Description

When: April 18th @ 11am

Expressive Alla Prima Portrait Painting with Reza Doust

Truly “expressive” paintings capture the moment as quickly as possible. The true feeling and character of your subject is fleeting, so the quicker you work, the closer to reality you are. Unlike acrylic or water-based paints, oil paint doesn’t dry quickly, so expressive oil painting demands the specific technique, and skill, of wet on wet brushwork known as Alla Prima. 

In this instructional live study demo you will witness various different brushstrokes used as Reza spends only one hour painting a portrait with bold and direct wet on wet strokes. You will learn how to manage the colours wet on wet, and how to capture the shape and beauty of your subject with rapid brush strokes. The demo will also provide further commentary focused on the importance of this technique, and the ideal of expressive painting, in the history of art. Every artist will have a different way of painting, so this is another step in figuring out what works and what you enjoy in your painting practice! 

Materials List

Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Paint (200ml)

• Naples yellow Hue 
• Cadmium yellow Hue 
• Cadmium yellow 
• Yellow ochre
• Flesh Tint 
• Cadmium orange Hue 
• Cadmium red Deep Hue
• Vermilion Hue 
• Permanent Rose 
• Alizarin crimson 
• Raw sienna
• Burnt umber
• Burnt sienna
• Magenta
• Prussian blue
• Ultramarine blue

Opus Essential Linseed Oil

Solvent of your choice such as Opus Essential Odourless Mineral Spirits or Gamsol

Professional Quality Titanium White oil paint such as Opus Essential Oil Colours 

Gamblin Dry Pigment Titanium White Dioxide

Alkyd Medium of your choosing such as Gamblin Galkyd or M. Graham Walnut Alkyd Medium

Softer synthetic oil paint compatible brushes such as Princeton Velvetouch or Opus Bravura Brushes in Flat #1, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12 and Round #2

Note on brushes from Reza: Generally I try to use different brands of brushes. It can be helpful to be an easy-going person and try whatever is featured on sale at Opus. 

Liquitex painting knife; assorted shapes and sizes

Canvas Panel (12″ x 16″) or Primed Canvas Roll; Reza cuts whatever size he needs from his roll. 

Register in advance for this meeting:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Artist Bio

Reza Doust is a full-time artist and has worked with oil colour since the age of fourteen. Inspired by Van Gogh, he has a particular interest in portraits and figures, from live models mainly. He graduated from Tehran University in 1986 and has exhibited his artwork internationally. Doust currently lives and works in British Columbia since 1998 and features his work on rezadoust.net and Instagram @rezadoust