Portrait Drawing Online Master Class

The ability to draw accurately is the foundation of all art

This portrait drawing online master class is a perfect intro to Marvin Mattelson's teaching. He believes history's greatest artists all shared the same strategic thinking. In this class Marvin will focus on drawing, one of the most critical aspects of picture making and the foundation of all portraiture. This once-a-week presentation gives you  time to digest and put into practice the lessons learned in each class.

The ability to faithfully represent what lies before you is the major factor in achieving long-term success as a realist. There are three aspects to drawing. The first is to learn to see in an unbiased manner by focusing on placement and alignment. The second aspect deals with rendering technique. Last but far from least, is about controlling the visual narrative and manifesting your intent.

Marvin demonstrates and explains every step of his methodology while fully annotating his every decision and choice. He feels the most important thing for you to understand is the reasoning behind each action you take. Whether you are interested in creating finished portrait drawings or you'd love to take your paintings to a new level, the way you approach drawing will never be the same.

Marvin utilizes the latest in live streaming technology for his online teaching academy. By using multiple cameras and computer interactions, students are able to view never-before-possible close-ups of his demos. When not demonstrating, Marvin will work one on one with each student offering them feedback which will keep them on track, something not possible when merely watching videos. Another advantage of onscreen learning, as opposed to in a live classroom setting, is that he's not limited to merely explaining how to correct your drawing. Now he has the ability to show you, onscreen, exactly what to do so you can correct the drawing yourself. Follow this link to learn more about his virtual classroom setup.

There have been certain artists throughout history whose works have truly resonated with Marvin. The one commonality is that their paintings appear more alive than life itself. Marvin has spent the last half century searching for the core truths of how these artists were able to achieve their miraculous results. By frequenting museums, auction houses and private collections, he has meticulously examined and analyzed hundreds of original masterpieces as well as numerous unfinished works. In addition, he has spent tens of thousands of hours at his easel putting his theories to the test, as well as sharing and battle-testing his ideas with generations of students.

Whether drawing or painting is your ultimate goal, you'll learn what it takes to create accurate life-like illusionistic images and how to incorporate what you learn into your own personal approach and style. A deeper understanding of the drawing process is the most crucial component of making art. When approached logically, mastery over your drawing can be attained. If you want to learn how to draw well, you first need to change how you see and think. Marvin's approach is about more than mindlessly copying what's in front of you. It's based on developing understanding and making purposeful choices.

Marvin's approach to drawing is based on his analysis of the works of 19th Century French Academic Artists, such as Charles Bargue, J.L. Gerome and Pierre-Paul Prud'hon. It's not about obsessive copying, it's about seeing. Working from from high resolution photos (not live models who move) you'll learn to apply these principles and techniques. In six short days your ability to perceive and convey the illusion of three dimensional structure will be transformed.

Marvin is now available for mentoring, coaching and portfolio evaluation. To arrange for a one-to-one session, please fill out the contact page form and he'll get back to you ASAP with the details.