A Four-Session Journey Through Structure, Expression & the Poetry of Faces

Discover how to draw and paint faces with confidence, flow, and expressive mixed-media techniques.
Across four in-depth Zoom sessions, we explore the three classic portrait angles — front, profile, and 3/4 — and then bring them together into one harmonious composition.

🖌️ How Each Session Works (2.5–3 hours)

Every class follows a clear, structured flow:

• Artistic & technical basics (planes, light, structure)
• Sketching and composition decisions
• Short break
• Final mixed-media portrait painting
• Q&A at the end

Mixed media approach includes graphite, watercolor washes, ink, crayons, and other dry media to create expressive, living portraits. 

🌟Sessions descriptions

Session 1 - "Face Flow I": The Front View Lab

Understanding symmetry, light, and the calm power of a direct gaze.

A deep dive into front-view structure: placement of features, proportions, symmetry and intentional asymmetry, planes of the face, and how to use gentle washes to bring the portrait to life.
We practice building the front-view portrait from construction lines through expressive mixed media.

Session 2 - "Face Flow II": The Profile Lab

Exploring contours, edges, and the quiet elegance of the profile

In this session, we focus on clarity of contour, silhouette, and expressive edges.
Learn how to simplify shapes, capture personality with minimal marks, and create elegant, flowing linework supported by watercolor and dry media touches.

Session 3 - "Face Flow III": The Three-Quarter Lab

Finding depth, form, and movement within the most expressive angle.

The 3/4 view brings challenges: perspective on the face, overlapping forms, foreshortening, and shifting planes.
We break it down into an intuitive process, building depth, gesture, and atmospheric shading through layered mixed media.

 Session 4 - "Face Flow IV": The Composition Lab

Uniting multiple views into one expressive mixed-media narrative

In the final session, we combine front, profile, and 3/4 views into a cohesive composition.
You’ll explore narrative rhythms, arrangement, balance, and how different angles interact on one page — creating an expressive, personal portrait story.

✦ My teaching Approach:

In this Portrait Lab, I guide you not only through how to draw and paint a face, but also why each artistic decision matters.
You’ll see the full process — from observing and understanding facial structure, to making confident graphite decisions, to building atmosphere and expression with watercolor washes and mixed-media layers.

Throughout each session, I share the exact techniques I use in my own portrait work:
how to simplify complex forms, how to choose the right edges and accents, how to let graphite guide the structure, and how to allow watercolor to create softness, depth, and emotion — without losing spontaneity and flow.

My goal is to help you feel confident in portrait drawing, understand the logic of every angle, and enjoy creating faces that feel alive, expressive, and deeply personal.

✦ This Lab Is Perfect For:

• Artists who want to explore portraits in a mixed-media, expressive way

• Beginners in watercolor who want a clear, supportive introduction to graphite + wash technique

• Intermediate artists looking to deepen their understanding of structure, angles, planes, light, and portrait composition

• Anyone who wants to build confidence and freedom in both drawing and painting portraits

After enrolling, you’ll receive access to all live sessions and then lifetime access to recordings (with English, German & Italian subtitles), materials, and resources — to revisit, practice, and grow at your own pace 

🎨MATERIALS WE ARE GOING TO USE: 

Paper

•  Watercolor paper 300gsm (A4 at least, about A3 would be perfect) - 1 sheet for every session
• Cold press or mixed-media paper preferred (100% cotton)
• Drawing-sketching paper A4 or larger for sketching and studies

Drawing Tools

• Graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B)
• Eraser + kneaded eraser
• Sharpener or craft knife

Watercolor Materials

• Watercolor palette (your usual palette)
• Large soft brush + medium round brush, small round brush and long point brush for lines
• Water container & paper towels

Dry Media

• Watercolor pencils
• Inktense pencils or blocks (optional)
• Crayons (Neocolor I/II or similar)
• Water-soluble charcoal (optional)

Ink / Linework

• Fountain pen or fineliner
• Waterproof or water-soluble ink (your choice of style)

 Extras

• White gouache or acrylic for highlights
• Tape for borders (optional)
• Board to fix paper (optional)

This list keeps the sessions accessible while allowing expressive layering
Sophia’s basic materials list is available here.