Foundations I

Learn expressive portraiture through a variety of mediums

Foundations is about materials; dry, wet, soft and rough. We sometimes forget that it’s the tactile experience that once gave us the joy to create. This course lets you get (re)acquainted with charcoal, pastel, paint and mediums through a series of portraits that express what you want to say.

This course now is self-paced! That means you can start immediately after completing your purchase. Support and feedback is available through the private Facebook group. See you there!

Would you like to...

Did you ever really take the time to see how a certain material feels? In your hand, on your paper, under the pressure of your finger? Very often, we jump straight to the practical application of a material; how to create values, how to mix or blend. But what about getting to know your material first?

This course is about just that: exploring materials and how you feel about them. Playing around with them, until you get an idea. Being a portrait lover, that is usually the idea that comes to my mind. I’d like to take you along the process of the portraits that I created, with these materials. To show you how you can apply them, and what possibilities there are for you.

You may think: “but I don’t know how to create portraits?!”. And that’s fine. (although I can very much relate to your question!) This course is not about learning to create the perfect portrait. It’s about learning to get comfortable with a variety of materials through the process of creating a portrait.

You can learn in many different ways; by painting an apple, a still life, a landscape. But you’re here, and that means that you and I probably share a love for the human face. I believe learning anything through the thing you love most, is a much more rewarding and fulfilling process, and I hope you will join me!

Much love,

Sabra

In this course you'll find...

4 real-time and fully recorded video projects from start to finish
Preliminary work and exercises for each project to get you started
Over 15 hours of video
Step-by-step instructions for sketching and swatching
Techniques to add texture, depth and loose strokes to your work
Thoughts on process, meaning and expression through art
A private Facebook group with personal feedback and support
Access to free, exclusive content in my Student Library!

What other students are saying...

topics

What are the projects in this course about?

exploration & preliminary work

For the first six weeks, we will learn a new art material every week: charcoal, pastel and acrylic paint. In week 7 and 8 these materials will come together in our mixed media project.

Every project starts with some preliminary work. In these videos I will show you how you can use your material in different ways. It’s highly recommended that you try this out for yourself, as it is the most low-key way to get to know a material!

In other videos I will usually do several sketches of the reference photo and explain a bit about any difficulties we might run into.

creating portraits

After our preliminary work, we’re ready to start creating a portrait! All my portraits are recorded in real-time; nothing is cut out or sped up, so you can see everything I do. All portraits lessons are divided into topics for each video, so it’s easy to navigate and see where you are.

In Chapter 1, we will create a portrait using only willow charcoal and water. That’s it! To get the most out of our material, we’ll experiment with textures, different ways of blending and losing some features into abstract shapes.

Chapter 2 is about pastel! With a balanced palette and some water, we’ll start shaping our portrait out of the darker layers. A different approach, but one you’ll find interesting!

We’ll pick up our paint tubes in Chapter 3, as we explore the possibilities of acrylic paint. Our palette is limited, to make sure you can focus on your brush work.

Chapter 4 are all about bringing it together, as we’re free to mix our materials in this mixed media project.

During all of your learning process you have access to support in the private Facebook group!

Are you ready to join me?

The self-paced course of ‘Foundations I’ is available right now, and you can study at your own pace! Support and feedback is always available in my private Facebook group.

your curriculum

What will this course look like?

Chapter 1 CHARCOAL

The course is open from the moment you complete your purchase! You will be notified by email and can access our first project; our charcoal portrait. If you have Facebook, you can request an invite to the group. Let’s get started!

Each portrait starts with some preliminary work and exercises. These videos will introduce your to the materials, and also the reference photo. If you like to improve on your angles and facial features, these videos are great for you! I usually recommend working on preliminary work for one week, and on the project in the second week.

Chapter 2 pastel

Our second project is about pastel, and you will learn all about soft pastels and how to use them. Don’t forget to watch the preliminary work videos! They’re here to help you get started.

We will explore a lot of interesting topics in the next chapter; choosing colours, ways to blend and we’ll also work with both dry pastel and add a little water!

Our palette is limited so you won’t get overwhelmed with a load of colour all at once. 😉

CHAPTER 3 acrylic paint

In this chapter we will pick up our paint tubes. No worries ok? You’ve already ‘painted’ a bit with pastel, and this is no different. We will start off with exploring the profile view; looking at a face from the side. Maybe this feels a little tricky, but I’ve created a step-by-step video to help guide you through it!

Don’t be afraid to talk about any art related topic or question you have in the Facebook group!

Chapter 4 Mixed media

Ready to let go of limitations? Mixed media is the place to go when you don’t want to choose, and just get creating. You can mix and match as much as you like. Or follow along with what I do. It’s up to you!

