Join Marc Alexander for a two-day workshop exploring the techniques of John Singer Sargent, Joaquín Sorolla, and Anders Zorn.

This workshop will cover all the key fundamentals of portrait painting. Under Marc’s guidance, each participant will complete a finished portrait, working from a provided reference over the two days. Everyone is welcome – from absolute beginners to experienced artists.

Workshop Structure and Timeline

Day 1 – Underpainting: Construction & Features (12 December)

9:00 – 9:30 am: Welcome & Introduction

  • Tea and coffee
  • Meet and greet
  • Overview and goals
  • Materials check

9:30 am – 12:15 pm: Instruction and Demonstration

  • Choosing a reference
  • Underpainting methods – working from the general to the specific
  • Brushstroke economy and implied detail
  • Focus: brush handling and paint application techniques
  • Light demonstration and group paint-along

12:15 – 1:00 pm: Lunch Break

1:00 – 3:30 pm: Own Project – Underpainting

  • Artists begin their portrait projects, choosing one of the provided references
  • Instructor guidance and feedback throughout the session

3:30 – 4:00 pm: Q&A and Critique

  • Group feedback and constructive critique

Day 2 – Rendering: Brush Handling, Flesh Tone & Limited Palette Colour Mixing (13 December)

9:00 – 9:30 am: Warm-up

  • Tea and coffee
  • Overview and goals
  • Review of Day 1 paintings

9:30 am – 12:15 pm: Instruction and Demonstration

  • Portrait rendering
  • Flesh tone and limited palette colour mixing
  • Focus: colour mixing, edge control, material handling, and implied detail rendering
  • Light demonstration and group paint-along

12:15 – 1:00 pm: Lunch Break

1:00 – 3:30 pm: Own Project – Rendering

  • Artists continue their portrait projects
  • Instructor guidance and feedback throughout the session

3:30 – 4:00 pm: Q&A and Critique

  • Artists present their final portraits
  • Group feedback and discussion

Required Materials

  • A3 or larger canvas pad, stretched canvas, or primed 300 g paper
  • Angle and filbert brushes
  • Masking tape or drawing clips

Paints (Acrylic or Oil):

  • Warm and cool reds: Opaque Cadmium Red and transparent Alizarin Crimson
  • Warm and cool yellows: Opaque Cadmium/Arylamide Yellow and transparent Lemon Yellow
  • Warm and cool blues: Transparent Ultramarine Blue and transparent Prussian Blue
  • Warm and cool greens: Transparent Sap Green and transparent Viridian Green
  • Earth colours: Transparent Burnt Umber, transparent Burnt Sienna, and opaque Yellow Ochre
  • Chromatic Black: Mix Van Dyke Brown with Prussian Blue, or Burnt Umber with French Ultramarine Blue
  • White: Opaque Titanium White

Mediums and Accessories:

  • Retarder (to slow the drying time of acrylics)
  • Matte acrylic glaze medium (for thinning acrylic paint)
  • Oil medium (mix three equal parts genuine turpentine, refined linseed oil, and Liquin)
  • Brush-cleaning tank with wire spiral or sieve, filled with odourless white spirit
  • Paper towels for general cleaning

Please bring your own materials or purchase them at the workshop. Standing and table easels, as well as drawing panels, will be provided. The Portrait Painting eBook containing all workshop notes will also be available online.