New Painting Course on Shading: Shade like a Master

/ Real Time Tutorial Shading Video Tutorial
/ By Matt Philleo

Learn shading with acrylics: techniques for realistic portraits

Are you struggling with shading in your portrait paintings? Does your artwork lack that three-dimensional look you desire? Look no further in my new “Shade Like a Master” course, which is designed specifically to help artists like you improve their shading techniques and make portraits look convincingly real.

Shading is one of the most critical aspects of achieving realism in portrait painting. It is the process of creating depth, dimension, and form by manipulating light and dark areas. However, without proper guidance, it can be challenging to master. Often, the colors become muddy, or the light and dark values are off, leading to flat or unconvincing results. Because this course aims to take your shading skills to the next level, offering you clear, step-by-step instructions to make shading easier and more effective. Learn my new painting course on shading and shade like a master.

What You Will Learn in This Course

This three-week-long live course will cover the fundamental principles of shading using acrylics and then guide you in implementing these techniques to create more realistic and three-dimensional portraits.

Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect:

Week 1 (September 5th): Introduction to Value and Light. Learn how to see light and dark values correctly and how to apply these values to create a realistic sense of form.
Week 2 (September 12th): Building Depth with Layers. Understand how to build up your layers in acrylic painting to gradually increase depth and dimension.
Week 3 (September 19th): Final Touches. Master the nuances of shading and highlights to bring your portrait to life with subtlety and realism.

The Benefits of Shading Like a Master

However, shading effectively involves placing the correct values (light and dark areas) and colors in the right places, and it can be the difference between a flat painting and one that feels lifelike. But this course is designed to address common shading struggles that artists face, including:

Muddy Colors: Learn how to avoid mixing muddy colors and maintain clean transitions between shadows and highlights.
Incorrect Values: Understand the importance of values (lightness and darkness) in your painting and how they create the illusion of form.
Lack of Depth: Master layering techniques that will bring more depth and dimension to your portraits.

This course offers more than just theoretical knowledge. So as I paint live, you’ll be able to see his thought process and brush techniques in real-time. Then you can apply what you’ve learned in your own projects immediately, making it a hands-on learning experience.

Why Enroll in a Live Course?

While pre-recorded tutorials are useful, there is nothing quite like participating in a live session where you can ask questions, get feedback, and interact with the instructor. During the course, you will have the chance to participate in discussions and ask me a questions about your specific challenges with shading. However, if you can’t make the live sessions, don’t worry—each session will be recorded and available to replay at your convenience.

Course Highlights:

Interactive Sessions: Participate in live lessons and ask questions to get direct feedback on your work.
On-Demand Access: Rewatch the lessons at your own pace. Even if you miss a session, you can catch up later.
Bite-Sized Segments: The course is broken down into manageable lessons, allowing you to focus on the areas where you need the most help.

Tips and Techniques for Shading Like a Master

To give you a sneak peek into what you’ll learn in the course, here are some essential tips and techniques that will help you improve your shading skills with acrylics:

Understand the Light Source: Always identify the main light source in your painting. This will guide where you place highlights and shadows, ensuring consistency and realism.
Build Layers Gradually: Acrylics dry quickly, making them ideal for layering. Begin with broad areas of light and dark, and gradually build up layers of more refined shadows and highlights.
Use Glazing for Smooth Transitions: Glazing involves applying thin layers of translucent paint to create smooth transitions between shadows and highlights. It’s a powerful technique for achieving subtle, lifelike shading.
Value is Key: Pay close attention to the values in your portrait. Start with a grayscale value study to ensure your light and dark areas are correct before adding color.
Keep Colors Clean: Avoid over-mixing your paint, as this can lead to muddy colors. Instead, focus on applying clean, distinct layers of color.
Control Your Edges: Soft edges suggest a gradual change in light, while hard edges emphasize abrupt changes. Use these techniques to control how light falls on your subject and how form is perceived.

Why You Should Join the “Shade Like a Master” Course

This course is ideal for both beginners and intermediate artists who want to enhance their shading techniques. Whether you are new to acrylic portrait painting or have been practicing for years, this course will give you the tools and guidance to take your art to the next level.

You’ll not only learn the technical skills needed for shading, but you’ll also gain the confidence to apply these techniques in your own work. Shading is not just about adding darkness to your painting—it’s about understanding how light works, how to manipulate it, and how to use it to bring your portraits to life.

Learn how to shade effectively in acrylic so that your paintings look realistic here.

LEARN MORE

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this video. Please share it with your friends and family. Let me know if you have any further questions. I’ll greatly help you.

If you’d like to learn more, sign up for my free email tips and video class today.

Learn How to Paint Acrylic Portraits With My Free Mini-Video Course!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this tutorial and watch the video. That means a lot to me. I hope you find it very helpful in your portrait painting.

Yours for Better Portraits,

P.S. Did you find this post helpful or encouraging? If so, send it on ahead! Let others know with the share buttons below. I’d love to hear your comments. Thank you so much! Also, do you have a question on acrylic portrait painting you’d like answered? Let me know, and I’d be happy to help!

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