Course Description

John Singer Sargent was an American painter and the premier portrait artist of his generation. His work was so impressive, he was sought out by the most elite socialites of the late 1800’s.

During a time when painters such as Monet, Renoir, and Degas were making a name for Impressionism, John Singer Sargent was able to satisfy those still looking for the feel of old world portraiture, but with a modern twist. His ability to draw with a paintbrush and render a likeness of a subject without the lengthy underpainting and glazing technique, allowed him to not only capture the spirit of his subject but leave a bit of himself within the piece, sharing his bold bravado brushwork with the viewer.

Did someone say they were Intimidated by Oils? Well, I’m here to take your worries away. I too started my journey in mixed media and when oils were suggested to me by French artist, Martine Alison, my first thought was “NO WAY, oils are too complicated!”

Now this way of thinking had no basis in reality, it was just something that I thought was the truth. Kind of like when you are little and you are just sure there is a monster under the bed or in the closet, hiding until the lights go out. Oils are not intimidating. Our brains might be programmed to make us believe that, but how could the most popular media of all time be too hard for you and me to use?

Techniques Taught

• Color mixing
• Value scaling
• Breaking down a face
• Underpainting
• Overcoming fear of oils
• Painting with a limited palette (four colors plus white)