Notes from Martinho Correia's Summer Portrait Workshop

*marble dust (Calcium Carbonate) and glue [Oxford explains how they are made]

Day 1:

• Handouts (schedule, medium ratios, painting steps, terminology, Andrew Loomis geometric head sketches and planar head values)

• Lecture (introduction/background, brief history of portrait painting, basic geometry, proportions and shape of head, etc), Q&A, attendee introduction, numbers drawn from a hat and "1" chooses first and so forth. 

• Demo and toning of canvases with a burnt umber background (campitura). Proper board, paper, and easel setup. 

• Sight-size demo. Lunch break. Each place has its own classical cast. Use sight-size to draw main outlines and filled-in shadow shapes of the cast.

Day 2 (speed varies with each individual)

• Draw model portrait sight-size, focusing on main planar changes and shadow shapes. Trace over image with tracing paper and red pen. Flip side and rub charcoal over lines thorough and rub with a paper towel. Align tracing paper with canvas edge, tape, and go over lines again with pencil to transfer to canvas. Spray transfer with fixative. 

Day 3

• If necessary, continue drawing from the model. 

Day 4

• Work with model burnt umber on palette, slightly dampened brush with 1 linseed oil to 1 odorless thinner; flat fill in shadow shapes with correct values and also the background. May take several layers to get darkest parts to the correct value. Allow to dry.

Day 5

• Add calcium carbonate* to titanium white paint or use lead white (with a drop of cobalt dryer if in a hurry) and begin layering in your whites. Thin paint allows more background to show through, impasto in highlights.

Weekend

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Charles Cecils Paint Grinding Method and Recipe

Portrait of Emanuele by Jean-Antoine Norbert 2013

[Video coming soon]

A kind thanks to artist Jean-Antoine Norbert for giving the demonstration and sharing the information he learned during his 2013 workshop at Charles Cecil studio in Florence (and the homemade pizza).

Cecil Palette:
Vermillion Red
White
Ivory Black
Persian Red
Yellow Ochre

Cecil Medium:
25% Canadian Balsam oil
25% Sun-thickened linseed oil
50% Thinner*

*Fist painting use slightly more thinner, for subsequent layers use the same medium.

Grinding materials:
Grinding pestle
2 pieces of glass (previous coated with adhesive and white sand for grit) (one of colors and one for white) mounted on boards (white background recommended to see better during cleaning)
Linseed Oil
Mineral spirits
Paper towels

Maestro (Michael John Angel):
To get a pure black: use a high quality pigment and grind everyday for 15 minutes for a year.

Paint away.

Evanny

(la balcone piccola a Firenze)

Odd Nerdrum's use of an classic religious composition

Martinho Correia Summer Portrait Workshop Review

Portrait Workshop - sight-size live-model
Instructor: Martinho Correia (speaks English, Italian, and learning Portugese)
Location: Florence, Italy at Angel Academy of Art, cast studio
Dates: 15 - 26 August, 2013       9:30-12:30, 13:30-16:30 Monday-Friday

This overview is just a little taste of the actual experience. I highly recommend taking the workshop in person because nothing can replace the one-on-one instruction and being in that focused environment; more information is revealed and the external time limit helps put a necessary amount of pressure in order to mentally process and apply the techniques quickly, which otherwise might be neglected when attempting alone. Besides, there is also the added benefit of camaraderie and support when your previous habits are rebelling against the new approach. Be patient with yourself and the process. The closer you focus on listening and applying exactly what is being said and shown the easier you will catch your mistakes in action and get a more satisfying final result.

Typically throughout the workshop, especially during demos, the students use sketchpads to keep visual (doodles) and verbal notes and take photos (please ask permission first before photographing models or other's artwork) for future reference when practicing or finishing up at home. Keep handouts to reference during workshop and afterwards. The studio space is setup with storage, work surface, and seating at your easel station. At one end in a large table setup with mediums, paper towels, plastic wrap and other basic needs. Demos would be conducted either at an easel or the large table. A board of reference images is always on display and a large projected slideshow accompanies the lecture. Martinho teaches the entire painting process. Everything is covered from initial setup to the varnishing stage - what materials and how to use, how to think about and see your painting/subject better, how to resize painting, preservation and care tips, and how to transport back home.

Martinho Correia has a Fine Arts Degree from the University of Calgary, Education degree from British Colombia University, Master's degree from the European University in Rome, completed the program and taught at Angel Academy of Art, and has teaching experience since the mid-eighties.
Martinho is relaxed, funny, and gracious. He is very knowledgeable, methodical, and well-organized. He helps you keep on track, explains the process clearly and is always available to help you through a problem area or clear up any confusion. The mood in the studio is lighthearted and focused. Either at the end of the first week or the end of the workshop, Martinho organizes a dinner at the authentic italian restaurant I Tarocchi and the final day of class is celebrated with a shared bottle of wine. You can expect to come away from the workshop well-prepared to continue painting in this style or easily adapt it into your own.
To see his work and find out more, visit:
www.martinhoart.com
http://offthecoastofutopia.blogspot.it/

Stay up-to-date by checking into the Angel Academy of Art website in the Spring for next year's workshops. Martinho will be teaching the methods of a modern day contemporary artist, showing how to work partly with a live model and from a photograph.

How to Care for Paintbrushes Properly

First-rinse brushes in container of mineral spirits, Second-rinse in another, [3-rinse in linseed oil, 4th-rinse in clean mineral spirits,] wash in warm soap and water. I skip 3rd and 4th rinses if I am working everyday. I will do those steps when not painting for several days and also reshape them and let dry with a little conditioner or olive oil.

Seal new palettes with 2-3 coats of linseed oil before use. Either rub paint into palette or wash off with mineral spirits. I like to occasionally reapply a little linseed oil.

(More detailed description coming soon)

Artist Daily - Human Anatomy for Drawing for Artists PDF (link)

Artist Daily - Human Anatomy for Drawing for Artists PDF.

http://sherristakes.com/download/art/DrawingAnatomy.pdf

Art Style Generator - How to expand your style!

"...a new navigator for contemporary works of art created by Charles Morris, which is designed to highlight the current renaissance of everything, showing how the widest range of human experience is expressed in contemporary art.

Art Style Generator allows you to dream up new works of art with any combination of stylistic elements. You can then commission Morris or another artist to create the piece. Art directors and artists are also welcome to use the site to help envision and plan new works of art."

A friend and I are conspiring on getting a group of artists together and practice this with a model or perhaps we'll combine it with the weekend sketching outings. I'll share what becomes of it! :)