Three-Day Adult Workshop: The Expressive Portrait with Chantel Barber

Guest Artist Workshop:  The Expressive Portrait with Chantel Barber

Click here to print Chantel Barber's Class Information and Supplies List

How do we create expressive portraits? It begins with understanding inspiration vs. reproduction. This three-day workshop is designed to change the way you view your reference, helping you to convey emotionally impactful paintings.

Chantel will share tips and techniques learned from over twenty-five years of working in the acrylic medium. Her gentle teaching style will enrich the painting skills of beginners and advanced artists alike, as she demonstrates painting the portrait from reference photos without losing the energy and vitality of working from life. Students may bring their own photographs, but Chantel will have some on hand if needed. Chantel will work in acrylics, but oil & acrylic painters are both welcome

Specifically, students will learn about essential materials and how to use them, what photographs make the best references for portrait painting, editing (what you leave out is just as important as what you keep in), color mixing tips, and how to recognize and use value patterns. Students will also learn the importance of edges when loosening up their painting. Chantel will discuss how these all work together in creating a strong composition.

This workshop promises to be a treat for artists of all ability levels!  Beat the summer heat and come paint in a cool, welcoming environment. Space is limited, so register soon!

Dates:  Friday, Saturday, & Sunday; June 3 - 5, 2022

Time:  9 am – 4 pm with a break for lunch

Cost:  $400 for members; $460 for non-members

Skill level: Beginner through advanced

Medium: Oil or acrylic paint

Materials:  Please see the attached supply sheets

About Chantel

Chantel’s passion for art began flourishing at age 11 when she was mentored under local San Diego artists. She continued to study and experiment with art in and out of college while living in such diverse places as Newport, Rhode Island; Keflavik, Iceland; and El Paso, Texas. While enrolled in a college art course, a fellow student introduced her to acrylic paints, and she soon fell in love with the medium but found it to be dominated by abstract styles. Her first love was portraiture for which she found little advice. As she dreamed of perfecting her skills as an acrylic portrait artist, Chantel continued to learn from professional oil painters and translated their teachings into acrylic techniques.

In 2006, Chantel opened her own art business called Chantel's Originals near Memphis, Tennessee. She benefited from workshops and demonstrations with outstanding artists including Dawn Whitelaw, Rose Frantzen, and Marc Hanson. Chantel is a Signature Member of the International Society of Acrylic Painters (ISAP), an Associate with Distinction Member of American Women Artists, and a member of the Portrait Society of America (PSoA) and National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society (NOAPS). She has served as the National Coordinator of the State Ambassador program for the PSoA.

Chantel has been featured in solo art shows and juried exhibitions. Her award-winning paintings are in private and public collections throughout the world. Her work is published in Acrylic Artist magazine, American Art Collector, Southwest Art, The Artist’s Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, International Artist Magazine and several books. Chantel resides in Bartlett, Tennessee, where she creates and teaches private workshops in her studio. She also teaches workshops throughout the United States and Canada.

Chantel’s Supply List for RAL Art Center - Acrylic

•  Filbert natural white hog bristle brushes in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.

I recommend and use Silver Brush Grand Prix Superior Bristle Brushes & Robert Simmons Signet Brushes, but other Filberts will do as long as they have a stiffer feel. Brush sizes are not standard among all manufacturers, so I recommend looking up Silver Brush Grand Prix Superior Bristle Brushes online using my above recommendation as guide in order to know what sizes I am using. For finishing details, I have recently begun using Silver’s Ruby Satin Dagger Striper in sizes 1/2” and 3/8” along with their Silver Silk 88 Long Liner in size 2

•  Masterson’s Sta-Wet Red Premier Palette (12x16) with sponge & Masterson’s Palette Paper. This simply is a must. Without this system the paint will dry quickly and be difficult to work with.

•  Palette knife

•  Painting towel - thick white cotton for wiping excess paint on

•  Container to hold water for painting

•  Liquitex or Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Paints (other brands are acceptable) - Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Orange, Alizarin Crimson Hue, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Viridian Hue, Transparent Burnt Umber, and N8 Neutral Grey (Golden Heavy Body). It is best to avoid the hues of Cad Yellow Light and Cad Orange but purchase the true color instead. N8 Neutral Grey is a very light grey used in place of white for mixing – this allows white to be saved and used to mix the lightest highlights. I only use one Open Acrylic on my palette – Transparent Red Iron Oxide by Golden – all other paints are Heavy Body Acrylic.

•  Six Canvas or painting panels - all sizes 16x20, and smaller, are acceptable (applying gesso to the surface is recommended if it is of a lesser quality. Sennelier makes a fabulous acrylic white gesso.)

•  Paper towels - blue shop towels are highly recommended

•  Free Standing Travel/Plein Air Easel

•  Six Reference photographs (hard copy or electronic). Hard copy can be a 5x7 or larger. Electronic can be on any device other than a smart phone since the image is too small to work from. Please email photos to Chantel (chantel@chantellynnbarber.com) before workshop so that she can make sure they will give the best painting experience.

Chantel’s Supply List for RAL Art Center – Oil

•  Filbert natural white hog bristle brushes in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.

I recommend and use Silver Brush Grand Prix Superior Bristle Brushes & Robert Simmons Signet Brushes. Brush sizes are not standard among all manufacturers, so I recommend looking up Silver Brush Grand Prix Superior Bristle Brushes online using my above recommendation as guide in order to know what sizes I am using. For finishing details I have recently begun using Silver’s Ruby Satin Dagger Striper in sizes 1/2” and 3/8” along with their Silver Silk 88 Long Liner in size 2

•  Palette

•  Palette knife

•  Painting towel - thick white cotton for wiping excess paint on

•  Preferred Medium

•  Oil Paints - Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Orange, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Transparent Red Iron Oxide, Transparent Burnt Umber, Viridian, and Portland Grey Light (Gamblin). It is best to avoid the hues of Cad Yellow Light and Cad Orange but purchase the true color instead. Portland Grey Light is a very light grey used in place of white for mixing – this allows white to be used to mix the lightest highlights.

•  Six Canvas or painting panels - all sizes 16x20, and smaller, are acceptable (applying gesso to the surface is recommended if it is of a lesser quality. Sennelier makes a fabulous acrylic white gesso.)

•  Paper towels - blue shop towels are highly recommended

•  Free Standing Travel/Plein Air Easel

•  Reference photographs (hard copy or electronic). Hard copy can be a 5x7 or larger. Electronic can be on any device other than a smart phone since the image is too small to work from. Please email photos to Chantel (chantel@chantellynnbarber.com) before workshop so that she can make sure they will give the best painting experience.