Mastering Portrait Art: From Drawing Foundations to Oil Painting Expression with Mr. Yim Mau-Kun

Description

Introduction to Portrait Drawing and Oil Painting with Mr. Yim Mau-Kun

Welcome to the Portrait Drawing and Oil Painting Course, a comprehensive journey into the art of portraiture, led by the acclaimed artist Mr. Yim Mau-Kun. In this course, you will explore the essential skills of both drawing and oil painting, learning how these two disciplines complement each other to create lifelike and expressive portraits. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist looking to deepen your understanding, this course will provide valuable insights into mastering the technical and creative aspects of portraiture.

What You Will Learn:

Under Mr. Yim’s expert guidance, you will move from the foundational techniques of drawing to the expressive language of oil painting. The course is divided into two key components, each building on the other to enhance your ability to capture the human form with precision and emotion.

Part I: Portrait Drawing

In the drawing portion of the course, you will learn the fundamental principles of constructing a portrait, including:

• Block-In and Structure: Mr. Yim teaches the use of straight lines to block in the form, allowing you to establish the structure and proportions before moving on to details. You will also learn to use planar analysis to break down complex forms into simple planes, helping you better understand the volume and shape of the subject.
• Likeness and Proportions: A strong focus on achieving accurate likeness and proportions is central to the drawing course. Mr. Yim emphasizes that mastering drawing skills is essential to achieving a strong foundation, which later translates into success in oil painting.
• Shading and Value: You will explore techniques for shading and building volume through value relationships, learning to gradually develop shadows and highlights to create a three-dimensional effect.

Watch Trailer

Part II: Oil Portrait Painting

Once you’ve built a strong foundation in drawing, you will transition into the oil painting section of the course. Here, Mr. Yim will guide you through the process of bringing your drawings to life with the richness of oil paint, covering:

• Connection Between Drawing and Painting: Mr. Yim demonstrates how drawing and oil painting are connected. Using the same approach as in drawing—straight lines for block-in and planar analysis—you will learn how to transfer these techniques into painting to maintain structure and proportions while exploring the expressive possibilities of color.
• Language of Color: In oil painting, Mr. Yim shifts the focus from structure to color. You will learn to mix custom colors for every stroke, rather than relying on pre-mixed tones. Mr. Yim stresses that oil painting is a language of color, where careful observation and color relationships define the depth, mood, and atmosphere of your portrait.
• Color Block Relationships in Early Layers: In the early stages of the painting, Mr. Yim encourages focusing on the relationship between color blocks rather than details. This helps establish the overall harmony of the portrait, setting the stage for more detailed work later on.
• Palette Organization and Methodical Mixing: Mr. Yim will guide you in organizing your palette to ensure clean and vibrant color mixing. You’ll learn to mix colors methodically for each stroke, ensuring that each application of paint brings clarity and vibrancy to your work.
• Brushwork and Expression: You will also explore the expressive qualities of brushwork, learning how to vary your strokes to capture texture and movement while avoiding overworking the painting. Mr. Yim will help you balance precision with expressiveness, preserving the vitality of your brushstrokes.

Watch Trailer

Mr. Yim’s Philosophy:

Mr. Yim believes that successful oil portrait painting begins with a solid foundation in drawing. His philosophy is rooted in the idea that drawing skills provide the structural backbone of a portrait, while oil painting allows the artist to express the nuances of color, light, and shadow. By mastering both disciplines, you will be able to create portraits that not only capture the likeness of your subject but also convey emotion, depth, and vibrancy.

Mr. Yim encourages students to approach portraiture with patience and careful observation, developing their skills step by step. From precise line work to the subtle application of color, each part of the process is interconnected, building towards a cohesive and dynamic final portrait.

What to Expect:

• Detailed instruction in both portrait drawing and oil painting techniques
• Practical exercises that reinforce the core principles of proportion, value, and color
• Step-by-step demonstrations of how to transition from drawing to painting
• Techniques for mixing custom colors and maintaining clean, vibrant palettes
• Insight into how to create expressive and dynamic portraits through color and brushstroke
• Personal guidance from Mr. Yim on how to observe and analyze your subject to capture both likeness and emotion

By the end of this course, you will have developed a deeper understanding of both drawing and oil painting, equipped with the skills to create portraits that are technically strong and artistically compelling. You’ll leave with a comprehensive toolkit that allows you to confidently approach any portrait project, whether in pencil or oil.