Immerse yourself in the art of portrait painting with this in-depth masterclass led by accomplished artist Richard Kitson! This workshop is designed to guide you step-by-step through essential portraiture techniques, focusing on the nuances of skin tones, facial structure, and expressive mark-making. With hands-on instruction and expert demonstrations, Richard will help you develop both technical skills and a contemporary approach to portraiture.

In Stage 1, you’ll dive into mixing skin tones from a limited palette, creating your own reference sheet to capture subtle color variations. Building on this foundation, you'll sketch out a preliminary portrait, laying down the structural basics of the face.

In Stage 2, you’ll apply these techniques to create a more detailed and dynamic portrait. Working from provided photographic references, you’ll bring your painting to life, capturing likeness and character while exploring expressive mark-making techniques.

Stage 1 (Approx. 50 minutes):

The workshop will begin with a focused session on mixing skin tones, designed to help you understand and recreate the subtle, varied hues found in the human face. Using a limited palette of acrylic paints, you’ll explore how to blend colors to capture a spectrum of skin tones, from warm undertones to cool shadows. Each participant will create a reference sheet, layering and mixing colors to produce a personal palette that can be used as a guide for future works. This exercise will deepen your understanding of color theory and prepare you for the nuanced task of portraiture.

Next, you’ll move into studying facial structure. Guided by Richard, you’ll practice rendering the essential shapes and planes of the face, focusing on accurate proportions and form. This preliminary painting will be a simplified portrait, allowing you to identify the core elements—eyes, nose, mouth, and general shape—without getting bogged down in fine details. This foundational exercise will set the stage for more detailed work in the next phase.

Stage 2 (Approx. 2 hours):

Building on the techniques practiced in Stage 1, you’ll dive into creating a more complete, detailed portrait. Here, the focus shifts to achieving a likeness that reflects your subject’s unique features while embracing a variety of expressive mark-making techniques. This part of the workshop will encourage you to go beyond traditional portraiture and explore creative brushwork, layering, and texture. The goal is not only to capture the subject's appearance but to infuse your work with energy and contemporary style, making each piece feel vivid and dynamic.

Throughout the session, Richard will demonstrate techniques from his own practice, offering tips on the delicate process of placing skin tones next to one another to build realistic transitions. He’ll guide you on how to use brushstrokes to sculpt the contours, structure, and tonal contrasts that bring a face to life on canvas. His step-by-step insights will provide both practical instruction and artistic inspiration, supporting you as you bring depth, character, and expression into your portrait.

The workshop will use photographic reference images provided