Alla Prima Portrait Painting Workshop

A Journey Through Styles 

Feel the vibrancy of expressionistic oil portraiture! Dive into the dynamic and spontaneous world of alla prima painting with this innovative workshop designed to free you from the constraints of fine-detail portraiture. Under the expert guidance of artist Zin Lim, this workshop is open to artists of all levels and will teach you the fascinating process of creating vibrant, expressive portraits that capture your unique personality.

About the Instructor: Zin Lim

Zin Lim is an internationally renowned Korean artist and educator known for his unique blend of realism, impressionism, and expressionism. With over 12 years of teaching experience at the Academy of Art Graduate School in San Francisco, she has developed a variety of theories and techniques to help participating artists discover and develop their creative voices.

She has extensive teaching experience, having conducted more than 100 workshops, masterclasses, and lectures around the world, including the United States, Korea, Japan, Europe, China, Australia, and Dubai. Zin LIm's workshop events are known for their dynamic and improvisational approach, encouraging artists to break free from the constraints of traditional painting techniques, which are largely descriptive, to discover and embrace expressive and emotional techniques. His teaching philosophy focuses not only on improving technical skills but also on helping artists find their unique artistic voice and boldly express it on canvas.

Zin LIm's artistic exploration is driven by a passion for capturing the essence of his subjects and combining colorful expressive techniques with a deep emotional connection. His work has won seven grand prizes in international and national juried competitions and has been represented by 12 galleries in the United States and over 100 solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world, including Dubai.

He received his MFA from the Academy of Art Graduate School in San Francisco, California, and his BFA in Industrial Design from Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea.

Workshop details:

(You will complete one painting in a different style each day)

- Day 1: Dive into the world of classic portraiture, combining the solidity of traditional techniques with the vibrancy of modern ones.

- Day 2: Immerse yourself in the colorful allure of the Impressionist style, which focuses on the play of light and texture.

- Day 3: Convey a message with the bold strokes and emotional compositions of Expressionism.

- Day 4: Integrate the techniques you've learned and experiment with your unique style. 

What You'll Get:

- Dive deep: Master the core principles of portraiture, from understanding figure structure, proportion, and gesture to unraveling complex light and dark schemes.

- The creative process: Learn techniques to create captivating brushstrokes, choose a color palette that's both harmonious and impactful, and design compositions that reveal your artistic identity.

- Hands-on experience: Discover the possibilities of your expression as you paint four alla prima portraits based on carefully selected photographic references. Through expressive techniques and detailed step-by-step refinement, you'll create portraits with emotion and depth.

Why This Workshop Is Unmissable:

• Expert Guidance: Drawing on artist Zin Lim's wealth of experience and extensive understanding of expressive portraiture, he will take you into a rich realm of expression you may not have experienced before.
• Skill Enhancement: Tailored to accommodate and challenge artists of all levels, from beginner to artist, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to deepen your basic oil painting techniques or transition your existing painting style into a more tactile, painterly style.
• Unique Learning Opportunity: More than just a painting experience, this workshop is a great opportunity to discover new artistic perspectives and techniques that work for you under the mentorship of a master artist.

Zin Lim's workshops and masterclasses are held in cities around the world and often fill up quickly. Book now for an enriching program that will push your limits and expand your portrait drawing paradigm. 

Testimonials

• "I enjoyed it. I'm frankly very tired of doing hyper-realistic drawings - it's just not that relaxing. I think I will stick with the expressive figure drawing for a while and see if I can improve. I would be very interested in taking another class, especially expressive portraits." - Michael M.
• "Thank you so much for teaching this class! The majority of my drawing classes in the past have focused very much on representation. Getting to learn more expressive techniques and getting to learn from you has been so enlightening and just truly a joy. I really appreciate your time and the thoughtfulness you put into this course. - Katie K.
• "This was amazing, I learned so much. Most of all, drawing in this way is much more a state of mind than I realized. Thank you, Zin!” - Nathan A.
• "Had tons of fun in yesterday's "Expressive Portrait" with Zin Lim. Learned absolutely different ways to approach gesture portraits, played with wild colors, and had tons of fun. Usually to me painting portraits feels like hard necessary work and it takes FOREVER. There is hardly ever an oil portrait that takes me less than 15 hours and by the time it's done, I am a nervous wreck usually hating the end result. But this one took only about an hour and felt like a joyful play the entire time. In this expressive technique when you start the block-in the painting looks wild like a racetrack of a mad chicken on a spilled palette paint  ...and somehow midway it pulls itself back to the human face and actual likeness. Seriouslv loved the technique and how Zin Lim was explaining it." - valerie L.
• "Had a great time today. It felt almost like a private tutoring session - brilliant! I learned so much in a short space of time and the pacing was just right. It's surprising what can be accomplished in a couple of focused hours! Hope to join another in the near future. Many thanks. - Jo H.

Material list: 

• Oil Paints: Titanium white, Cadmium yellow, Cadmium red, Alizarin crimson, Ultramarine blue, Pthalo green (or Viridian), Burnt umber, and Ivory black. (Optional: Cerulean blue, Purple)
• Canvas: Canvas pad or stretched canvas (Gesso coated, 12x16 inches or larger, with a smooth surface for better results).
• Brushes: A variety of flat brushes (natural or synthetic, long hair) that maintain their shape well. Zin Lim often opts for affordable synthetic options.
• Palette Knife: Ensure it is sharp for precise mixing and application.
• Palette: Palette pad or any wooden, plastic, or glass one.
• Medium: Only odorless options like Linseed, Sunflower, or Safflower oil, plus odorless mineral spirit (Gamsol or Turpenoid with no smell, avoiding fast-drying or toxic mediums for a healthier studio environment.

Contact

This workshop is hosted by Atelier Melbourne Art Academy. For more information and registration, contact by:

• Web page: https://ateliermelbourne.com/workshops
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ateliermelbourneartacademy
• Email: artist@muralisurya.com 
• Address: 28 WARNER STREET, OAKLEIGH, VICTORIA - 3166