paint.
- How to slow down and find fine nuance in the model, while still having fun and avoiding tedium.
- A limited flesh palette inspired by the old masters. Students find this much easier to use than the typical impressionistic full palette
- All about getting accurate drawing, form, light, values and color.
Skill level:
This is an excellent intro portrait painting. Some experience with drawing and painting is recommended but not required. I’m a big believer in jumping in with both feet and learning with each project.
 Saturdays 10am - 2pm • Classes recorded for those that can't attend live
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The Renaissance process of the cartoon transfer
Many of the great masters of the past including Raphael, Leonardo, Holbein, Van Eyck, Rubens, Van Dyck, Ingres and Bouguereau relied on carefully created "cartoon" (Italian for sketch) drawings on paper in which they transferred to blank canvas or panel in preparation for the final painting.Â
These masters knew what many of us as beginners didn't, that painting is pretty hard but we can make our job much easier if we break it down into manageable phases. Divide and conquer!
What you can expect in the class
Over 5 weekly meetings, you'll follow along with me as we create a careful drawing with graphite and charcoal, paying deep attention to proportion, measuring, shape design, values, edges and composition.
For the remainder of the class, we'll transfer the drawing and continue with color in oil paint, focusing on layering methods to achieve a high degree of finish and life-like effects.Â
As always, Feedback tier students receive critiques of their work at the beginning of each class.
Format
Live zoom class meeting Sundays starting Sept 20th, from 10am - 2pm PST for 5 weeks - I'll be painting a demo each class and you'll paint along using the same reference. Individual feedback will be given at the beginning of each class for those enrolled in the Feedback tier. Â
All class sessions will be recorded so you can watch or re-watch on your own time. Class recordings will be available for 30 days after the last class. Â
Students in the Feedback tier will receive paint-over feedback at the beginning of each class.
Students in the Audit tier can participate in the weekly Zoom session to observe a live demo and paint along. They will receive reference photos and a recording of the class but won't have the opportunity to actively engage in the session or receive feedback on their own work.
Enroll for this class here
Feedback Tier
$225
Full 5-Week Live Zoom Class - Starts Sept 20
- Weekly class meeting with live demo
- Individual feedback at the beginning of each class
- Reference photos to work from
- Questions answered during class
- Recorded demo sent each week for replayÂ
Audit Tier
$75
Full 5-Week Live Zoom Class - Starts Sept 20
- View weekly class meeting with live demo (no instructor feedback at this level but watch and paint along)
- Reference photos to work from
- Recorded demo sent each week for replay
What students are saying
Jimena Agra
@himepaints
"Ben’s Zoom class was a fantastic experience to learn the layering techniques as it allowed me to explore a whole new method of painting. He is a very skilled instructor, encouraging and we certainly enjoyed getting deep into his knowledge of the old master's techniques and today’s art world. Would highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their painting skills."
Emma-Lisa Hansson
@strongbyemma_art
"Without any traning in the classical art I felt lost and wasn't improving. It changed when I found Ben's courses. Under Ben's supervision I developed more and faster then I ever thought possible. He provided the tools I needed to analyze my paintings and he also provided knowledge on materials and how to use them. I can highly recommend Ben's courses for anyone that like me, feelt lost and stuck and are at the beginning stage of art making. His courses are perfect both for beginners as well as advanced students. The mix of students provides knowhow for the explorative mind and for the artist that wants to develop further. Ben is an excellent teacher and tends to the individual needs of each of his students where ever they might be in their art journey. Ben is a master in his craft and I'm so happy that he shares his knowledge in a generous way with his peers."