Portraits That Are Full of Life: Alla Prima Portrait Painting with Contemporary Master Rose Frantzen

Portraits That Are Full of Life: Alla Prima Portrait Painting with Contemporary Master Rose Frantzen

Weeklong Workshop | This program is completed

All Levels

1/3/2022-1/7/2022

9:30 AM-4:30 PM PDT on Mon Tue Wed Th Fri

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$850.00

$765.00

$10.00

Rose Frantzen is one of America’s most revered portrait painters. In her most famous series, Portrait of Maquoket, she invited anyone from her Iowa hometown who would show up to have their portrait painted; a year later the 180 pictures that resulted went on tour, ultimately being displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

 

This workshop will explore “Alla Prima” portrait painting and the frequently asked questions that can best help artists to navigate what they are seeing. What questions can artists ask themselves to better see the colors, values, edges, and proportions of the model? How can these questions contribute to a sensitive relationship between seeing, attention, and the quality of the experience with the model? Along with a demo, there will be a great deal of one-on-one instruction at the student’s easel. This intensive workshop will also avail students opportunities for open discussions of questions that sincere, passionate portrait painters encounter. Students will be asked to explore what they wish to bring to their portrait paintings, using the model as a conduit for discovering what painting problems (e.g. drawing, anatomy, paint quality, color, edges)or perhaps, what conceptual questions and creative directions intrigue them. Together with Rose, students will navigate what it is to be a painter who strives to be an artist.

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  • EASEL

     

    Easels are provided.

     

    PALETTE

     

    If you have a palette that works for you, bring it. My palettes range in size from 16" x 20" to 18" x 24". I make them with a piece of 1/8" Plexiglas, then with a middle value, neutral gray piece of cardboard taped to the underside of the Plexiglas. (One might use the back of a large sketch pad or piece of Claessens linen. I use the back of an old painting.)

     

    CANVAS

     

    Please bring at least two possibly three canvases, ANY SIZE ranging from 16" x 20" to 24" x 30".

     

    Stretched Canvas or for those who stretch their own canvas, I buy/use rolls of: Artfx Belgian Linen Canvas 64C (4 layers primed) Utrecht Claessens Belgian Linen (portrait weave dp) stock no. 44713. I have a 5yd roll of this for students to buy at cost. We can cut pieces from my roll, you need to bring stretcher bars or better, old paintings to stretch over, with the new piece. We will prep canvases and arrange for students painting after my demo on Monday.

     

    Canvas Panels – It's been a while since I've used these if you have a panel source you like you can use them. However, I do not recommend acrylic gesso cotton duck canvas panel.

     

    New Traditions Art Panels (L600 or Claessens #13 (C13)

     

    Newtraditionsartpanels.co

     

    Gesso Boards Ampersand (art stores)

     

    Artefex (lead-primed on di-bond) Search for on Google

     

    NOTE: I do not recommend cotton canvas/panel. I am loathed to use my beautiful brushes on this poor quality product.

     

    BRUSHES

     

    I use a variety of sizes and types in the following brands: (Again buy what you wish or use what you have.)

     

    Hog bristle filberts and synthetic, flats and rounds: (most used sizes: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12)

     

    Dick Blick Masterstroke dickblick.com

     

    Classic and Chungking Rosemary& Co rosemaryandco.com

     

    Tuscan series: rounds and fats by Utrecht dickblick.com

     

    Silver Brush Bristlon Synthetic Brushes google for them

     

    Badger/mongoose: (most used sizes: 2, 4, 6, 10)

     

    Series 278 & 279 Rosemary&Co

     

    Masters Choice Long flberts and fats rosemaryandco.com

     

    Red-sable filberts and flats: (most used sizes: 2, 4, 6, 10)

     

    Dick Blick Masterstroke dickblick.com

     

    Series 91, 93 & 7320 Rosemary & Co rosemaryandco.com

     

    Trekell trekell.com

     

    Utrecht Rhenish Kolinsky dickblick.com

     

    Red Sable long fats and riggers: (range from 1 -10)

     

    Series 88 & 90 Rosemary & Co. rosemaryandco.com

     

    NOTE: If you are flying I recommend that you bring your brushes as carry-on rather than putting them with your luggage.

