It's a new year, and if portrait painting is your passion, now is a great time to do something about it. I'd highly recommend taking a class with me at the School of Visual Arts. My classes go beyond the mere technical (which BTW iscovered in great depth and fully demonstrated) to focus on the real crux of the matter: garnering a deeper insightinto the mindset of the great classical painters of the western tradition. The purpose of my teaching is to transform and empower my students to be the best possible version of themselves.
Here are some examples from this past fall 2016 semester. These are students who come to one class a week and and have madeincredible progress in their own artistic evolutions. Some have been in my class for a number of years while others are new to the program, but all have experienced tremendous growth in the short span of 12 classes. Here are some examples of their work as well as some of their thoughts.
Before joining Marvin Mattelson’s class, my experience taking painting classes was of being left alone, expected to find my own way and teach myself to paint. I wasn’t taught techniques or correct practices and was just told to express myself. Marvin’s class was a complete eye opener. You learn how to observe correctly and draw accurately. We learn to mix realistic skin tones and learn the best practices of painting in oil. You learn everything you need to paint a portrait capturing realistic color, three dimensional form and life-like appearance. On the way you also learn a lot about art history: about the works and styles of famous artists and how their work relates to your own.
Watching Marvin demonstrate painting a portrait is an amazing experience. He is a highly skilled painter and is confident enough in his abilities to paint in front of the class, all the while describing and explaining his methods. He is incredibly generous with his knowledge and has no problems sharing his methods and techniques with his students. He is patient and methodical and will answer any question you have.Learning under Marvin has completely revolutionized my painting practice. Recently I looked at the first painting I had done in Marvin’s class and compared it to my latest one (see above). The difference between them was night and day. I couldn’t believe the progress I had made. My skill level has improved, I’ve learned to better observe, to mix the exact colors I need. These newly acquired skills can be seen in my painting practice in all its aspects, even outside of portrait painting. - Indu Ramkumar
I love my classes with Marvin Mattelson, Master of painting AND teaching! He has researched, tested, and refined each step of his method, leaving nothing to chance, and he shares everything with his students. His portraits look three-dimensional and alive and he does not wave a wand! There is no mystery or nonsense, simply instruction and practice. I always knew that painting involved skills and if ever I found someone who could teach those skills, that I could learn too.
Marvin is just such a genius. His work is methodical and rational and he explains it all. You can learn how to produce realistic skin tones; how to give shape and form to a flat surface; how to change how you look at a model so that your painting also changes – for the better.
He has apt quotations and beautiful resource material (including his own expert photographs of master works) to help answer any question. He encourages and critiques and demonstrates until – with practice – his students make these skills their own! At the end of a studio day (with professional models in perfect light and great music playing) each painter who followed Marvin's instruction is better since their last attempt. If you practice what this incredible painter teaches, your results will improve. Guaranteed. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from Marvin Mattelson! - Debbie Waldron
Marvin Mattelson is now conducting his classes and workshops online in Full HD 1080p through his Fine Art Portrait Academy. For further information, or to register for an upcoming offering, pleasefollow this link to his teaching page.
Matt Ellrod says
January 4, 2017
When do the summer classes open up?
Marvin Mattelson says
January 5, 2017
Registration begins in April. The one week drawing workshop will run in early June and the two week portrait painting workshop will run in early August. The exact dates should be finalized in the next month. As soon as they are, I’ll post the dates on my site.