Ron Lemen
Fridays, 6–9 PM
January 16–February 27
(7 weeks, 21 total hours of instruction)
La Jolla Studio
$330/350
Ever wanted to capture someone's essence on canvas? Our oil portrait class is where magic happens, and trust me, you do not need to be Picasso to join the fun. We will dive into solid academic foundations—proper proportions, color theory, and classical techniques that master artists have used for centuries. You will learn the rules of light and shadow, how to mix colors that actually look like skin tones, and time-tested methods for constructing believable faces. These are not just random tips—they are proven tools that will genuinely accelerate your growth as an artist.
The best part? You will have a structured foundation to build on while still keeping things enjoyable. As ancient wisdom tells us, "The master acts without striving." We will give you the academic tools—understanding facial anatomy, measuring techniques, and compositional principles—but then encourage you to apply them naturally. Some days your portrait will surprise you with its technical accuracy and beauty; other days you will laugh at the wonky nose while appreciating how much you have learned about bone structure.
Come as you are—total beginner or seasoned veteran. You will leave each session with paint under your fingernails, stories to tell, and a deeper appreciation for the human face. Plus, you might just surprise yourself with what you can create when you let go and have fun with it.
Materials: Preferred paints in oil (buy directly from the DaVinci Paints website): Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow Pale, Cadmium Yellow Orange, Cadmium Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Red Rose Deep, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Viridian Green, Ivory Black.
Surfaces: canvas pads at least 11” x 14” in scale. (I use 12” x 16” and 16” x 20”, but scale is up to you.)
Brushes: Include at least one 1/4” bristle flat, two 1/2” bristle flat brushes, one round brush, preferably a sable, one 1/2” bristle filbert, one 1/2” bristle bright, and one fan brush–preferably a bristle as well. We are not using any sables except to draw with to make sure that our paint application is strong and opaque. This makes it much easier to see the exact color that has been mixed.
Paper Towels: Purchase a four-pack or a box of blue shop-towels from Home Depot. They are durable and do not flake into paint the way regular paper towels do.
Other: one palette knife for mixing color—RGM # 5 or 10, flexible—with a rounded end to it to prevent damaging your palette; palette paper (Reynolds Freezer Paper found at any grocer or online); an 18” x 24” canvas board to act as a palette support (can be purchased cheaply at Michael's); linseed oil and an oil cup. (No paint thinner is needed; in fact, most of the time you paint you do not need thinner at all, unless you have an effect you are pushing into your work.)
Max students: 12
Immediately after you register, look for a confirmation email and receipt. In the week preceding the class start date, you will receive another email with more details.