.A Crash Course in Portrait Painting
There are many reasons someone might want to learn portrait painting, and they can be practical, creative, or deeply personal. As you begin to explore the possibilities, you’ll discover countless ways to capture human expression. It’s like entering into a dialogue with an imaginary friend or a long-lost family member. Portraits are one of the most powerful ways to explore and preserve human emotion, personality, and identity.
Drawing from Truth
It goes without saying that observing nature is the most profound way to learn to draw. In the silence of the moment, you establish a connection to the soul and can ask questions you might never dare to in an ordinary social setting.
Observing a Person for a Portrait
Learning portrait painting sharpens your eye for subtle details, expressions, posture, and gestures, the very things that make a person unique. Painting portraits isn’t just about likeness; it’s about interpretation. Artists can emphasize mood, atmosphere, or symbolic details, using portraiture to tell stories or convey deeper truths about their subject.
Painting the Human Spirit
Portraiture is a demanding discipline that refines technical skills such as proportion, anatomy, shading, and color mixing. By studying faces, artists build a strong foundation for all other forms of art, from figure drawing to illustration. The act of painting a portrait requires intense focus, patience, and observation. It’s no coincidence that students often enter a state of flow when engaged in such challenging work. For many, it becomes both a meditative practice and a way to train themselves to see the world, and people, more clearly.
Portraits have been central to art history for centuries, from the Renaissance masters to contemporary painters. Learning the craft connects you to that tradition and offers insight into how artists have told human stories across time.
Valuable Skill
Portrait painting is more than learning to paint faces, it’s about mastering a valuable skill, creating meaningful connections, and standing out in a way that photography simply can’t match. Master this timeless skill and give yourself the power to create art that moves hearts and leaves a legacy.
Turn Memories Into Masterpieces
A painted portrait is more than art, it’s love made visible. You add your version of what you see and create value. Learn to capture the people who matter most with every brushstroke, creating timeless keepsakes that photos can’t replace.
A crash course in portrait painting by Jacobina Oele
Taught by Jacobina Oele. In this intensive workshop, you will learn how to create an accurate portrait of a loved one. Over two focused sessions, we will explore both the structure of the face and the painting techniques that bring a subject to life.
Dates & Times:
Saturday November 1 and Sunday November 2 2025, from 1-4 pm and
Saturday November 15 and Sunday November 16 2025, from 1-4 pm
Location:
River Arts District Outpost, 24 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
What to Bring:
A photograph of a loved one and a sketchbook. (All other materials will be provided.)
Prerequisites:
Some prior drawing and painting experience is required.
Under My Guidance you will learn a step by step process;
First Class
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- Analyze the key features of the face: eyes, nose, mouth, and hair
- Reproduce your chosen photograph using a clear, step-by-step process.
- Learn to apply shading (values) for depth and form
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Second Class
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- Make an outline of portrait with pencil. (Either photo or real)
- Practice mixing paints to create realistic skin tones
- Explore effective techniques for painting hair
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