Chris Saper is super!

Valerie Warner · 11-10-2004, 06:26 PM

I've just returned from beautiful Scottsdale AZ after attending the Chris Saper Focused Study Workshop. It was just that. I want to share this with you because if I hadn't taken this workshop, I would still be treading water in many areas around my portraits and I'm so very grateful. I hope that this helps you to find the time and money to attend too!

The study was focused and delivered in a way that each student was brought to a complete understanding of the facet of portraiture that we were attempting to learn. From techniques to photography, marketing to substrates, brushes to palettes, and studio designs to bookkeeping it was all addressed. I have a big commission coming up soon and before the class I was not very confident that I could carry it off. Now, thanks to the focused study in an environment of only 4 students, I really don't have any concerns about the approach or execution at all and all my fears are gone. Because of the small class size, Chris was always available to answer my individual questions regarding any topic in portraiture.

I know that $900 is a sizable sum, but I've spent close to that in classes with 15-30 students and I never had one on one, personal time with the instructor such as I had with Chris. Whatever I needed to know or discuss was handled in a way that I felt completely taken care of.

The week I spent with Chris and the other 3 students was by far the best money I invested in my portrait career! I've attached the portrait I did towards the end of the week.

You can see more about this workshop here: http://chrissaper.com/events.htm

Patricia Joyce · 11-15-2004, 04:22 PM

Beautiful portrait, Valerie! You'll have to post the painting of your big project when it is finished - looking forward to seeing it.

Chris Saper · 11-15-2004, 04:54 PM

Dear Val,

Thank you so much for such kind comments! What a fun week!

Your portrait really turned out beautifully. With just four students, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed being able to spend several hours per day ( as opposed to several minutes per day in a larger workshop) with each of you.

I'm attaching a photo of our Monday model, lit with warm light. We used a combination of live sittings and photographs, along with the modified sight-size method Sharon Knettell describes here. We were fortunate that our model was able to return Friday for some color tune-ups.

Valerie Warner · 11-18-2004, 12:26 AM

Pat, Thanks! That portrait was done in the workshop from both a photo and life. She was sitting in front of us, with warm light on her cool shirt. I learned all about that in the workshop. Fun stuff. I won't be posting my big project as it is to remain confidential per client request, but I must say that I wrote my client and requested he schedule the photo shoot and I would never have done that before studying with Chris. I just didn't think I could really create my own photo shoot. I have always been slave to whatever photo I got LUCKY enough to get. Now I know what I want and I will insist I'm allowed to create it. Cool huh?

Chris, good memories around that model! She was shutting her eye to get on "mark" and we had not raised her chair up yet. That was a good week for sure.

Val

Chris Saper · 11-18-2004, 06:53 PM

Here are some hard-at-work shots of the class: Karen, Mo, Val and, Leila. Karen concentrated on translating color into value for her week's emphasis.

Chris Saper · 11-18-2004, 06:55 PM

And here we are, happy painters, all.

Valerie Warner · 11-19-2004, 01:11 AM

What totally great memories, Chris. Thanks for posting the pics. We all made such great leaps and bounds in our ability to translate to paint. You made it easy and fun. I will never forget the week with you and the others. We shared our trials and successes and it was so intimate that we could actually get to know each other as we learned. Good go.