Figure Painting Masterclass with Alan McGowan

"Under Alan’s guidance, students will concentrate on developing the relationship between life drawing and painting whilst considering mark-making, colour and the handling properties of paint. The consideration of accuracy of observation and measurement will be looked at in relation to freedom of expression, exploration of materials and engagement with an expressive and individual painterly language. Students will receive regular one-to-one guidance throughout the course.

The figure painting workshop will begin by looking at how we approach creating the figure on canvas through drawing - firstly making several drawn studies in both dry materials and oil paints, followed by a one day oil painting and finally two paintings over the last three days. The topics I will focus on in the class will include composition; drawing and measuring; mark making; tone; and the differing qualities and characteristics of paint. Other topics will inevitably crop up, such as colour palettes, and these will be discussed on an individual basis as they arise.

A few words about the Tutor

Alan McGowan is a figurative and portrait artist who specialises in working from life. His expressive brushwork and dynamic use of colour in combination with accomplished draughtsmanship have won him many honours including exhibiting at the BP Portrait exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London, The Scottish Portrait Awards, the Threadneedle Prize for Figurative Art, the Society of Portrait Sculptors exhibition and The Ruth Borchard self portrait exhibition. In 2014 he was a semi-finalist in the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the year and his work is featured in the international painting annual reviews INPA5, published by Manifest in Cincinatti USA. he has published two books of figure art “The Language of the Body” (2012) and “Unstill Life” (2017)”