3-Day Portrait Workshop with FAA Graduate & Artist, Tatiana Popova

Explore 19th & 20th-century classical realism techniques in this 3-Day Portrait workshop. Participants will have an introduction to transfer drawing techniques and technical proportions in portraiture, understand light and shadow with realistic skin tones, and delve into the finishing touches of facial features such as eyes, nose and mouth. By the end, students will complete a lifelike portrait with a polished, professional finish.

Session 1: Intro to Transfer Drawing Technique

In this session, students will learn the basics of transfer drawing, supported by visual aids and clear instructions. They will also get hands-on experience with new materials like sepia, sanguine, hard-pressed charcoal, and white chalk. The goal is to create a clean and accurate transfer line drawing of a chosen subject. Additionally, students will learn how to preserve their drawings properly to ensure they are ready for the next steps in the painting process.

Session 2: Approaching Portraits with Light, Shadow, and Skin Tones

In this session, students will delve into the foundational techniques of classical realism, focusing on how light and shadow sculpt the face. Tatiana will demonstrate the use of chiaroscuro to create depth and realism, while also teaching the art of mixing and applying skin tones accurately. Through practical exercises, students will learn to build and capture the essence and volume of the portrait..

Session 3: Detailed Painting and Facial Features 

In the final session, students will focus on bringing their paintings to completion. They will learn how to tell when a painting is completed with visual aids. Students will learn in-depth on the features of a portrait such as the eyes, noses and mouth. By the end of this session, students will have a completed painting, ready to showcase.

Class size: 6 Pax per group

Duration: 3 hour each session (over 3 weeks)

All materials will be provided. 

Overseas Visiting Instructor Background

Born in 2001, Tatiana Popova is a Russian figurative painter based in Florence, Italy. 

At a young age, her style in work has been shaped by the principles of Russian Academic Art. For more than 6 years, Tatiana had been attending the Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts in Moscow and has built a great artistic foundation. In early 2020, she moved to Italy and study at the Florence Academy of Art (FAA).

Since then, she has expanded her knowledge of art history, the aesthetic language of depicting nature and the beauty of creating Art. After graduation, she was an Artist in Residency at the FAA, where she worked on her portfolio  and gained experience in teaching and assisting workshops with international students of different ages. She continues giving private lesson and working on her personal projects. Her works are realistic, vibrant and dramatic in colours and attention to lighting.

Florence Academy of Art (FAA) is an Art School in Florence, Italy. The Academy focuses on portraits and figures that is based on the old masters techniques as well as the classical painters such as  Rembrandt, Velasquez, Titian and Sargent. Students who are trained in the Academy are well-versed in techniques and materials.

How to book?

Choose the group time slot you would like to go for before checking out. A confirmation email will be sent to you on the details of the workshop.

Should there be a high take-up rate for more sessions, LACA Art Academy will arrange and schedule more classes.