Classical Oil Painting for Naturalist Bird Portraiture

Begin by getting to know Sarah. Hear about her creative journey to becoming a classical realist artist and teacher, as well as some of her creative influences and sources of inspiration.

Sarah first takes you through the basics: see how to set up a shadow box and your work space. Get an overview of the materials and hear Sarah’s recommendations before learning about the history and theory of the sight-size technique. Next, cover the fundamentals of drawing like proportions, light, shadow, value, modeling, and rendering. Sarah then guides you through color mixing and selecting a color palette.

Delve into the oil painting process by exploring Sarah’s method when creating an animal portrait with the alla prima technique. She begins by teaching monochromatic underpainting to establish the drawing. Then she shows you how to organize your palette and premix the colors according to value for the painting, known as value triangulation. Move on to painting the background before adding the finishing touches.

Discover how to maintain the intensity of the colors in your painting and how to preserve it using varnish. Sarah shares her tips and tricks when photographing and sharing her work online. Wrap up the course by hearing final thoughts and advice to keep in mind as you embark upon your own artistic journey.