REGISTRATIONS CLOSE SOON
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
Realistic Painting in Oil:
The Complete Guide for Beginners
This project was born out of a simple idea: to make realistic oil portrait painting approachable and joyful for beginners.
Ready to start your oil painting journey? This course is designed for beginners who want to learn how to paint realistic portraits step by step—no prior experience needed!
As a self-taught oil painter with a background in architecture and years of creative exploration, I know how intimidating portrait painting can feel. From confusing tools to complex color theory, traditional instruction often leaves out the practical, beginner-friendly steps that truly help someone get started. Over time, I began to break down the process into something more simple, intuitive, and structured — something I wish I had when I was starting. I tested everything: limited palettes, different surfaces, traditional and digital tools, and dozens of sketches — all to find what truly works for building skill and confidence.
Hi, I'm Florence!
I am a French-Korean artist with a background in applied arts and architecture. I taught myself oil painting, developing a realistic style that's modern and expressive—not too classical. Through years of exploration, I’ve refined my own techniques. Now, I share all my tips and tricks to help you master realistic portrait painting with confidence.
Enter the World of Oil Painting:
A Beginner’s Guide to Realistic Portraits
This course is the result of that journey. It’s a step-by-step roadmap designed to help anyone — even complete beginners — learn to paint realistic portraits with oil paint from home. Every lesson is clear, practical, and grounded in real progress, not perfection.
Whether you're picking up a brush for the first time or returning to painting after a break, this project was made for you — to guide you, encourage you, and help you discover that yes, you can paint portraits beautifully.
Course Content
Ready to Start Your Oil Painting Journey?
This beginner-friendly course will guide you step by step in painting realistic portraits, no prior experience needed. You’ll learn how to prepare your canvas, sketch accurate foundations, handle oil paint with confidence, and master color mixing for lifelike skin tones. Together, we’ll explore layering, blending, capturing likeness, and making corrections so your portraits truly come alive.
By the end, you’ll know how to build a portrait from scratch and bring out both realism and personality in your art. Join me to discover the tools, techniques, and insights I’ve gathered from years of practice—and start painting powerful portraits today.
Perfect for absolute beginners or anyone looking to improve their portrait skills.
Module 1:
Introduction
Welcome to the course, who am I?, presenting my technique.
In this opening module, you’ll get to know the heart and vision behind the course. I’ll introduce myself, share my journey with art, and explain how my unique approach was developed over years of practice and experimentation. You’ll learn what inspires my work, the materials and tools I love to use, and the key principles that make my technique special. By the end of this module, you’ll feel connected, motivated, and ready to dive into the creative process with confidence.
Module 2:
Getting Started
Tools and materials, understanding oil paint, brushes for portrait painting, choosing a surface for oil painting, how to prime your canvas/paper, mediums, palettes, varnish.
This module is all about setting you up for success before you touch your brush to the canvas. We’ll take a deep dive into the essential tools and materials every portrait artist needs, including how to select quality oil paints and understand their unique properties. You’ll discover which brushes work best for portrait work and why their shapes and bristle types matter. We’ll explore different surfaces for oil painting—canvas, paper, and panels—so you can confidently choose the one that fits your style.
Module 3:
Color and Values
Understanding value & contrast, chroma & hue, compression, 3D look, using a limited palette, my portrait palette, skin tones, choosing a reference, using technology to find the right colors.
Mastering Light, Contrast, and the Secret to Lifelike Skin Tones
In this module, we unlock one of the most powerful tools in portrait painting: the intelligent use of color and value. You’ll learn how to see and control value—the range from light to dark—that gives a portrait depth and realism, and how contrast brings a subject to life. We’ll explore chroma and hue, understanding how saturation and temperature affect mood and skin tones.
Module 4:
Working with Oil Paint
Paint handling basics, layering & blending, brush control and mark making, mixing colors.
This module dives into the heart of oil painting: learning to handle the paint itself. You’ll start with the fundamentals of paint handling, discovering how the consistency of your paint affects flow, texture, and drying time. From there, we’ll explore the art of layering and blending—how to build depth through multiple passes, create soft transitions, and keep your colors vibrant and clean. You’ll develop precise brush control as you practice different types of mark making, from bold, expressive strokes to delicate details that bring a portrait to life. I’ll guide you through color mixing strategies to achieve rich, nuanced tones without creating muddy results, giving you the confidence to mix any shade you need directly on your palette.
Module 5:
Understading the Face
Structure: Proportions, planes, landmark features, perspective, sketching with accuracy, transfer methods.
A great portrait starts long before the first brushstroke of color—it begins with a solid understanding of facial structure. In this module, we’ll break down the proportions of the head and learn how to accurately place the key landmark features—eyes, nose, mouth, and ears—so every portrait feels balanced and true to life. You’ll study the planes of the face, discovering how light interacts with its subtle angles to create dimension and depth. We’ll also explore perspective, so you can confidently capture faces from any viewpoint, whether frontal, three-quarter, or profile.
