Level: all

July 26 and Aug 2, 2024

Fridays

10am - 1pm

2 weeks

Instructor: John Grieco

Fee: $125 (incl model fees)

This class is geared toward teaching students the relationship between drawing and painting and how they can be used to eventually create a full color portrait.

John will demonstrate how to work from the model using the “massing” method.  He will also demonstrate how to mix a basic color palette to use in portrait painting, and will explore additional palettes that artists have used throughout the centuries to create portraiture.  It is suggested that students begin the series with charcoal studies and progress up to a full color portrait if that’s in their interest.

John stresses expressive brushwork with an emphasis on understanding the importance of the fundamentals.  Class exercises will be given for the first half hour of some classes. Space will be limited to ensure each student receives ample instruction and close-up view of the model.

Note: This class will be working from live models in the RAC studio.

John Grieco is an award winning Portrait Artist from New York.  He won “Best in Show” at a 2010 Exhibition at the Salmagundi Art Club in New York City and received the Randolph Chitwood Award in the 2010 Greenwich Art Society Members Exhibition.

Supply List:  The class will begin with charcoal and will progress to paints.  John will discuss paint supplies once the class begins.

  • Medium vine charcoal
  • White conte drawing pencil
  • General charcoal pencil (HB or 2b)
  • Kneaded eraser
  • Sharpening blade
  • 18×24” Borden & Reilly Sketch vellum
  • Blending stump (used for smoothing and blending)
  • Paper towels
  • Drawing board (at least 18×24)
  • Fixative spray for charcoal
  • A piece of Stonehenge Hot Press paper (18X24″) or a 11″X14″ tablet of it (if you have a tablet of other good paper you can bring that to work on.)
  • Oil Paints: raw umber, Cadmium Red, Titanium White, Ivory Black, Cadmium Yellow Light, — this for a limited pallet
  • Linseed Oil
  • Jar with a top for your oil
  • 16″X20″ canvas
  • #12 and #5 Bristle brushes

John Grieco is a portrait painter located in White Plains, NY. Grieco is a recipient of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant.  He won “Best in Show” at a 2010 Exhibition at the Salmagundi Art Club in New York City and received the Randolph Chitwood Award in the 2010 Greenwich Art Society Members Exhibition.  John’s been teaching at RAC for over 10 years and has a loyal following.

Examples of student work: (Left to Right: Art work by students Tracey Dinkin, Sarah Balsley and Bridgette Boucher)