Classical Oil Painting for Naturalist Bird Portraiture
A course by Sarah Margaret Gibson, Classical Realist Painter
Joined March 2021
Learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting to create a realistic oil portrait using the alla prima technique
Joined March 2021
“Art should strive to convey the beauty of its subjects.”
Realist painter Sarah Margaret Gibson uses the delicate nature of oil paint to recreate vivid interpretations of the natural world. She affirms that classical painting is not outdated, but rather as relevant and captivating now as it has ever been. Through her work, she depicts the intimate, quiet moments of birds that appear as if they’re about to fly off the portrait.
In this course, Sarah takes you through the fundamentals of drawing and oil painting through naturalistic bird portraiture. She explores the alla prima technique, or wet-on-wet painting, and teaches you the sight-size method. Discover her unique tenebris-style that gravitates between observation and aesthetic composition. Learn how to paint from nature and watch your bird come to life on canvas.
What will you learn in this online course?
23 lessons & 13 downloads
What's included in this course?
Begin by getting to know Sarah. Hear about her creative journey to becoming a classical realist artist and teacher, as well as some of her creative influences and sources of inspiration.
Sarah first takes you through the basics: see how to set up a shadow box and your work space. Get an overview of the materials and hear Sarah’s recommendations before learning about the history and theory of the sight-size technique. Next, cover the fundamentals of drawing like proportions, light, shadow, value, modeling, and rendering. Sarah then guides you through color mixing and selecting a color palette.
Delve into the oil painting process by exploring Sarah’s method when creating an animal portrait with the alla prima technique. She begins by teaching monochromatic underpainting to establish the drawing. Then she shows you how to organize your palette and premix the colors according to value for the painting, known as value triangulation. Move on to painting the background before adding the finishing touches.
Discover how to maintain the intensity of the colors in your painting and how to preserve it using varnish. Sarah shares her tips and tricks when photographing and sharing her work online. Wrap up the course by hearing final thoughts and advice to keep in mind as you embark upon your own artistic journey.
- 99% positive reviews (286)
- 10,218 students
- 23 lessons (4h 49m)
- 13 additional resources (4 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a bird portrait with oil painting utilizing sight-size and alla prima technique.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone who would like to explore new creative techniques when working with oil paint. Both beginner and experienced painters are welcomed.
Requirements and materials
Previous experience with oil paint is beneficial, but not a requirement.
To take this course, you need sketching paper, graphite pencils, sharpening block, eraser, paper stomp, plumb line (to be explained), canvas or linen panel, an easel, wooden palette, palette knives, oil paints, brushes, mineral spirit, linseed oil, turpentine, and paper towels.
Reviews
Sarah Margaret Gibson
A course by Sarah Margaret Gibson
Sarah Margaret Gibson is a classical realist painter from Cincinnati, Ohio. Artistic expression has always been present in Sarah’s life; her maternal grandmother was a curator at the Cincinnati Art Museum, and her paternal grandmother was a watercolor painter. Sarah received her formal training in drawing and painting in Florence, Italy. She studied at the Angel Academy of Art, and later the Florence Academy of Art, from which she graduated in 2013. Sarah also taught at the Florence Academy’s intermediate studio as principal instructor for three years until leaving Italy.
In 2015, Sarah Margaret moved to the west coast of Scotland, alongside her husband and fellow artist, Lee Craigmile. Together they co-founded the Glasgow Academy of Fine Art in 2019, where Sarah is the academic director. The academy is an atelier-style school, teaching traditional methods of representational drawing and painting. Her work can be found in numerous private collections throughout the U.S. and UK, as well as in permanent exhibitions in New Salem Museum of Art and New Britain Museum of American Art.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Inspiration
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U2
The Fundamentals: Materials, Sight-Size Technique, and Drawing
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Preparation of Materials 1
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Preparation of Materials 2
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The Basics of Sight-Size Technique
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The Fundamentals of Drawing: Construct 1
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The Fundamentals of Drawing: Construct 2
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The Fundamentals of Drawing: Light and Shadow Pattern
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The Fundamentals of Drawing: Values
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The Fundamentals of Drawing: Modeling and Rendering
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Colour Mixing and Palette Organisation 1
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Colour Mixing and Palette Organisation 2
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Colour Mixing and Palette Organisation 3
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U3
Oil Painting Process and Technique
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Monochromatic Underpainting 1
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Monochromatic Underpainting 2
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Triangulating Values
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Blocking in the Colours of the Bird 1
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Blocking in the Colours of the Bird 2
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Painting the Background
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Finishing Touches: Impastos, Details, and Edges 1
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Finishing Touches: Impastos, Details, and Edges 2
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U4
Varnishing and Photographing Your Painting
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Varnishing Your Finished Painting
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How to Take a Dynamic Photo for Social Media
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FP
Final project
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Classical Oil Painting for Naturalist Bird Portraiture
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate artists who already have some foundational drawing and painting experience and want to deepen their skills in classical techniques and oil painting.
You will need drawing paper, graphite pencils, kneaded erasers, oil paints, palette knives, natural hair brushes, canvas panels, varnish, and basic studio equipment like plumb lines and sight-size easel.
You’ll learn classical drawing techniques, sight-size painting, color mixing, palette organization, creating life-like portraits, handling materials, and professional practices like selling through galleries and taking commissions.
Yes, the course provides step-by-step guidance on setting up and using the sight-size technique for both drawing and oil painting to ensure accurate proportions and realism.
Yes, the course includes lessons on selecting a limited palette and mixing accurate flesh tones for portrait painting in oil.
Yes, you’ll learn strategies for selling your artwork through galleries and managing commissioned portrait projects professionally.
Yes, the course covers best practices for cleaning oil paint brushes, mixing and storing oil paints, and maintaining a safe, organized studio.
Agredezco encontrar contenido de academia en donde se explica la pintura realista
El curso muy completo, me encantó. Estoy entusiasmada por aprender óleo, y recién voy a comprar los materiales. Solo que las tomas de la grabación de la pintura deberían ser más frontales, no tan por el costado, porque perdemos muchos detalles los estudiantes. Pero lo veré con la tablet. Si le pones a 4k y luego haces zoom a la pantalla puedes agrandar el video
Bardzo obszerny kurs. Prowadzaca tlumaczy w dosc zrozumialy sposob. Polecam
There is so much in this course that will apply to other painting subjects. I so appreciate the concise and clear instruction in color theory and in technique.
Fabulous, detailed and very clear instruction to help create this beautiful bird portrait. The guidance is really clear, each step carefully explained to help towards a successful outcome. I learnt a lot that will inform my future artwork.