Stacy Minch

Alla Prima Portrait

Stacy Minch

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  • In-depth Instruction; over 232 mins
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Join Stacy Minch as she dives into the fascinating world of alla prima portrait painting, focusing particularly on the materials that make her artwork come alive. In her detailed video, Stacy begins by introducing the color palette crucial for achieving the vibrant, lifelike quality of her portraits. She uses a neutral gray paper palette from New Wave art supplies, which helps in accurately judging the colors mixed on it. This choice of palette is pivotal for her method, as it allows for precise color creation and adjustment. Stacy emphasizes the importance of using high-quality paints. She prefers paints from Gamblin, known for their purity and absence of additives, which ensures the longevity and vibrancy of her work. She also discusses the types of whites she uses, including the traditional lead-based white known for its opacity and warmth, although she notes its toxicity and cost as drawbacks. The variety of colors on her palette is specifically chosen to mix warm and cool versions of each primary color, enabling her to render complex flesh tones and other subtle variations required in portrait painting. Colors like cadmium red light, alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, and ultramarine blue are staples. She also highlights the use of transparent red oxide for warm shadows and phthalo green for cool undertones. Stacy’s selection of brushes and mediums is equally thoughtful. She uses a mix of filbert brushes for their versatility in creating soft transitions, and a gel-based medium for its ease of use and cleanup, especially when painting outdoors. For more detailed texturing and final touches, she employs palette knives and various specialized brushes, ensuring each tool contributes to the ultimate goal of achieving depth and realism in her portraits. This video is a treasure trove of information for both novice and seasoned artists, offering insights into the thoughtful selection of materials that lay the foundation for masterful alla prima painting.
In the preliminary drawing stage of her alla prima portrait painting, Stacy Minch shares invaluable insights into her process, emphasizing the importance of placement and proportion over meticulous detail. She begins by positioning her reference to the left and the drawing surface to the right, ensuring a comfortable workflow as she translates visual information onto the canvas.Stacy adopts a flexible approach, aiming for an approximate placement of the major facial features rather than a hyper-detailed rendition. This method allows for creative freedom and reduces the risk of becoming overly fixated on achieving a perfect likeness from the start. By marking key areas such as the forehead and chin first, she establishes essential guidelines that help define the structure of the face. Using a piece of charcoal or a similar drawing tool, Stacy sketches out the basic forms and shadows, giving life to the portrait even in its nascent stage. Her focus on large shapes rather than fine details—like eyelashes or the precise shape of the nose—is strategic. She explains that the recognition of a person's face from a distance is based more on overall shape than on fine features, a principle that guides her initial drawing efforts. Furthermore, Stacy incorporates dynamic elements into the drawing, such as the direction and flow of the hair and the subtle indications of muscle structure like the sternocleidomastoid, enhancing the anatomical accuracy of the portrait. She also pays attention to the distribution of light and shadow, which are crucial for conveying the volume and depth of the face. Throughout this stage, Stacy remains mindful of the potential adjustments that may be necessary once painting begins. She reassures viewers that the drawing will evolve under the layers of paint, emphasizing that alla prima painting is a fluid process that allows for continuous refinement. This approach not only lays a solid foundation for the painting but also keeps the process adaptable and responsive to the artist’s insights as the portrait develops.
In her instructive session on alla prima portrait painting, Stacy Minch delves into the initial application of paint, focusing on blocking in the major masses of shape and color. This foundational step is crucial for setting the tone and composition of the portrait. Stacy begins by emphasizing the use of thin paint, often diluted with a bit of Gamsol, a solvent that thins the oil paint while ensuring it remains workable. She notes the importance of covering the Gamsol when not in use due to its toxic nature, which can cause discomfort like headaches. This approach of using thinned paint is strategic, as it allows room for adding thicker layers of paint later in the process without overloading the canvas. The process of blocking in starts with the background, where Stacy adjusts her color choices based on the actual setup versus the photographic reference, which often differs in color tone. For instance, she mixes a greenish hue for the background, which appeared grey in the photo but was green in her studio setup. This step ensures that the painting reflects the true colors as observed in person. Moving onto the portrait, Stacy methodically applies darker tones and shadows using a mix of black and transparent red oxide. This initial layer helps define the form of the hair and facial features without going into intricate detail. She approaches the portrait from back to front, laying down the large areas first, which helps her remember the placement of various planes on the face. Throughout this process, Stacy continually refers back to her drawing, adjusting as needed without becoming overly precise at this stage. She encourages embracing a more impressionistic approach, focusing on large shapes and general placements rather than exact details. This method not only builds a strong structural foundation for the portrait but also allows the flexibility to adjust and refine as the painting progresses. By blocking in major masses early on, Stacy sets the stage for more detailed work in subsequent layers, establishing a harmony of colors and shapes that bring the portrait to life. This stage is pivotal as it lays the groundwork for the nuanced expressions and character details that will define the final artwork.
