What a great way to start my day! To open up to all of your positive feedback. This workshop was exactly what I have been itching to return to for six months since taking Marvin Mattelson's week long workshop in Atlanta in January of this year. One week with Marvin and you get a good idea of his approach and a chance to begin a portrait with drawing and wash-in techniques from life. The last day of the week-long workshop I layed in some color but was pretty overwhelmed by all I had learned. The painting I began in January was my very first attempt at painting a portrait.

For six months I did nothing but mix Marvin's fleshtones palette and "play around". And I did a couple wash-ins and drew from life, knowing I would return for his two-week workshop in Las Vegas.

But I never imagined I would have so much fun and that I would take to his instruction so easily! Everything clicked and I believe it was because Marvin's instruction is simple and very consistant. His twenty years of teaching is reflected in his approach and his passion for his students.

If I came away with a couple important lessons which I can pass on to other students beginning in oils it would be these:

1. Learn to draw from life. Draw, draw, draw. No matter how beautiful your color, your portrait will fail if you cannot draw well and get the likeness right away.

2. SHAPES. Think of everything in terms of shapes, not nose, eyes, forhead, highlight, lips, etc. If you evaluate everything you see in terms of shapes you get it more right.

3. Evaluate color by HUE, VALUE, INTENSITY. This allows you to know exactly what you want the color to be. Constantly ask, "is it too yellow, too pink?", "is it too light or too dark", "is it too intense or too neutral"?

Marvin constantly talks about creating form, not only with shapes but with value. He talked about sculpting the planes, which helped me understand what I was wanting to do with paint.

This really stuck with me: "A sculptor chisels facets to create changes in value. A painter paints changes in value to create facets".

It will takes me months and months for all to really sink in, but the bottom line is I have a direction to go which makes perfect sense to me and I really love the colors I can get with Marvin's palette.

Congrats Pat, that's a lovely and beautiful painting.
I love working from life and I love to admire works from life likewise.

Congratulations Pat on what looks like a very successful workshop with Marvin, I am so envious. Your work is a real inspiration as I wait and watch your journey further. Thank you for spilling the beans for us on some pointers about Marvin's workshop too.

Like you said, it will take a while for it all to sink in, can't wait to see what your work will be like when this happens.

Well Done and thanks for sharing.

Hi Pat,

I'd like to add my congratulations too! It looks like you had a very successful workshop and this painting is beautiful! Wow! Thanks for sharing some of the things you learned as well!

Julie
________
Dew platform

Pat - there are not adjectives left to express how beautiful that others haven't used. One can see the residue of Marvin's teachings....just gorgeous!

Thanks you so much! I really appreciate the positive feedback - such a confidance builder. I am itching to complete this portrait (ugh, back in my office what a drag!) I can't say enough good things about Marvin Mattelson. He makes painting very logical and easy to understand. Now it is a matter of applying the lessons learned and painting LOTS of paintings before I can come close to having a portfolio which will allow me to go even semi-pro, but I feel I am moving in the right direction!!

And I LOVE painting - aren't we all lucky to have passion for our art, to be able to pursue what we love so much...I feel great gratitude for finding this forum, which I consider THE community to turn to for education, support, growth, etc.

Pat,

I'm still in Vegas..............but I'm relaxing!!!! I will write more about the workshop itself when I return home and regain my sanity, but I wanted to take the time to say it was a
PLEASURE getting to meet you. You are a doll!!

Janel

Pat,

Beautiful work. I am a big fan of Marvin's and wish I could afford 2 weeks with him.

I love his pallet and have been using it for a couple of years now. I haven't found a face where it doesn't work. Mixing it is a great way for me to train my eye to see values and color.

I underscore all you say regarding Marvin's workshop.

Hi Janel and John,
Janel, it was great meeting you also. We had such a great group of artists to interract with for two whole weeks. You did a magnificent job of facilitating the whole workshop, such a gracious and generous spirit you have. I do hope to see you again some day!!

John, I took out a loan to attend this workshop, knowing that it would be worth going into debt for. I learned in two weeks what I need to really progress in my painting, an investment in my education worth more than the cost of all the college art courses I have taken over the past three years!!!

Marvin's palette is amazing. One evening we invited to bring in some paintings for critique. One very talented student was very generous with us and brought a dozen paintings. He is so talented and had some great portraits. But one really stood out above the rest, it was the painting he was working on in our workshop. The color was so realistic, it made all the difference! I must admit that when I returned to my studio Sunday I went through all of my art books and set aside all books on portrait painting, to be donated to a charity! :)

I have a better image of my painting to post, which was taken with a better camera and a image of Marvin's painting to show.

Enjoy!!

Marvin Mattelson's Demo Portrait
 

And Marvin's . . .