     

    PAINT

     

    This is my current palette; I have listed All of it for your interest. I am continuously experimenting with color, and listed below are all the colors I am exploring as of late. I have put in bold the colors/paints that are a basic palette for this week. You only need these to take this workshop. All the paints are Utrecht Professional grade indicated by an (U), unless otherwise noted.

     

    NOTE: The order of the following list is how I arrange my palette.

     

    Titanium White or Utrecht White (Norma by Schminke, Old Holland, or U)

     

    Cadmium Lemon (Rembrandt)

     

    Cadmium Yellow Medium (U)

     

    Still de Grain Yellow (Rembrandt) or Indian Yellow (by Blue Ridge)

     

    Cadmium Orange (U)

     

    Permanent Red Medium (Rembrandt) or

     

    Cadmium Red med (U)

     

    Permanent Alizarin Crimson (Gamblin, Old Holland, Holbein)

     

    Permanent Red Violet (Rembrandt) Radient Red , Radiant Magenta, Radiant Violet

     

    (all by Gamblin)

     

    Yellow Ochre (U) and/or Yellow Ochre light (Rembrandt)

     

    Terre Rosa (any brand)

     

    Flesh Ochre (Old Holland) Venetian Red (Rembrandt)

     

    Transparent Oxide red, yellow, and brown (Rembrandt, or Holbein)

     

    Greenish Umber (Rembrandt)

     

    Mars Ivory Black (U) or Ivory Black (U), Asphaltum, Van Dyke Brown (Gamblin)

     

    Transparent Yellow Green (Rembrandt), or Green Gold (by Gamblin)

     

    Chromium Oxide Green (U or Rembrandt)

     

    Viridian (Gamblin or U, Blue Ridge)

     

    Cobalt Blue Pure (U), Radiant Turquoise (Gamblin), King's Blue(Rembrandt) or

     

    Violet Gray (by Holbein)

     

    Ultramarine Blue (U, Blue Ridge)

     

    NOTE: If you think of yourself as rather inexperienced, I may want to work with you using a limited palette. This would allow for a softer ease into learning and working with oils. For this, you will need the white, the black, and a burnt umber of any brand. To this we could add a slight bit more color… bring any red, yellow, and blue with the former three and we will find our way.

     

    You may purchase paints/supplies at the following sites:

     

    dickblick.com

     

    rosemaryandco.com

     

    jerrysartarama.com

     

    aswexpress.com

     

    VIVA Paper Towels. Cheap brands or Bounty do not work well. You can purchase these locally.

     

    PALETTE KNIFE and PALETTE SCRAPER (razor blade and holder)

     

    CONTAINER for your mineral spirits to clean your brushes

     

    SKETCH PAD (small) and preferred sketching medium.

     

    ODORLESS MINERAL SPIRITS Gamsol

     

    MEDIUM My medium is of stand oil, (1part), and Gamsol (5parts)

     

    MISCELLANEOUS

     

    Thinner - Gamsol made by Gamblin is odorless thinner – I use this for my mediums. NOTE: I will try to have some on hand for those who are flying.

     

    Please use your discretion when buying paints. You may already own colors that are similar to mine or of different brands. I understand the price of paint and can work with you. Contact me with your palette questions at oldcityhallgallery@gmail.com.

     

    Canvas - I understand that some folks tape or staple their canvases to a board. This is okay for the head study but not recommended for a longer pose. I will be using quadruple primed linen stretched. If the attendee has a favorite working surface other than these, they should use it. I am aware some people like to work small, and, if this is set in stone, you can do so, though I really wish for people to try something around life-size. It may be prudent to bring a third or fourth canvas/panel.

     

    Oil Sticks - I may use oil sticks during my demo, if you have some you can bring them, however oil sticks are not a necessary supply.