Portrait Painting with Danny Ferland (Apr 2026)
Portrait Painting with Danny Ferland
What can I expect?
Danny will give a live painting demonstration on the first half day of the workshop, giving students direct access to his unique painting approach and the opportunity to watch every step of his process. Starting with an initial block-in of the head using vine charcoal, the drawing will then be sealed off with a burnt umber underpainting before progressing to the use of a full-colour palette.
Students will then practice this approach themselves over the remainder of the course, completing their own portrait painting from life. Each student will receive a high level of individual attention and one-on-one critique from Danny, who will instruct his students on drawing, colour mixing, and paint application in order to achieve a convincing likeness to the model.
Who is the tutor?
Danny Ferland was born in 1975 in Quebec City, Quebec. He was self taught for many years before discovering the magnificence of figurative art during a European trip in 2002. In 2008 he moved to New York city after being accepted into the Janus Collaborative school of art. After months of dedication, he realized that his main interest lied in portraiture, one of the most complex and demanding forms of art. The balance of strong drawing skills and the sensitivity needed to produce an image with truth and soul is what drove him to pursue the art of portraiture.
To see more from Danny, visit his website.
How many students will there be?
There is a maximum of 12 participants and the tutor will customise the course according to your individual needs.
If you have any questions, please see our frequently asked questions or contact us.
Painting surface:
Danny says: Students can bring whichever surface they prefer. I like Claessens Linen portrait grade 13. I also like dibond panels and even primed Canvas mounted on wooden panels. I recommend a thin wash of Ivory black (very thin and wiped out). A very light grey would be the proper result. Size wise, 16 x 20 inches would be good. Smaller sizes are fine too if students prefer. For the figure course, sizes 12 x 16 and 16 x 20.
Paint brushes:
Bring a variety of brushes that you're comfortable using. Here are some of our recommendations:
- 2 x Size 2, Size 4 and Size 6 Filbert Hog Brush
- 1 x Size 2, Size 4 and Size 6 Long Flat Hog Brush
- 2 x Size 0 Synthetic Filberts
- If you need a starter brush set, there's this one from Rosemary & Co
Oil Paints:
The colours listed below are Danny's standard palette. However, these are an indication only and not a precise requirement for the workshop. Feel free to bring others. If you have any questions about this, do ask!
- Titanium White OR Lead White
- Lemon Yellow
- Cadmium Orange
- Cadmium Red
- Raw Sienna
- Burnt Sienna
- Viridian Green
- Alizarin Crimson
- Ultramarine Blue
- Burnt Umber
- Ivory Black
Mediums/ other:
- Mediums
- Stand Oil
- Linseed Oil
- Low-odour solvent (eg Sansodor). Note that turpentine is not permitted in the studio.
- A wooden palette or something non-porous to mix your paint on. (Palette or here, depending on your budget)
- Some kitchen towels to wipe your paint brushes with.
- 2 x Dipper
- Palette Knife
- 2 x jam jars for keeping brushes in
- 1 x small plastic container with lid, to store paints in overnight
- Mahl or support stick ( Optional)
- Kitchen roll
