In this intensive one-week workshop, participants explored portrait drawing from a live model through a structural and expressive approach, developing an understanding of the portrait as a deliberately designed image rather than a simple likeness. They learned to construct strong portraits beginning with a clear block-in based on the underlying structure of the head and its relationship to the neck and shoulders, using proportion, gesture, and simplification to organize their drawings from the earliest stages. Once the block-in and value range were established, they worked on toned paper using Russian sauce as a unifying base, allowing them to integrate light and shadow with greater cohesion.

Throughout the workshop, students discovered how expression and character emerge from thoughtful structural and compositional decisions rather than excessive detail. They practiced prioritizing visual information, establishing focal points, controlling edges, and designing the relationship between figure and background to create portraits with presence and atmosphere. Guided by live demonstrations and personalized critiques, participants experienced the full drawing process from initial construction to final resolution, gaining practical tools and confidence to make informed decisions in their ongoing portrait practice.