Realistic Oil Portrait Painting Online Workshop
At no time in my education, which includes a BFA from Boston University and an MFA from Yale, did I encounter anyone who was qualified to teach on this level. I believe you have isolated some of the core truths in figurative painting. Thank you so much for helping me to see them. I feel that a whole new direction in painting has now opened before me.
Marvin Mattelson's
Realistic Oil Portrait Painting Online Workshop:
Getting Real
11 Daily Sessions*
Next Workshop: August 2023
9am - 5pm†
Class size limit: 15 students
Year after year of practice, my hands are increasingly able to paint what my mind envisions. I feel that studying with Marvin has truly equipped me with the knowledge and mindset to keep pushing the boundaries of my paintings. I am very grateful to have had the chance to learn from him!
Marvin Mattelson's approach to portraiture is based on the idea that creating an illusionistically real painting requires far more than merely copying what lies before you. It requires the knowledge of how to modify what you see to create a portrait that is more real than real. You will learn how the great masters were able to create the illusion of three-dimensional reality on a two-dimensional surface.
This workshop covers the same basic material as Marvins eleven-week Saturday painting course, but in a far more intense and immersive environment. The ability to pick up where you left off from the previous day, with no loss of momentum, combined with the longer hours, gives you the opportunity to truly reinforce the methodology, and experience tremendous artistic growth. Depending on your schedule, setting aside two weeks, with minimal outside interruptions, may make the most sense.
Sound strategies for getting a good likeness, for modeling and turning the form, and for finding an efficient and repeatable way to mix the subtle nuanced colors of life will be addressed in great depth. You will learn how to think strategically, and make informed decisions regarding what to modify in order to create a more enhanced illusion of reality. Marvin will cover materials and their usage as well as best practices for archivally sound artwork.
The juxtaposition of objective observation and subjective interpretation are the keys to mastering a truly classical realist approach to painting. Marvin breaks down the painting process into a logical progression based on the student's specific intent.
Marvin feels the most effective way to teach is by demonstrating and explaining each and every step of his methodology. He utilizes the latest in high-definition live streaming technology for his online teaching academy. By using multiple cameras and computer interactions, students are able to view never-before-possible close-ups of his demos. During the workshop sessions Marvin will be demonstrating and explaining the following:
Demonstrations include:
• Transparent under painting technique.
• How to achieve accurate drawing and values.
• Preparation and use of the Mattelson Flesh Palette.
• Scumbling and wet-into-wet paint handling.
• How to make your painting appear more real than real.
Marvin will work one on one with each of his students when he's not demonstrating. Marvin has created a multi-camera high-resolution broadcast virtual studio where he utilizes the latest digital technology to critique and evaluate students' work. A big advantage of on screen learning, as opposed to a live classroom setting, is that he's not limited to merely explaining how to correct your portrait. Now he can show you what to do while your painting remains intact. Plus, each student now has the opportunity to profit from everyone's feedback, not just their own.
Drawing is the probity of art. To draw does not mean simply to reproduce contours; drawing does not consist merely of line: drawing is also expression, the inner form, the plane, the modeling. See what remains after that. Drawing includes three and a half quarters of the content of painting. Drawing contains everything, except the hue.
Marvin will also include digital slide presentations covering a wide range of subject matter, including lectures on lighting, color theory, photo reference, and composition, which he will reference throughout the course. He will lead his students on a virtual museum tour, where they will have the unique opportunity to closely examine some of the greatest paintings ever created. Marvin will analyze and meticulously break down these masterpieces while elaborating on how they inspired him to formulate his unique approach.
This class is designed for students of all levels, from beginners to seasoned pros. For more information on specifics please click on the following links to learn more about his teaching methodology and his virtual teaching classroom setup. To register please contact Marvin Mattelson.
*There is no class scheduled for the intervening Sunday. †Eastern Daylight SavingsTime.
Marvin is now available for one to one private mentoring, coaching and portfolio evaluation.
