In this workshop, Ron Lemen teaches artists basic shading techniques that require patience, discipline, and consistent practice with your chosen method. Ron admits to breaking established rules by using fingers and switching techniques to show the importance of learning proper academic foundations before developing personal shortcuts.

Duration: 22m 2s

This lesson teaches fundamental head construction through a process-oriented approach that prioritizes learning over perfection. Ron distinguishes between construction and refinement marks, emphasizing that warm-up exercises should focus on creating functional results. Artists learn to work with abstraction rhythms and leave mistakes visible to develop a deeper understanding of facial structure.

Duration: 12m 29s

Successful portrait drawing requires both knowledge and intuition. Ron promotes a flexible approach that balances technical accuracy with expressive mark-making, framing the tension between duty and feeling as a healthy part of the process. Artists discover how to see beyond symbols and develop multiple problem-solving approaches to create more authentic work.

Duration: 23m 57s

Ron stresses that while instructional materials provide valuable terminology and techniques, they cannot substitute for the immediate feedback and guidance that mentorship provides. Ron aims to help create artwork that appears spontaneous and beautiful by building on a foundation of careful planning and light behavior. Artists learn to make deliberate choices about what to emphasize, soften, or eliminate to serve the final image.

Duration: 26m 8s

Ron's approach of building systematically from large shapes to refined details, while constantly evaluating how features work together rather than in isolation, produces a harmonious result. Ron tempers literal observation with artistic discretion, knowing when to soften or reduce detail to maintain overall beauty.

Duration: 15m 32s

Drawing fundamentals, such as proper measurement, value relationships, and construction methods, serve as training wheels that artists eventually learn to adapt or set aside as needed. Ron explains that while rules provide structure for beginners, experienced artists develop the freedom to adapt their approaches to specific goals.

Duration: 20m 21s

The instructor's willingness to show and discuss mistakes provides valuable learning opportunities for artists, reinforcing that even experienced artists work through problems and corrections. By building forms through organized patches of tone and maintaining careful balance between lights and darks, the instructor achieves a convincing three-dimensional portrait while keeping the rendering appropriately delicate for a female subject.

Duration: 20m 13s

Ron's willingness to show and discuss mistakes provides valuable learning opportunities for artists, reinforcing that even experienced artists work through problems and corrections. Artists learn to achieve a convincing three-dimensional portrait while keeping the rendering appropriately delicate for the subject.

Duration: 34m 23s

Successful drawing requires both skill and conceptual understanding of when to work closely versus when to step back for assessment. Ron prioritizes sophistication through strategic editorial decisions, such as placing effective marks and edges to create believable form. Artists learn to understand their medium's requirements and develop skills for subtle value building.

Duration: 33m 26s

Ron revisits a finished piece, revealing that mastery involves recognizing when features feel wrong in relation to each other, understanding that the problem often lies in unexpected places, and having the discipline to rebuild rather than compromise. Ron achieves a naturalistic, cohesive portrait through careful attention to tonal relationships and edge quality.

Duration: 35m 47s

To create realistic portraiture, artists must balance multiple competing elements: mechanical construction with organic softness, graphic illustration techniques with fine art subtlety, and sharp focus areas with blended transitions. Ron stresses that likeness comes from proportioned large shapes first, using details only as supporting elements.

Duration: 25m 47s

Ron's approach of building multiple layers while maintaining direction and carefully managing value illustrates how traditional fine art techniques differ from illustration methods. Ron reinforces that while photographs are convenient, training from life creates artists with a better understanding of three-dimensional form. Artists learn to translate this understanding into convincing representational work regardless of the reference source.

Duration: 29m 37s

In this lesson, Ron shows that while creating realistic drawings can be meditative and enjoyable, it demands constant evaluation of values, edges, and form. Ron highlights that there are multiple valid approaches to achieving results, but traditional terminology provides a reliable foundation. Students develop the ability to follow established methods or confidently experiment with new approaches.

Duration: 30m 29s

Ron reinforces that learning perspective, anatomy, tonal control, and composition provides the foundation, but the goal should ultimately be creating expressive, meaningful art rather than sterile technical exercises. Artists learn that true mastery comes from understanding rules well enough to bend them for artistic effect.

Duration: 27m 24s