Registration will open on February 16 at 12 pm. Friday – Sunday, 9 am – 4 pm In this three-day workshop artists will make portrait drawings from the live model in short and long poses using the technique of trois crayons: red, black, and white dry media on paper. Dating to the Renaissance, gaining prominence in 16th century France, and continuing in popularity today, trois crayons has been exploited to masterful effect by artists such as Parmigianino, Rubens, Boucher, Watteau, and more recently Anthony Ryder and Robert Liberace. Typically, black is used for the construction lines, shadows, and cold tones, red for the warm tones, and white for the highlights. Instruction will include a comprehensive demonstration from start to finish, as well as in-depth personal critiques with a particular focus on cultivating an organized, rational process. Two distinct steps will be emphasized throughout: building an accurate linear block-in, then interpreting values, hues, and chromas to effectively to create a sense of sculptural form and a strong aesthetic point of view. Cranial anatomy, color theory, materials, line quality, resolution/abbreviation, edges, and the physics of light will also be discussed throughout the course. Beginning to advanced artists are welcome; instruction will be customized to all levels of experience. Special Notes The workshop will meet in our third-floor studio. Required Supplies BLACK, RED, and WHITE pencils. I recommend colored pencils for their versatility and control as tonal and graphic tools— Prismacolor brand color pencils (in black, white, and terra cotta/scarlet red) work especially well for this technique, but any high-quality colored pencils will work. Alternatively, vine charcoal/compressed charcoal/graphite pencils paired with white chalk (e.g. General’s white chalk) and traditional sanguine or sanguine style pencils may be used.DRAWING PAPER 2 sheets of medium toned, smooth drawing paper (if 1 is black and 10 is white, a neutral tone in the 4-8 range is recommended). Canson Mi-Teintes has a wide range of toned papers that are suitable. Any hue can work depending on the desired aesthetic, but I would skew towards more neutral expressions of gray, blue, and beige/brown. Alternatively, hand-toning a heavyweight, hot press watercolor paper with ink or watercolor can produce a more personalized surface.ERASERS 1 kneaded eraser and 1 hard rubber eraser STUMP one medium sized cotton blending stump or tortillon PAINT BRUSH one long handled paint brush with natural bristles size 3-6 for blending and taking measurements SHARPENER I prefer to sharpen with a utility knife and sandpaper SMALL MIRROR a compact mirror, optional but strongly recommended DRAWING BOARD WITH CLIPS/TAPE
A non-profit, fine arts organization founded in 1895. We offer art classes in a variety of media, exhibitions and 60 hours of open studio per week.
