Portrait Painting with Luca Indraccolo (August 2026)

Portrait Painting with Luca Indraccolo
Painting a portrait can be overwhelming at first. In this course, you will learn a structured, reproducible approach, starting by blocking in big shapes and then gradually moving to the details. You will gain confidence in tackling this complex subject and improve your observational skills along the way.

This four-day workshop is ideal for beginner, intermediate and advanced artists who would like to gain experience in painting the portrait from life in oils. While the course is primarily focused on oil painting, artists who prefer to draw are very welcome! And Luca will guide you whether you choose to paint or draw. 

If you are painting, you will work on a single oil painting or drawing for the duration of the course. This will give you a chance to explore the portrait in depth and take your work to completion.

There will also be an option for those wishing to draw/paint the figure using a reference image, which you may bring along yourself or select from Raw Umber’s library of reference images.

What will I learn?

• How to create a portrait painting from start to finish
• The importance of gesture and anatomy in portraiture/figure.
• The importance and principles of drawing, values, edges and colours
• How to mix colours and paint realistic flesh tones
• Which brushes to use when, and how

Materials list

If you’re a beginner, choosing materials can feel daunting. If you have no supplies or aren’t sure what to bring, we recommend the list below. Intermediate painters can treat it as a guideline and bring their preferred brands.

Surfaces

• 2 × 16" × 12" canvas boards

Paints

• Raw Umber
• Ivory Black
• Yellow Ochre
• Cadmium Red*
• Titanium White

Optional: Cobalt Blue, Cadmium Yellow*, Alizarin Crimson

• Tools & Equipment
• Palette (any type you own is fine)
• 2 × Dippers
• Palette knife
• Hog brushes: Size 2, 4, 6 (Filbert) and Size 2, 4, 6 (Long Flat)
• Synthetic filberts: 2 × Size 0
• 2 × Jars for brushes
• Small lidded container for storing paint overnight
• Pen and paper for notes
• Low-odour solvent (e.g. Sansodor; no turpentine is permitted in the studio)
• Refined linseed oil
• Kitchen roll
• Optional
• Starter brush set (e.g. Rosemary & Co)

Notes

Cadmium colours contain heavy metals; avoid ingesting paint and practise good studio habits. Ask us for alternatives if needed.

For beginners, a minimal palette of Raw Umber, Ivory Black, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red and Titanium White is enough.

Choose a palette designed for the correct hand.

Hog filberts and flats are most useful for beginners.

If you are drawing instead of painting, feel free to bring charcoal, paper, stumps, graphite or any of your preferred drawing tools!

Who is the tutor?

This course is taught by Luca Indraccolo. Luca was born in Naples and trained in Florence and London. He currently lives and paints in Malta. You can see more of his work on his web site.

"The class was amazing and all staff were so friendly. Luca was an amazing teacher and I really feel like I have learned so much over 4 days. I will definitely be coming back." - Holly Hudson 

"The whole experience worked well. Excellent models and tutor and everything was set up and ready for us. The biscuits in the kitchen were a bonus." - Julian Swindell  

"Luca is incredible - great tutor, clear and inspiring." - Cathy Forrest

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.

Studio Access & Parking

The studio and car park open at 9:30 am each day. We kindly ask that you do not arrive before this time, as staff will be preparing the space.

We close at 5:30 pm, so please ensure you are packed up and ready to leave by then. Thank you for helping us keep everything running smoothly! 

If you have any questions, please see our frequently asked questions or contact us.