The Drama of The Human Face

What are the challenges for today’s portrait painter? How do you capture a likeness and character from within the traditions of portraiture in an ever-changing world, where technology and social media impact on how we perceive and portray each other? Kim Spooner tackles these issues with an introduction to the history of portraiture and contemporary practices, and leads a lively discussion about Australian portrait prizes, including the Archibald and National Portrait Gallery Prizes.

In the NAS painting studio Kim guides you in developing a likeness and impression of a portrait subject, with step-by-step procedures from initial studies to finished paintings. There are opportunities to draw and paint from live models as well as photographs of subjects of your own choice, finding the character and proportions unique to each individual. Learn contemporary and traditional painting techniques with oils and acrylics, as well as how to use various mediums.

The course is designed to be broad and diverse in approach, responding to each student’s skill, style and aesthetic, while focusing on the fundamental skills of painting.

* NAS Short Courses are open to students of ages 16 years and over. The NAS Art Club is open to students from ages 15 years and over. 

* Drawing and painting short courses may be held in upstairs studios. If access to stairs is not suitable, please contact us at short.courses@nas.edu.au 

* What to bring? Please refer to the list of required materials in the Art Materials field below. 

Kim Spooner’s incisive and expressive portrait and figure paintings are held in public and private collections. She is an award-winning portraitist with portraits in the National Portrait Gallery and paintings and drawings in Regional Galleries throughout Australia. She is an inspirational teacher who is skilled at communicating ideas and responding to the individual needs of students and artists. She completed a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, in 2009. Winner of the 2006 Portia Geach Memorial Award, Kim is represented by Nanda\Hobbs Contemporary Gallery, Sydney.

Students must supply their own art materials, please refer to the list below.

You may consider the following materials for use during the course:

• Notebook and/or sketchbook, drawing paper such as cartridge and drawing media such as pencils, charcoal, compressed charcoal
• Oil/acrylic paints, bring whatever you have available and normally use
• For students using acrylic paint consider bringing acrylic emulsion or acrylic binder (500ml)
• For students using oil paint consider bringing medium No 1 which is a fast drying medium (500ml) refined linseed oil (500ml) if you use it, a solvent such as odourless solvent (500ml) and solvent for cleaning up (500ml – 1 litre)
• Brushes, square and round bristle – bring an assortment of sizes and whatever you usually use
• Palette for mixing paint. An A2 size sheet of white Perspex is ideal
• Surfaces to work on. This may include prepared paper, stretched canvas, canvas boards etc. Select the surfaces and sizes you wish to work on
  Rubber gloves
• A block of domestic soap, a plastic sauce container with a plastic lid and some jars and rags
• If you are interested in exploring collage in your work you may like to bring fixative, scissors, small bottle of PVA glue and collage/scrap materials such as fabric, coloured patterned paper, card, thin plywood

The teacher will advise on additional materials as the course progresses. Art materials can be purchased at Parkers Art Supplies on campus at NAS.

Enclosed footwear is essential in all studios on campus.