Abstract Portraits: Beyond Realism - Painting Course

A fun intermediate painting class in Harrow!



9 x 2 hours Class size 1 to 10 guests       £125 (PayPal Pay in 3 available)

Acrylic / Pastel / Mixed Media / etc
Intermediate / Advanced
This class is especially for those eager to expand their creativity into stylisation and abstraction. Join a vibrant and creative painting class in Harrow where, using your own photos / drawings, you'll venture beyond the realm of realism by flattening the form, developing motif into rhythmic pattern, exploring colour juxtaposition and visual line to develop uniquely creative and imaginative portraits - inspired maybe by Klimt, Modigliani, Bacon, Jenny Saville, Mucha, Tamara de Lempicka....
Throughout the course, you'll discover the joy of stepping outside the standard methods of portraiture and delving into the realm of the mystical and sensual. The experience is designed to be transformative, allowing you to develop a new skill and truly express your artistic vision.
Course duration: the course runs for 9 weeks from 23 April to 2 July excluding 28 May and 4 June.
What you'll get
A chance to explore the joyous process of abstraction with confidence
Knowledge required
For levels from intermediate to advanced, with a mind open to exploring the wonder of the creative process.
What to bring
Choose your medium:
Mixed media -
  • Watercolours
  • Acrylics including structure gel
  • Coloured pencils
  • Felt tip pens
  • Pastels: soft and oil
  • Brushes
  • Low-odour white spirit
  • Sponge and rubber rollers
  • Scissors
  • Coloured tissue paper
  • Bubble wrap
  • Found objects
  • Paper towels
  • Supports: heavy paper / card / board / canvas
Acrylics -
  • A3 pad of watercolour paper 300 gsm paper cold pressed
  • acrylics -starter pack Daler Rowney or Winsor and Newton
  • brushes - bristle, small, medium, large, small bristle fan brush
  • 2B pencil and rubber
  • large palette or plastic plate
  • small spray bottle
  • two large water containers
  • natural sponge
  • large cotton rag or old t-shirt
Pastels:
  • A3 pastel paper (paper to be at least A3 but preferably bigger - A2!) - including coloured (dark or black) paper
  • selection of graded pencils - 5H-5B
  • pastel pencils
  • chalky pastel sticks
  • 'fan' brush and selection of bristle brushes
  • torchon or blender
  • putty and other rubbers
  • two aperture pencil sharpener
  • masking tape
  • cotton wool
  • wet wipes​​
Please also bring -
Photos and pictures of the subject matter. Photos to be in close-up from various angles and points of perspective and in various lighting; also from a distance. You could also bring photos or pictures of the background subject matter.
Session repeats

This class series runs over 9 consecutive sessions, at the same time every week.

Location

Harrow Arts Centre, HA5 4EA

Abstract Portraits: Beyond Realism - Painting Course location
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Your teacher

Dennis Parker
Dennis Parker


dennis is an artist and lecturer in art with a BA and MA in fine art, printmaking and photography. He has had artwork commissioned, published and sold by WH Smith, Athena, Pictura Graphica, Boots, Paperchase, John Lewis, Tearfund, The Booksellers Association, Marks and Spencer, Oxfam, Waterstones, etc
After art college dennis worked in theatre set design, as a photographic assistant for fashion/beauty/portrait photographers, and in art and design studios. Then he qualified as a teacher and has over twenty years' experience in teaching art in colleges and universities. This includes teaching art at degree and A-level, seminars and demonstrations of both art and photography at The Business Design Centre, London and National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.
dennis specialises in life drawing, photographic work including photographic shoots with models and ballerinas, landscapes, seascapes, animals, birds and flowers, in figurative, impressionistic and abstract styles, plus all aspects of calligraphy and illumination.
Prior to going to art college, whilst still at school, dennis worked in his evenings and weekends in the studio of his father who was an artist /musician /composer. Here he helped him with portrait and landscape painting, printmaking, ceramics, photography, music - an enriching, inspiring and invaluable introduction to the creative arts.

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class 1E57MXLBSX b30fa37a8c654059964d2a78c24cea95 production london London London GB london