This class is designed for painters of all levels, designed to breakdown all steps of academic portrait painting. We will start by painting color study to resolve composition and color harmony, follow by b/w sketch to work out graphic components; placement, composition, separation of light from shadow, three dimensional quality of the drawing. There will be lots of demonstrations and examples from art history. We will be working from photo references, other mediums such at watercolor, pastels, or acrylic paint are welcomed.
Part One: Color study from photo reference
In this class there will be a quick lecture on academic portrait painting, will discuss experience of different painters from Spain, Russia and America . Later there will be a demonstration on color study from photo reference.
Homework: paint a color study from the reference
Supplies list : Regular oil palette. 8×10 canvas
Part two: Graphic sketch
In this class we will be going over graphic components; placement, composition, separation of light from shadow, three dimensional quality of the drawing. There will be a drawing demonstration.
Homework: Finish drawing based on the photo reference.
Supplies list: Bristol paper 12×16 or similar, graphite pencils, eraser.
Part Three: Laying in final painting
In this class there will be a demonstration on drawing on canvas and laying initial colors based on the color study and photo reference.
Homework : Lay in color on final portrait painting assignment.
Supplies list: regular painting palette, canvas size may vary.
Part Four: Completion of portrait painting assignment
In this class will discuss working on details and harmonising our painting through color, value, and composition.
Homework: Finishing large canvas assignment.
A virtual room link will be sent to you up to 24 hours prior to your class start date. A short tutorial will be given prior to the live class starting.
Unable to attend a sessions? No worries, ALL students will have access to watch the recorded session for 10-days. Recording available 1 day after live session.
Supply list is in the description.
This online course requires the use of the Zoom program. You will need a computer, tablet or smartphone (with camera preferred) and internet. To download the program, click on the following link: zoom.us/download.
Leon Okun was born on February 6, 1980 in a small town in Siberia, Russia. In 1993 Leon’s family immigrated to San Diego. His interest in figurative art developed while taking art classes at Mesa Community College, where he was given complete freedom of exploration. This freedom led him to a profound interest in figurative drawing and propelled Leon to pursue the kind of program that would satisfy his passion for fine art.
Leon’s educational art journey began at Watts Atelier (a small private art school with an emphasis on the traditional fine art), where he studied for two and a half years. There he met Ron Lemen, an art instructor at Los Angeles Academy of Fine Arts. To this day, Leon gives Ron Lemen credit for inspiring him to believe in himself and to set the highest possible standards for personal artwork.
In 2003 Leon returned to Russia to explore Russian art schools and museums. Painters like I. E. Repin, V. Serov, and V. Surikov captured his interest and helped him develop the best possible vision any artist can have: To become a serious painter.
It was then, in 2003, that Leon decided to apply to the Repin Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. Repin Academy of Arts is a two hundred and fifty seven year old historic institution. It has been the birthplace of the most famous Russian painters. It was clear to Leon that if he wanted for himself the best art education in the world, than it would have to be the Repin Academy of Arts.
After two years of intense preparation Leon got accepted to the Academy, where he studied for six years and received both a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Art and a Masters Degrees in Fine Arts.
In 2011 Leon returned to San Diego and immersed himself into teaching, sharing with his students the wonderful education he had received at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg.
Successful in his own right as a Artist and as a Teacher, Leon now inspires his students to search our their dreams and to strive to achieve their own personal best.
Leon is a member of the California Art Club, the American Portrait Society, the American Impressionist society, and the Plain Air Painters of San Diego.
Leon has participated in and won numerous art competitions in San Diego and throughout Southern California. His style of painting is based on the traditional European classical art, and color pallet that so many Russian painters are famous for.
Most recently Leon had several successful exhibitions that drew a great deal of interest in the art community.
LAAFA reserves the right to cancel any class/workshop, limit workshop size, change workshop times or substitute instructors for those listed in the schedule. If a workshop is cancelled; students may transfer to another workshop, use credit on artschoolvideos.com, keep credit on file or be issued a full refund.
All online classes and workshops are non-refundable, non-transferable and no makeups are available.
A 7-day recording is provided the day after the online live class. No recording extensions are permitted.
Information
Campus Address
16926 Saticoy Street
Van Nuys, CA 91406
(818) 708-9232
contactus@laafa.edu
Business Hours
Phone Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM
Main Office: Mon-Fri, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM
