The Live Figure - Design and Composition

In this inspiring weekend workshop, you will do more than just painting what you see. Moving beyond copying the live model in front of you, Nicholas will guide you to thinking more deeply about design and composition of the live figure. This workshop is designed for both beginners and established artists who are wanting to play with paint and move towards a more intuitive and playful approach.

What will I learn?

In this three-day course, you will learn about compositing the model on your canvas. Nicholas will teach you about his use of colour and methods to establish a focal point, to bring your figure painting to the next level. The result is a more contemporary, experimental way of creating figure painting while still building on the traditional methods.

This course is suitable for all levels, although you will get more out of it if you have some experience in life drawing and oil painting. If you are unsure if this course is suitable for you, then please send us an email.

Who is the tutor?

Nicholas O’Leary lives and works in Bergen, Norway, where he can be found hiking in the mountains with his easel strapped to his backpack in often challenging conditions.

When he paints, Nicholas enjoys bending physical rules and challenging our perceptions of truth and deception, reality and fantasy.

He has painted since childhood and has studied under many artists, most notably with Odd Nerdrum in Norway. He has exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide, including Barcelona, Oslo and the Salmagundi Club in New York.

"Nicholas brings a very fresh eye...it's nice to have a contemporary approach in addition to the traditional techniques." - Anne Marie Fisher