In the next stage of her alla prima portrait painting, Stacy Minch transitions from the foundational work of blocking in major masses to refining the forms and enhancing the details of her subject. This phase is critical as it begins to breathe life and realism into the initial rough sketch and basic color patches. Stacy starts by identifying and applying the darkest darks on the canvas, setting a value range that helps define the space within which she can sculpt the features of the portrait. For example, she notes that the darkest areas will appear on the side of the cheek and adjusts her palette accordingly, using a mix of warm and cool tones to create a nuanced shadow that complements the cool studio lighting under which the model was photographed. These shadows are carefully placed to suggest the underlying structure of the face without becoming too detailed. As she progresses, Stacy works meticulously on the curvature of the face, emphasizing the need to shift values to suggest volume. She adjusts the forehead’s hues, lightening or darkening them as they wrap around the head, to enhance the three-dimensional feel of the painting. This meticulous attention to the play of light and shadow is crucial for achieving a lifelike representation. Refining the forms also involves constant reassessment and adjustment. Stacy emphasizes the importance of stepping back from the work to view it from different perspectives, ensuring that each element remains in harmony with the overall composition. This iterative process involves enhancing details such as the eyes, where she introduces subtle color variations and shadows to convey depth and expression. Throughout this stage, Stacy remains mindful not to overwork the details too soon. She focuses on solidifying the basic forms before moving on to finer details in later sessions. The goal at this point is to establish a strong structural and tonal foundation that captures the essence of the subject, setting the stage for further refinement. This approach ensures that the portrait maintains both accuracy and artistic integrity as she moves towards completion.
Stacy Minch progresses deeper into the detailed aspects of her alla prima portrait painting. This segment focuses on enhancing and adjusting the distinct characteristics of her subject's face, particularly the eyes, nose, mouth, and hair. Stacy's approach involves a meticulous method of continuously stepping back to reassess the balance and proportion of these features, ensuring they contribute harmoniously to the overall likeness of the model. Stacy begins by adjusting core shadows and refining the edges of large masses to better define the facial structure. She employs a mixture of darker neutrals and adjusts shapes to achieve the desired depth and dimension, particularly around cheek shadows and facial contours. Using smaller brushes, she makes subtle adjustments to the lips and eyes, enhancing their accuracy and expression. Throughout the session, Stacy emphasizes the iterative nature of portrait painting. She describes her process as a series of adjustments and corrections, where each change brings the painting closer to both the desired aesthetic and a true representation of the subject. She encourages painters to embrace the process, acknowledging that perfecting a portrait involves both forward and backward steps. The video also delves into the technical aspects of painting, such as managing the paint's consistency and the challenges of capturing true color and light from photographic references. Stacy discusses the importance of shadow unity and the strategic placement of highlights to guide the viewer's attention and enhance the three-dimensionality of the portrait. By the end of the session, viewers gain insights not only into the technical skills required for portrait painting but also the artistic sensibility needed to capture the essence of the subject. Stacy's detailed commentary provides a comprehensive look at the complex process of refining features, making it a valuable resource for artists at all levels.
In this final stage, Stacy Minch brings her alla prima portrait painting to a refined conclusion. This final session focuses on reassessing the forms painted thus far and adding those crucial highlights and edge adjustments that enhance the overall impact and realism of the portrait. Stacy begins by taking a step back to evaluate the cohesion of the painting’s elements, ensuring that the shapes hold together well and that the likeness of the model is sufficiently captured for a quick portrait. She then moves forward with softening some of the edges, which helps to integrate the features more seamlessly into the background and across the transitions of light and shadow. This softening is selective, aimed at areas where Stacy wants to diminish focus, lending a more natural appearance to the painting. An essential part of this stage involves the strategic placement of highlights, which Stacy uses to draw attention and add depth. She is cautious not to over-apply, emphasizing that well-placed highlights can make the painting more engaging not just for those who know the model, but for any viewer. Stacy also revisits the hair of the model, adjusting where light catches to add vibrancy and realism. This is complemented by her adjustments to the facial features, especially around the eyes, nose, and mouth, where she enhances the transitions and contours to make them stand out more naturally. Throughout the video, Stacy provides insights into her decision-making process, sharing thoughts on how each change may affect the viewer’s perception of the painting. She discusses the balance between making the painting interesting through color passages and texture while maintaining a realistic portrayal of the subject. As she concludes, Stacy reflects on the joy and artistic freedom found in painting, encouraging viewers to enjoy the process and not just focus on achieving a photorealistic copy of their subjects. She highlights the unique qualities of painting as a medium, celebrating its ability to convey more than just visual accuracy but also the essence and atmosphere of the subject. This final video encapsulates the holistic approach to alla prima portrait painting, from technical execution to expressive finishing touches, offering viewers a comprehensive look at the creative process from start to finish.
 
