Dear Subscribers,
Above is the recording of the live painting class from 25th August.
The main video demonstrates the process of painting from photo reference, following an initial digital sketch I completed using Photoshop to explore composition, value, and colour harmony. Unfortunately, the recording for that part of the class didn’t work, so I’ve recorded an additional introductory section explaining how I use digital sketching to interpret photo references.
Below are images showing the progression from photo reference to digital sketch and finally to the oil painting. The subject is the Ponte Cestio in Rome, captured during a vacation earlier this year.
I'd love to hear your thoughts—how do you think the transition from the initial photo to the final painting has changed the mood and atmosphere of the scene?
There's also an extra video recorded after the class, showing how I further developed the painting. This part has no audio commentary and has been sped up to 2x the normal speed.
If you’re a paying subscriber, you can watch both additional videos at the end of this newsletter.
The next live class will be on Saturday, 28th September, starting at 5pm BST (9am PDT / 12pm EDT).
The classes are typically about 2-3 hours long. Zoom login details are below, and you can join or leave at any time. If you can’t join for any reason or miss part of the session, I will be recording it and publishing via my newswletter afterwards.
For the next class, I am open to requests, so let me know in the comments if there is something you would be interested to see me tackle, either in terms of subject or an aspect of the painting process. I also invite you to paint at the same time if you want and share anything you are working on during the class if you like. The classes are informal and an opportunity to chat about any aspects of painting that interest you.
I hope you find the recording interesting and look forward to seeing you in a future class!
Happy painting,
Alex
