EARLYBIRD 10% OFF listed price with code when booked before August 1st 12pm UK time - CODE: EARLYONE
Please note: If you have booked this course - you will receive joining instructions by email 2 weeks prior to course start. Please check filtered mail then.
'FACES – the Gambrell way' is back for 2025 for another live course. Back by popular demand, FACES Revisited will feature all new activities and reference.
Enchanted by faces? Like to tell a story with a look? Or if you simply enjoy drawing your friends and family - this 6 week course will take you from the foundations of proportions to handling materials, controlling mood and expressing character through colour and mark-making – the Gambrell way.
Plus - all new for 2025 - the feedback tier can now receive feedback in the form of a weekly chat scheduled by you - limited Feedback tier spaces available.
Dates: Saturdays September 6, 13, 20, 27 October 4, 11
Time: 1600-1800 (London time)
Week 1 – Proportions and placement
Learning about scale and simple ways to measure and convey features in a way that captures the feel of a subject.
Week 2 – Preparation
Studying the reference. Learning to familiarise yourself with photo reference to be best equipped to produce the face.
Week 3 - Form through tone and texture
Using soft pastel and oil pastel, we’ll explore effective ways of creating volume using both light and dark and textural techniques.
Week 4 - Colour
Mood through control of temperature – this acrylic-based session will build on the use of tone with the addition of temperature in colour giving you extra tools to control mood and atmosphere.
Week 5 - Mark making and style
For more expressive portraits – we’ll explore different styles of portraiture and make use of skills introduced so far.
Week 6 - Putting it all together
We will finish the course by using the techniques taught in lessons 1-5 to produce our own individual 60minutes face drawings – during which I will give feedback around the group.
Format: 6 x Zoom classes of 120 minutes with demos, Q&As and community forum on Discord
(all classes - Saturdays 1600-1800 GMT) - all classes recorded so you can catch up or watch again – available for 12 months after the course.
Who is it for: Artists of all levels
Participants must be 18 years of age or over
Materials – required:
Soft pastels (set of at least 20 varying colours)
Acrylics (Primaries yellow, red, blue then also white - will be enough to mix)
Paper A4 and A3 size - mixed media paper for the acrylics – heavy weight 200gsm or more
Paper A4 and A3 size – for dry media 90gsm is fine – a sketchbook of about 30 pages is good.
Palette for paint, at least a fine brush (4 or 6) and something broader (perhaps a 12) should be fine but a selection of different sizes would be great.
Not required but suggested: a selection of different general dry media such as pencil crayons or markers and basic set of oil pastels.
Pricing:
Standard tier £125.00 - includes all of the above
Feedback tier £195.00 - (limited spaces available) includes all of the above + personalised weekly feedback either written or a scheduled 20 minute zoom call each week and private discord channel
Previous courses I've taught:
FACES Painted
FIGURES Clothed A fashion focus course
CATS Double workshop
FACES Vivid edition
FACES the Gambrell way
SUMMER Drawing course
FORM Drawing course
SHAPE Drawing course
Bring play into your work 1 & 2 (with Riso chan)
Bring colour into your work (with Riso chan)
FIDA - Fashion illustration lecturer
DOMESTIKA – Expressive pastel portraits
Please note that images are from the 2024 course and the new course will start with new activities and reference and be planned around the needs of the 2025 class.
What students have said about my courses:
Student from the FIGURES Clothed course : 'You truly are a great tutor, Chris. You put so much heart and soul into preparing content that addresses specific learning needs, choosing appropriate reference images, and cultivating a supportive community. Am truly truly grateful' and 'Honestly, to me, you've redefined what is
"possible" regarding online art education'
Student from FACES course 'Student from the 'FACES' Course: 'This is definitely the best art course I've ever taken' .
Student from the SUMMER course: "I have to say this class has some of the most useful information on color I've heard in a long long time. Will definitely rewatch it! Thank you for a great class."
Student from the SHAPE course: "You actually, really teach, with a clear curriculum." and "please do more classes! I've taken tons in the past few years, and you are, hands-down, the best Zoom teacher I've seen.'
Student from the SHAPE course: "I really like your approach because you didn't reference other teachers - it is truly unique and more valuable. I appreciate all the pre work you do, your powerpoints and videos. I will be referring to them again and again and I will be back for more."