Module 6:
Painting Human Features
Painting the eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks/forehead, ears, hair, hands,
In this module, we focus on the essential elements that give a portrait its soul: the individual features of the human face and body. Step by step, you’ll learn techniques for painting eyes that sparkle with life and emotion, noses with subtle planes and soft transitions, and mouths that convey personality and mood. We’ll study the structure of the cheeks and forehead, mastering gentle shifts in value and color to create natural contours, as well as the delicate forms of the ears, which add realism and balance to the head. You’ll also discover effective methods for rendering hair—from smooth, flowing strands to textured curls—without getting lost in every tiny detail.
Module 7:
Painting a Full Portrait
Present the exercise, choosing a good reference, transferring your drawing, premix colors, block-in and first layers, developing form and light, painting features with realism, refining, protecting your painting.
This capstone module brings together everything you’ve learned and guides you through the complete process of creating a finished oil portrait from start to varnish. We’ll begin by presenting the exercise and discussing how to choose a strong reference photo, focusing on lighting, composition, and mood to set your portrait up for success.
Module 8:
Wrap Up
Final Wrap-up and encouragement, tips for going further, staying connected.
In this closing module, we’ll take a moment to reflect on everything you’ve accomplished—from understanding the structure of the face to mastering color, values, and full portrait painting. I’ll share a final message of encouragement to celebrate your growth and help you recognize just how far your skills have come.
You’ll receive practical tips for going further, including advanced techniques to explore, exercises to keep your practice strong, and suggestions for building a personal portfolio or even starting commissions. We’ll also discuss how to stay connected, whether by sharing your work in the course community, following updates, or continuing your artistic journey with future classes.
Included in My Course Fees:
Fundamentals & Materials
We’ll begin by exploring the essential tools and techniques you’ll be using in oil painting. From brushes and paints to surfaces and studio setup — you’ll learn how to approach each element with confidence and creativity.
Practice-Based Learning
Painting isn’t just about theory — it’s about making. This course is filled with guided exercises to help you experiment, build your skills, and discover what feels authentic to you. I’ll also share the tips and practices that shaped my own artistic process.
Lifetime Access
You’ll have unlimited access to all the course materials — forever. Whether you want to revisit a module next month or return years from now, your painting journey will always be here for you.
Total Flexibility
Learn on your schedule. You can watch the lessons anytime, from anywhere, and on any device. Whether you’re in your studio, at home, or setting up a small painting space, you’ll have the freedom to create when it feels right.
Artist Community
The course includes access to a supportive group of fellow painters who share your curiosity and love for art. You’ll be able to ask questions, share your work, and connect with others discovering their creative voice.
Ongoing Support
You won’t be alone on this journey. I’m here to guide you, encourage you, and answer your questions along the way. Artistic growth takes time — and I’ll be right beside you, every step of the way.
... and much more!
SIGN UP NOWCourse Structure:
Realistic Portraits in Oil: The Complete Guide For Beginners – From Blank Canvas to Beautiful Portraits!
Ready to take your art to the next level? Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refine your technique, this Online Oil Painting Course will walk you through everything you need to create stunning, expressive works of art with confidence.
What You’ll Learn:
- Essential Tools & Materials – Understand brushes, supports, mediums, and how to set up your space like a pro.
- Color Mixing & Limited Palettes – Master skin tones, contrast, and mood with a simplified, effective palette.
- Layering & Blending Techniques – From alla prima to glazing, learn how to build depth and luminosity.
- Portrait Proportions & Composition – Capture likeness, emotion, and structure in your portraits.
- Modern & Classical Styles – Combine timeless oil painting methods with a fresh, contemporary feel.
- Finishing & Varnishing – Learn how to protect and present your art like a professional.
All lessons are recorded in full HD , and you can adjust the speed, audio, and quality to suit your pace. Each tutorial is structured with clear demonstrations, references, and visual examples , so you can follow along easily and draw alongside me at your own rhythm .
REGISTRATIONS ARE CLOSING SOON!
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
GET IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO
Realistic Portraits in Oil:
The Complete Guide for Beginners
TWO OPTIONS TO JOIN THE COURSE
Choose between a one-time payment or a flexible monthly plan with four installments. The price is shown in USD, but you can pay in ANY currency.
In both cases, you’ll receive immediate access to all modules and bonuses.
Start painting with oils today!
MY GUARANTEE TO EVERY STUDENT
If you are not satisfied with the courses for any reason, you have the right to obtain a full refund within the first 30 days. This is my guarantee to you, I want all my students to be satisfied. Also, this means that there is no risk as well! Give it a try and experience the program first-hand!
