Portrait Painting

Fri 11 June to Fri 16 July | 1-3pm | £70 (5 weeks) | Tutor Catherine MacDiarmid

An opportunity for those with some drawing and painting practice to develop their painting skills through the discipline of portraiture. You will be guided through a series of painting exercises exploring different techniques, paint handling and colour palettes, with both water and oil based mediums, developing good practice along the way. There will be a portrait model each week.

If this course has sold out, you can add your details to our waiting list here to register your interest. Please include your name and contact details.

Important Information

Please note there is no class on the following date: 25 June

In line with current government guidance, this class will be limited in numbers due to social distancing measures. A priority booking period will be available to those who have recently attended portrait classes at Brewery Arts.

Places for those new to the class are subject to availability; remaining places will go on general sale online on Sat 5 June.

What will the course or workshop cover and how will it be taught?

Through a series of observational drawing tasks, you will learn to:

• Appreciate basic measuring techniques in relation to portraiture.
• Mix colour and tone with purpose and meaning.
• Understand and represent tone and structure of the human form.
• Develop mark-making with both water and oil based painting mediums.
• Appreciate the works of other artists in relation to portraiture.

By the end of the course you will be capable of:

• Using some basic measuring techniques in relation to portraiture.
• Mixing colour and tone with purpose and meaning.
• Representing basic form, structure and colour of the human head.
• Using a variety of mark making within painting.
• Appreciating a wider range of artists’ portraits.

What do I need to bring with me?

Drawing boards and easels will be provided.

You will need to bring some paint to the first session, and this can be of your own choice (oils, acrylic, gouache or watercolour). You need only bring two colours (yellow ochre and a dark brown) and white (if using oils, acrylic or gouache). Also bring with you at least 6 non-expensive surfaces (paper, lining paper etc).

Surfaces for oil painting should be primed with an acrylic primer. You can reuse old surfaces by priming them in gesso (white acrylic) primer (or household emulsion mixed with a bit of PVA glue) if you are painting in oils, acrylic or gouache.

Watercolour requires need more sturdy or thicker paper to paint on and watercolour paper is best for this.

Bring what brushes you have, and any other equipment you might need with your chosen paint (pots, palette -some old board or a big plastic lid will do for this – solutions, rags etc).

When using art materials your clothes could potentially get dirty so you may wish to dress accordingly.

Please read our Covid safety measures before visiting Brewery Arts. Masks should be worn during the class.

Are there any additional costs?

No

About the tutor

Catherine MacDiarmid is a local artist who has exhibited widely, including exhibiting in the BP Portrait award for young artists in 2001/2. She is an elected member of The Lakes Artists Society and appeared in Sky Portrait Artists of the Year 2014, 2018 reaching the semi-finals in 2019. As well as completing private portrait commissions her work is in collected internationally, and works from her home based studio in Kendal. Her art work focuses on the human form, exploring expression and movement in both drawing & painting. www.catherinemacdiarmid.co.uk