The Portrait Workshop - Mastering Acrylics & Oils
The Portrait Workshop - Mastering Acrylics & Oils
2025 February 8, 15, 22, March 8 + homework sessions
Saturdays 9 am – 11 am EST (15:00 - 17:00 Germany Time)
Join me for a 4-week painting course where you'll master professional techniques by blending traditional methods with modern techniques. Designed to elevate your skills, this course will guide you in creating beautiful portraits using oils to achieve depth and working with acrylics as an additional medium, to save drying time.
We'll start our painting with acrylics, ideal for underpainting due to their quick drying times and non-toxic characteristics. For the portrait part, we will use oils, which will allow us to create smooth blending and the finest details.
A special part of your journey includes learning to create your own art references using AI and Photoshop (Or similar Graphic programs). This valuable skill will enable you to develop unique, copyright-free images, laying a strong foundation for your paintings.
As your paintings take shape, I'll guide you in integrating abstract textures with realistic details, a technique that will bring a unique and contemporary edge to your work. This combination will not only enhance your technical skills but also give you more possibilities to create art.
By the end of the course, you'll receive a personal critique as part of our critique session.Moreover, you'll gain lifetime access to our exclusive Facebook group, a supportive community where you can continue to grow and share your art journey.
Whether you're a beginner or looking to deepen your artistic practice, this course will empower you to create art that’s both beautiful and profoundly unique. Let’s embark on this creative adventure together!
Discover Mixed Media Techniques!
Acrylic paint is widely known for its quick drying time, and I can teach you how to make the most of it. By taking advantage of its fast-drying quality, you can add layers quickly, create textures, and blend colors in exciting new ways. Additionally, I will introduce you to two transformative mediums in acrylic painting - the flow improver and retarder. The improver enhances the flow and absorption of paint, allowing for smoother blends and intricate details without compromising the paint’s color intensity. The retarder helps in slowing down the drying process of the acrylic paint, giving you more time for smoother blendings and longer working times.
As a finishing touch we will use oils as to even out any imperfections that may have occurred during the acrylic painting process. Oils take longer to dry than acrylics, which gives us more time to obtain a refined and even finish - combining the best of both worlds!
What will you paint?
This is the reference image all course participants will be painting in this class!
You’ll receive the reference in high resolution, along with a simplified sketch that you can use for tracing. To get started, students can print the reference and transfer it onto a 30 x 40 cm canvas or gesso board.
This approach ensures accurate proportions, allowing you to focus entirely on learning and mastering painting techniques without worrying about the initial drawing 🎨✨
Create your very own composition!
Ever wondered how to create stunning references for your art without the need of time consumig and expensive photoshoots? In this course, you'll get access to a specially crafted lesson where I'll teach you how to cleverly use AI technology and Photoshop (or a comparable graphic program) together! We’ll take it step by step, making it simple and engaging, and you’ll be well on your way to creating your own fantastic painting reference with a professional touch!
Can't make it to all the live sessions?
No stress! Every session will be recorded, and you’ll have lifetime access. With a week between sessions, you’ll have plenty of time to finish your masterpiece. Missed the deadline? Just post your art in our exclusive Facebook group even after the course ends, and I’ll be there to give you feedback!
All Levels welcome!
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist, this course will provide you with the skills and confidence you need to create a beautiful and inspiring work of art!
Throughout the course, I will guide you step-by-step, providing tips and feedback to help you develop your skills and create a stunning masterpiece.
Feedback & Critique
In the last session, students have the opportunity to send in their work for individual feedback and critique.
I'll address individual and common mistakes that I've noticed in the artwork submitted. This ensures that everyone receives valuable feedback and can take something away from the course, regardless of their skill level or experience.Even after the course has ended, students can continue to share their work in our private Facebook group for feedback from myself and their peers.
Optional Gallery Show Opportunity!
Students who are interested will have the chance to create their own unique artwork for submission to the online group exhibition “Echoes of Imagination” at Curio Art Gallery in August 2025.
Curio Gallery is known for showcasing both emerging and established artists in the pop surrealism and contemporary art genres. This optional opportunity allows students to take what they’ve learned in the workshop and create something entirely their own!
To support students in preparing their submissions, an optional second group mentoring session will be available, offering personalized feedback on their gallery pieces. Participants will also gain access to 50 pre-made reference photos and a free guide on how to price and ship their artworks. (Please note: The reference photos are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and once a student has claimed a specific reference, it will no longer be available for others to use. This ensures every piece in the exhibition is unique!)