 
6 Lessons
3  hrs 52  mins

Description

Join acclaimed artist Stacy Minch in her dynamic course on alla prima portrait painting, a fascinating method in which a painting is completed in one sitting. Stacy, with her infectious enthusiasm and expert guidance, dives deep into the techniques of working with wet paint on wet paint, promising a vibrant journey from start to finish. Stacy works with oil paints, but the same techniques are easily translated to acrylic paints.

In this comprehensive tutorial, Stacy begins with the essentials—outlining her color palette, introducing her favorite tools and materials, and explaining their significance. She uses a gray paper palette for accurate color mixing and discusses the importance of high-quality paints without additives for better longevity of artwork.

Moving into the painting process, Stacy illustrates how to transfer a drawing onto the canvas, emphasizing the importance of accurate proportions without becoming overly meticulous, which allows for artistic freedom. She shares insights into setting up the painting, blocking in shapes and shadows, and gradually refining the details to bring the portrait to life.

As the course progresses, Stacy details her approach to mixing flesh tones, understanding the nuances of light and shadow, and the impact of color temperature. She provides practical tips on maintaining the drawing underneath successive layers of paint and adjusting features as the work evolves.

Stacy’s course is not just about painting techniques but also about understanding the artistic process and discovering one’s personal style. Whether you’re a beginner eager to delve into portrait painting or an experienced artist looking to refine your skills with new methods, this course offers valuable insights and inspiring lessons in creating compelling, lifelike portraits through alla prima painting.

Get ready to pick up your brushes and explore the vibrant world of portrait painting with Stacy Minch. Her passion and expertise will guide you through an exciting artistic journey, ensuring a rewarding learning experience.

Stacy Minch

Stacy Weitz Minch is a traditionally trained artist currently residing in Utah. Throughout her childhood and young adulthood, Stacy enjoyed art as a hobby and also worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist before deciding to pursue painting as a career in 2015. Stacy studied at the Master's Academy of Art in Springville, Utah from 2015-2020, learning naturalistic drawing and painting techniques. She has also taken workshops from multiple artists throughout the years and considers herself a lifelong learner in this field. Stacy centers her artistic endeavors on portraiture and figurative themes, always seeking to transmit an aspect of human emotion or experience in each work she creates. Outside of painting, Stacy loves spending time with her husband, two kids, and dog and cat in the beautiful landscapes of Utah.

Stacy Minch

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