Progressing with Portrait Painting

Tutor: Gianluca Rotelli | Mondays 6:30pm-9pm | 6 weeks

This course is for students with some experience in portrait painting and drawing who wish to advance their skills and deepen their understanding of the genre. Through practical work and discussion, you’ll explore questions of perception and identity, drawing inspiration from artists such as Rembrandt, Manet, and Sargent. You’ll also examine the role of photography as a visual reference, considering how a fleeting moment can be interpreted through paint.

Students are required to bring their own materials and should refer to the materials list below before their course starts. (#MN05)

Course Information

Progressing with Portrait Painting

We provide easels and drawing boards for use during the course. There is also a small art shop on-site, selling a range of supplies including paper, charcoal, and pencils for drawing, as well as brushes, paints, and canvases for painting. Your tutor will be happy to advise you on suitable materials. Please bring these materials with you when you start the course:

  • N4 to N12 Cornelissen series 44 Hog Bristle Filbert
  • N4 To N12 Rosemary classic Filberts
  • N1 to N6 Rosemary Evergreen acrylic
  • Wooden palette approx 25 x 35cm
  • Painting knife size 1 to 3 (for mixing colours on the palette)
  • Dipper – double dipper ideally
  • Jam jar (for cleaning of brushes)
  • A roll of paper kitchen towel or similar (for cleaning brushes as you paint)

Painting Medium

  • Linseed oil
  • Walnut oil
  • Poppy oil
  • Mastic varnish
  • Damar varnish
  • Larch Venice Turpentine
  • White courtrai drier

*Optional and we can discuss the merits of using painting mediums later on. Fundamental basis medium is Linseed oil.

Oil Paints

  • Warm white lead alternative (Michael Harding)
  • Titanium White (Michael Harding)
  • Yellow Ochre (Michael Harding)
  • Yellow lake (Michael Harding)
  • Cadmium Red light ( Mussini)
  • Cobalt blue deep (Michael Harding)
  • Raw Umber ( Mussini)
  • Alizarin red (Michael Harding)
  • Cerulean blue (Michael Harding)
  • Sap green (Mussini)
  • Ivory black ( Michael Harding)

Drawing Materials

  • Artist Sketchbook (A4)
  • Drawing pencils “3H to 4B”
  • General Charcoal pencil HB to 4B
  • Grey Putty Rubber
  • Masking Tape

Please only bring low odour thinners with you or buy them from the school shop. For health and safety reasons we do not allow the use of white spirit or turpentine at Heatherleys.

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