4-PART CLASS

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$110 / person

Part 1 :: Tuesday, October 27 // 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Part 2 :: Wednesday, October 28 // 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Part 3 :: Tuesday, November 3 // 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Part 4 :: Wednesday, November 4 // 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Supplies not provided. Students must bring the materials listed on the class supply list.

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Strong portraits begin long before the paint touches the canvas.

In this four-part class, instructor Bonnie Dhein will guide students through the drawing, observation, and structural skills that create a strong foundation for portrait painting. Rather than simply copying outlines, students will learn to construct the head as a three-dimensional form and better understand how proportion, planes, facial features, light, shadow, values, and edges work together.

Throughout all four classes, Bonnie will reinforce essential concepts including centerline, tilt, width, planes, and light and shadow families, giving students a repeatable approach they can carry into their own portrait work.

No matter your artistic style, you are welcome! The goal is not to teach one particular style of portraiture, but to strengthen the observational and foundational skills that support portrait drawing and painting.

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What You'll Learn

Part 1: Head Structure, Proportions & Landmarks

Learn to construct the head using basic proportions, centerlines, tilt, width, and important anatomical landmarks.
Homework: Complete three quick constructed heads from different angles.

Part 2: Stereometric Planes & Turning Form

Explore the major planes of the head and how they help describe three-dimensional form and the way the head turns in space.

Homework: Complete a planar overlay and five-value study.

Part 3: Eyes, Nose, Mouth & Ears as Forms

Learn to approach individual facial features as three-dimensional forms and understand how they fit within the larger structure of the head.

Homework: Complete focused studies of the facial feature you find most challenging.

Part 4: Light, Shadow, Values & Edges

Bring everything together by exploring light and shadow families, value relationships, and edges while completing a final preparatory portrait drawing.

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Students should save their final drawing and reference image, as they will be used in Bonnie's upcoming Portrait Painting Foundations: Oil Painting class in January/February 2027.

• SKILL LEVEL

  Beginner

• SUPPLIES

  No materials provided. List can be found here: MATERIALS LIST

• CLASS SIZE

  minimum 3, maximum 10

• INSTRUCTOR

  Bonnie Dhein

• CLASSROOM

  Kipfer Art Studio

• PREREQUISITE

  This class is a prerequisite for Portrait Painting Foundations: Oil Painting with Bonnie Dhein, coming January/February 2027.