The mentoring session is available to book after purchasing this class along with the additional references photos! (More Info here)
The gallery will carefully review all submissions and select the pieces to be featured in the show. It’s a wonderful chance to challenge yourself, share your art with a wider audience, and be part of an inspiring group exhibition!
(The mentoring session and participation in the exhibition are completely optional and can be decided on later if desired.)
The live classes take place in a private Video Stream. For students who can't participate but want to join, the course will be recorded and can be accessed shortly after the class. Students will have access to these recordings indefinitely. In order to complete the painting of this course, students will get homework which they can finish before the next session starts. I will be recording the painting process on my part so that everyone can see how I complete the homework! Since the whole course is recorded and you get lifetime access to it, you don’t need to finish the homework in time or attend classes if you can’t!
The course is held in the webinar format which allows students to ask questions in the group chat while painting along with me and following my painting techniques.
Material List
Recommended Oil Paints: Metallic Gold Oil Paint (optional), Titanium White, Ivory Black, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Red Deep, Permanent Red Violet, Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue, Lemon Yellow, a Green Tone like Viridian Green or Chrome Oxide Green (I like to work with Oil Paints from Schmincke, Sennelier or Rembrand)
Recommended Acrylic Paints: Metallic Gold Acrylic Paint, Titanium White, Ivory Black, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Red Deep, Magenta, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Turquoise, Lemon Yellow, a Green Tone like Viridian Green or Chrome Oxide Green (I like to work with Acrylic Paints from W&N or Schmincke)
A stretched canvas or a gesso panel, canvas pad, a canvas block, or any gessoed surface in a medium size such as 40x50 or 50x60cm or similar
Brushes: A range of Big and small flat brushes, a detail brush, and a soft round brush for blending
Mediums for the Acrylic Painting part: Flow Improver for example from W&N
Mediums for the Oil Painting part: Liquin Original from Winsor&Newton and a Paint thinner for example Green for Oil from Sennelier. Of course, you are free to use any mediums that you are familiar with.
Charcoal Tracing Paper in the size of your portrait
A lint-free towel to clean brushes
A printer to print out your reference photo in the size of your portrait or somebody that can print it for you. (For larger paintings like the ones we will do in this course you can print the reference on multiple sheets and just tape them together before transferring )
A Palette, for example, a tear-off palette
Additional materials like oil pastels if you have them
What will we paint?
Students will be provided with pre-made painting references featuring a Portrait. Students can use the pre-made reference to follow the course or use their own.
Which mediums will we paint in?
We will be using both acrylics and oils. If you only have one of these mediums, you can still participate, but you might need to adjust your technique. While acrylics are great for quick-drying and layering, they may not blend as well as oils. With oils, you can take your time to blend colors and achieve a smoother finish. However, you'll need to factor in the longer drying times when working with oils. (This is why I love working with mixed media! )
Who is this course for?
This course is for all skill levels, whether you are an absolute beginner or an experienced artist, this course will level up your painting skills.
Can I participate if I am not able to attend the live sessions?
Yes, you can! Recordings are available shortly after the class ended so you will have plenty of time to catch up before the next class begins.
How long will I get access to the recordings?
You will have lifelong access to the recordings!
Will I get feedback on my artwork?
Yes, you will! In the last session, I will give critique and feedback to each student and you can also post your works in our private facebook group during or after the course! In addition you can book a second group critique session if you like to parttake in the gallery show.
Where do I purchase the additional mentoring session if I am intersted in participating in the gallery show?
The mentoring session is available to book after purchasing this class along with the additional references photos! Just login to the course page and scroll down! You can find more info about the mentoring session here!
Do we have to paint a unique painting for the gallery exhibition?
Yes, to participate in the gallery show, students must create a painting with a different subject than the one we paint during the class. You can either create your own reference for the painting using the Reference Creation lesson provided in this course or choose from the 50 reference photos I’ve included. Please note: The reference photos are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and once a student has claimed a specific reference, it will no longer be available for others to use. This ensures every piece in the exhibition is unique!
Will we get 50 additional reference photos if we want to particiapte in the gallery show?
Yes, that’s correct! However, please note that the reference photos are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a student claims a specific reference, it will no longer be available for others to use. This helps ensure that every piece in the exhibition is truly unique!
What if all the reference photos are claimed?
No problem! If all the references are claimed, you can use the AI tutorial included in the course to create your own. For example, you can mix and merge elements from the existing references and use tools like MidJourney to create something entirely unique.