Two weeks for a portraits allows you to experiment more. Maybe even botch a few attempts. 😉 Mixed media is about learning how things play together, so don’t hold back and let me know if you need help!

Support

The great thing about joining a self-paced course is that you can work and learn when it suits you, and still have access to support whenever you need it. In our private Facebook group, you can post your work-in-progress, your questions or concerns and of course your final works. Don’t be afraid to ask for guidance at any point, it’s what I’m here for. I usually check the Facebook group every day to answer any questions.

materials

Do I need to purchase new materials to join this course?

You don’t want to join a course, only to find out you have to purchase a fortune worth of supplies. Most of the materials used in my projects are basic supplies. They’re also available in almost every country in the world. For every project, I will also give you suggestions on what to replace them with, if you don’t have them. So no need to worry about major expenses! Download the supply list on the right to see what I suggest for this course.

exclusive content

A growing library for students

As a student of my art school, you will automatically have access to a collection of free lessons and resources, intended to help you with the foundations of art and to expand on the current course you are taking. The Student Library started in 2021 and is ever expanding! And best of all, it will be free to students who have joined “Foundations I” here!

a selection of what you'll find here

Are you ready to join me in this course?

"Foundations I"

15+ hours of real-time video with audio commentary
Instant access after purchase
All videos and materials downloadable for personal use
Private Facebook community for students only
PDF's and drawing guides available

€ 149,-

Frequently asked questions

What is an online course and how does it work?

When you register for any of my online courses, you can login to you account here my website. From your account, you can access any course you’ve purchased. No need to get up or go out! 🙂

Your account and courses are private; that means only you can access them. You can access your available lessons any time that suits you. That also goes for lesson information, supply lists and reference photos. It’s all well organized in your course environment.

Some of my courses have a specific start date. On that date, I will open the course and provide you with the lesson for that week. If you’ve signed up for a course that hasn’t started yet, I will send you an email when it starts and you can log in!

What's the difference between a self-paced course and a live course?

A self-paced course is open for registration throughout the year. When you sign up, you get immediate access to all the lessons in that course. You can go ahead and start right away! Track your progress by marking your lessons complete after finishing. You can work at your own pace whenever it’s convenient for you, there’s no set schedule. You can come back any time and resume or repeat lessons. If you have any questions, you can send me a message or post in my Facebook group. I don’t provide in-depth feedback on self-paced courses but I’m always around to help!

A live course start at a specific date and runs for a number of weeks. When you sign up, I will keep you informed through my mailing list. When we start, I will send you another email. You can log in and view the first available lessons. Every week a new lesson in provided until we’ve finished the course. After finishing the course, all lessons and content will remain available to you. So no worries if you fall behind or skip a week! You can go back, catch up or repeat lessons whenever you want! During the weeks that the course runs, I’ll be available daily in the private Facebook group for that course. You can interact with me and other students that are in the course!

Can I download and keep the videos and materials?

Yes, you can download all videos and materials for private use!

Is this course suitable for beginners?

Yes, this course is design specifically to help you understand the foundations of drawing the face. We’ll be dealing with some difficult angles but I will explain it to you in a way that allows you to follow exactly what I’m doing. There are several drawing guides that you can print out, to help you no matter your level.

How can I access the course?

You can always access this course by logging in at my website. In the navigation menu, go to “My account” and you will see your courses there.

Do you provide feedback on my work?

During a live course I will provide feedback on your work if you ask for it in the Facebook group. I will be present daily for the duration of the course. If you don’t have a Facebook account, you can also email me.

When you do a self-paced course, you may ask any questions or share work in my general Facebook group. There are a lot of nice people there and I will be there often to reply or answer questions.

What supplies do I need for this course?

You can download the supply list here!

Can I get a refund after purchasing a course?

Only for courses that haven’t started yet. Because all my courses are downloadable, I cannot grant refunds on courses that have started or are self-paced and thus immediately available.

Do you have a payment plan available?

No, not at this point.

I don't have a facebook account. Is it required?

No, not at all! If you have any questions during a live course, you can also email me for feedback.

What does lifetime access mean?

Lifetime access means that the courses you’ve purchased will be available to you on this website for as long as the course is for sale and I’m in business. Should that time ever end, I will inform you and give you plenty of time to download videos and materials that you want to keep.

I have a question. How can I contact you?

You can contact me using the form on this page. You can also send me a message on Facebook or Instagram.

Ask me anything!

If you can’t find the answer to your question in the FAQ on the left, please let me know! I’ll try to get back to you within a day. You can also contact me on social media if you prefer that.

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