Online Painting Explorations: Portraiture

With the AGO’s amazing collection as inspiration, you will explore a variety of painting techniques and styles. In this online course, we take the foundational elements of colour, light, form, and line – and build on them, encouraging the exploration of approaches both traditional and not so traditional.

While suitable for all skill levels, we recommend beginning with Introduction to Painting.

Every season, we offer projects inspired by artworks in the AGO Collection, including new acquisitions as well as special exhibitions where indicated. Instructors also develop personalized approaches to their teaching techniques focused on student interests and needs. Students are encouraged to discuss their learning goals with their instructor.

Terms and Conditions of Participation in Online Courses.

Please review the Terms & Conditions for course experience optimization. 

Participants must be 18 or older. 

WEEKLY OUTLINE 

Week 1: Introduction to course and materials. Blind continuous contour drawings; anatomy of the head, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and body. Monochrome painting using transparent and opaque paint.
Week 2: Colour theory review. Discussion of components of colour (hue, value, chroma); colour portrait based on a shared image. 
Week 3: Colour portrait beginning with a complimentary colour underpainting, based on a shared image.
Week 4: Portrait using glazing to increase depth in shadows and expand tonal range, based on a shared image.
Week 5: Portrait: a subject and technique of your choice.

STUDENT MATERIAL LIST 

Acrylic paints: Brand of your choice (recommended: Amsterdam standard series or similar, 120 ml/5oz).  

Essential: 

• Primary blue (ultramarine or cobalt, or other basic blue. Avoid: phthalo, windsor, and prussian blue)
• Primary red (cadmium, naphthol, alizarin crimson, magenta, or other)
• Primary yellow (cadmium, hansa, azo, or other)
• Burnt umber 
• Titanium white 
• Acrylic matte medium (not gel) 120 ml/5oz or similar

Brushes for acrylic paint: Long Handle, Hog hair or synthetic fibres, Filbert shape is ideal for most purposes, except the very smallest brush (which should be a round tip)

• A very small brush #1 or 2: round tip that makes a nice point
• Small Long Handle #2 or #3 (approximately ¼ inch width)  
• Medium Long Handle #4 - #6 
• Large Long Handle #10 to #12 (approximately ½ - ¾ inch width)
• And 1 large flat 2 inch chip/utility/house painters brush

Surfaces: Choose 5 surfaces (one for each class). 

These surfaces can be any of the following options (or combination of options):

Option 1: Canson XL Mixed Media Pad 11 x 14 inch or 18 x 24 inch. Each student will need to prime a sheet with gesso before class (student gesso, 16 oz.). 

OR Option 2: stretched canvases or canvas panels 11 x 14 inch or 18 x 24 inch. 

OR Option 3: Canson Canva-paper pad 16 x 20 inch.

• Palette: A flat stiff surface covered with wax paper or aluminum foil, a disposable palette pad, foam or plastic plates or trays (white is ideal).
• Painting rag: cotton cloth
• Water container: 450ml to 750ml vessel that you will not use to drink from.
• Pencil and scrap paper

These are the recommended materials for this course. All sizes are approximate. On your first day of class, your instructor may recommend additional optional materials. Our Instructors will do their best to accommodate alternative materials whenever possible. 

Some suggested retailers for purchasing your art materials.