I’ve bought one your reference bundle before. Is there any overlap in the references?
No, there’s no overlap! These are entirely new references created specifically for this course.
Will the gallery accept every painting from the students?
Not automatically! Students will need to apply, and the gallery will review all submissions to ensure they’re a good fit for the show. It’s a great opportunity to put your best foot forward and showcase your creativity!
Do I need to send my painting to the gallery?
Only if it sells! The exhibition is entirely online, so there’s no need to ship your painting unless a buyer purchases it!
Does the gallery take a commission on sold work?
Yes, the commission is split as follows: 40% goes to the gallery, and 60% to the artist.
Do I need to participate in the gallery show? I’m a beginner and just want to learn & have fun!
No worries! You don’t need to participate in the gallery show - it’s completely optional and only for those who are interested. You can absolutely take this course just to learn, grow, and have fun at your own pace! 😊🎨
Course Schedule:
Before the Course starts students need to transfer their provided reference onto their canvas or gesso board.
During the course everyone is invited to post their work in progress in our private Facebook group to get inspired and see what everyone else has done. 😊
Day 1: Starting the painting with Acrylics & Oils (2 h)
We will paint the first layers with acrylics and oils, establishing the main colors, the portrait and abstract areas of the painting. I will showcase how to use a retarding medium and flow improver to get brush strokes almost like oil paints.
Day 2: Building Depth & Refining Details with Acrylics(2 h)
We will be continuing on the face and background elements of the painting with Acrylics.
Day 3: Adding finishing touches with Oils (2 h)
On the third day, we will be finalizing our artwork with a final layer of Oils to refine the portrait Section and to achieve smooth blendings.
+ Homework Seesion (~1-2 h)
Day 4: Critique Session (2 h)
Students will have the option to send me their art for critique and feedback if they wish! They can send in the painting from the course or if they weren’t able to finish it in time they can send in other art they created. (Many students also post their art long after the course ended in our private Facebook group to share and I will always take a look at it and share my feedback there! ) In the last session I will address individual and common mistakes so that everyone can learn something!
Read what my students say about my classes:
“In the simplest terms Lioba has given me back the greatest gift imaginable, she’s taught me how to have fun with my art again.
For too long I’ve been stuck, struggling to even start a piece of work, let alone finish it because I’ve felt restricted or limited by old rules or not knowing the right processes but Lioba’s techniques and approach to mixed medium has provided me with a clear path to not only create beautiful artwork, but she’s also given me the tools and most importantly CONFIDENCE to create the artwork I want to make long after this course has ended, using my taste, my materials, and my style to the best of my ability. I don’t think she’s fully aware of how generous her course has been. There is no gate keeping here, no trade secrets, it’s all straight talking, helpful, honest advice.
Lioba is an experienced and gifted artist who not only truly knows how to paint, she knows how everything works, what doesn’t work, why it doesn’t work and is willing to EXPERIMENT. She has saved me so much time figuring out this stuff on our behalf. And for that I am so grateful. Plus she’s a really nice person as well. As someone who has taken a number of courses with teachers who promise results but can’t deliver just because their experience isn’t up to standard or they just won’t invest the time in following up with their students, you can see from the standard of Liobas work that she knows what she’s talking about and the community she’s built is equally as supportive and eager to see you succeed. Buzzing with enthusiasm and genuinely really interested in her students I challenge you to not learn something from her. She’s truly amazing! Thank you!!
I only wish I could keep her a secret too myself but Lioba, I think you’re going to go far, I really truly do. Congratulations and well done.”
“I have attended four online courses and I’m about to attend a fifth one. I’m also a member of Lioba’s Patreon. I have learned so many valuable things with Lioba, and my art has elevated I could say even totally changed. Lioba is a wonderful teacher that shares with us her knowledge and she is always willing to help us when we face difficulties. I love that she teaches us how to use AI and technology to help us with our art. This is amazing. We have a wonderful private Facebook group in which we share various tips and information about art. After all the things I have learned with Lioba, I feel a lot more confident with my art and a lot more inspired to do new things! I highly recommend Lioba’s online courses to all artists out there who want to elevate their art and learn new and inspired things!”
“ Lioba is such an inspiration: a wonderful artist and an excellent, generous teacher. Her courses are practical, down to earth, fun and inspirational. She guides you through the artistic process, provides simple tips and personalised advice to help you grow as an artist. I cannot recommend them enough!”
Student’s Works
These works are from students that attended my life classes! At the end of the course, each student received individual feedback and critique for their piece.
