Portrait Oil Painting from Life

Working from a life model, paint a portrait using traditional techniques

Key details

Location

Falmouth Campus

Course duration

4 days

Course overview

Join us for an exploration of traditional portrait oil painting techniques on this 4-day course run by Emily Roberts, an artist who specialises in working from life.

Working from a life model each day, we’ll teach you to firstly draw and then paint a portrait from life using traditional techniques and materials. You’ll leave with a greater understanding of oil painting techniques, traditional approaches to charcoal portrait drawing, and mixing using a limited colour palette.

Suitable for all levels and based in a lovely light art studio on our Falmouth Campus, with all materials you’ll need included. You’ll take your final charcoal drawing on paper and a final oil painting on canvas home with you.

Tuition fees per individual: £550

How to apply

See course dates below that are available to book.

Upcoming courses

Portrait in oil by Emily Roberts

Mon 14 Jul 2025

4-day course14 - 17 July | Price: £550

Portrait oil painting from life

In-person

This 4-day course will develop your skills in, and approaches to, portrait painting using oils. It's...

Portrait oil painting from life

If no upcoming Short Courses are displayed above, get in touch with us for more information.

Course details

This is a 4-day course based in a top-floor fine art studio on our Falmouth campus, with great light and lovely views. Suitable for all levels, we’ll be exploring traditional techniques taking inspiration from painters such as Titian, Van Dyke, Velasquez and Reubens.

With a life model in all our taught sessions as a constant reference point, you’ll start by working in charcoals and focusing on light and shadow. We’ll then teach you how to transfer this drawing onto canvas, using oils to layer and build up colour.

On our final afternoon the course will conclude with a peer review of everyone’s work and a small celebration of achievements. You’ll leave with your final oil painting on canvas, your charcoal drawing, and a greater understanding of oil painting techniques that you can use in your work following the course.

Please see the course outline for more information on what each day will cover.

This course is taught by Emily Roberts, an artist and teacher whose work is held in private collections across Europe and North America.

All materials you’ll need are included in this course, using professional art supplies; and tea and coffee is provided each day. Please bring a packed lunch with you or there are nearby café’s in Falmouth (an hour is allowed for lunch each day).

Day one:
Following a brief introduction to the materials and method of observation we will begin to create a charcoal portrait study from life. Some measurement techniques will be covered, but we will focus on close observation of contour, shadow and atmosphere, completing a full tonal portrait study in charcoal.

Day two:
The day will begin with an introduction to the painting tools, materials and limited pallet. There will be an option to transfer the fundamentals of the drawing onto the canvas, or apply charcoal or canvas directly on to the canvas to re-find the shapes. We will then begin a painting lay-in, covering the whole canvas with paint by the end of the day.

Day three:
Continuing to layer paint we will concentrate on colour mixing, working wet into wet to achieve a variety of edges whilst building the paint surface.

Day four:
Our final day will concentrate on accenting the composition, looking at highlights, the way the eye moves around the image, and creating atmosphere. Dependant on the paint surface we will discuss the use of glazes and impasto.

How you'll learn

Emily teaches this course in an accessible method where traditional techniques are built up step by step. Each day will be spent in taught sessions with a life model constantly available for a reference point. There will be time to develop and explore techniques as you work through each day.

Each evening there is optional time to continue to develop your work on your own, with the studio open until 21:00.

Who is this course for

This course is suitable for creative people with all levels of experience, whether you are a beginner wishing to explore oil painting or whether you have existing experience of life drawing or portraiture and wish to develop your technique further.

Course leader: Emily Roberts

Emily Roberts is a figurative painter and sculptor. After studying History of Art at the University of Bristol she attended Charles Cecil Studios in Florence where she trained in classical drawing and oil painting. Since then she has expanded her field of knowledge from this traditional foundation to include pastel painting, ceramic sculpture, stone carving and the creation of inks and paints with an increased focus on creating her own materials from natural, sustainable, local materials.

At Charles Cecil Studios Emily also took on various teaching and administrative roles, and has continued to teach throughout her career at studios across the UK and Europe. She is currently a Senior Technician for Life Drawing and Painting at Falmouth University and teaches regular workshops in Cornwall, including at St Ives School of Painting. 

She has shown work in institutions such as the Royal Academy, Turner Contemporary and Mall Galleries. Her work is held in private collections across Europe, Asia and America. 

Each day will have the following timings:  

9.30: Arrival and welcome, tea and coffee  

10am – 1pm: Morning session   

1pm – 2pm: Lunch break (please bring a packed lunch or visit a nearby cafe)  

2pm – 5pm: Afternoon session  

5pm – 9pm: The art studio will remain open until 9pm on days 1-3 for you to continue working on your own, if you wish to do so.

An apron or clothing you don’t mind getting messy!
Please remember to bring a packed lunch with you.
You may wish to bring a reusable water bottle with you.

All materials and equipment you’ll need are provided, using professional-quality art supplies. However if you have favourite brushes you wish to use please bring them with you.

There will be a model to work from in all taught sessions each day, as a constant reference.

Tea/coffee is included each day. Please bring a packed lunch with you.

This course is taught in a lovely light fine art studio on the top floor of Lamorva on our Falmouth Campus.

Our Falmouth Campus can be reached via a range of public transport options. You can find out more, here.  

For campus maps and information on visiting us, please visit our How to find us page. 

This course is open to all adults with no prerequisite knowledge, it’s suitable for all levels of experience. Whether you are a beginner wishing to explore oil painting or whether you have existing experience of life drawing or portraiture and wish to develop your technique further this course will be suitable for you.

Accommodation is not included in this course cost. If you would like to book accommodation, please see our accommodation for short course students page for a range of options.  

Our Falmouth campus is not fully accessible, with some activities in early Victorian three storey buildings.

Please contact us if you have questions about mobility and access.  

How to apply

To apply for this course, make your selection from the available dates below, this will take you to an event page where you will be able to book yourself onto the course via the Book now link.

Tuition fees per individual: £550