Planes of Portraiture in Watercolor
Adult Class | Registration opens 2/3/2026 10:00 AM MST
An effective approach to portraiture involves understanding the underlying bone structure and how light delineates the planes of the skull. This insight will allow the student to develop a keen sense of the basic value structure.
- This adult class is also open to students ages 16+ looking for advanced classes
Recommended papers:
Arches cold press Block 140 lbs
11x14 or larger
Paints: Recomended Brands Winsor Newton, Holibien, Sennelier, Schminke
Viridian
Oxide Chromium
Cadmium Yellow Light
Cadmium Red Light
Yellow ochre
Burnt sienna,
Ultramarine blue
Black
Brushes:
Sable brushes are the best, but they come in varying qualities. You should buy as good a brush as you can possibly afford. The three sable brushes I suggest are a 1" flat, a Number 10 round, and a small, Number 3 or Number 4 round. The numbering of brushes seems to differ from one manufacturer to another. For example, the Winsor & Newton Number 8 is approximately the same size as the Grumbacher Number 10; the smaller sizes differ correspondingly. Investigate the differences yourself, and choose the brushes you feel most comfortable with.
Portable watercolor palette
Water Container
Cloth Rag
Mikael Olson
Born in Denver in 1973, Mikael Olson has been painting for as long as he can remember.“I paint because it is the most natural way for me to define myself. I prefer to paint ordinary things, and I try to paint them honestly. Painting is my response to the intoxication of my visual experience.”
Mikael is a graduate of Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design and has continued to hone his craft through studies at the Arts Student League of Denver. He has worked alongside such prominent painters as Quang Ho and fellow Coloradan Kevin Wechbach, and includes among his influences such diverse talents as Andrew Wyeth and Richard Diebenkorn. His painting style, which he describes as “impressionistic toward slightly expressionistic,” is beautifully suited to the subjects he prefers: single objects in bold still-life, human figures thoughtfully composed and cleanly rendered, and light-infused street scenes.