Painting the Human Gaze in Nature - Belinda Flores-Shinshillas


Monday and Wedensday class = 3rd Floor Atelier
Friday class = 2nd Floor Painting
The nine-day, three-hour lessons in this workshop will cover the whole painting process, starting from surface choice and preparation. Students will learn about the structure of the eye from an artist’s perspective in a fun tutorial with handouts. The workshop will cover the whole process of a direct painting approach method, from brush strokes of the first layer to a final, realistic painting of a human eye contrasted by a background constructed with ideas of nature, rebirth, and decay (Vanitas).
Students will be provided with a photo reference and in-depth instructions on how to paint way beyond the photo and create a vibrant
painting of an eye that looks realistic.
Workshop Specifics
This workshop will reframe how you approach painting an eye by giving you the tools you
need to take your painting to the next level. We will cover several key elements, including:
• The Structure of the human eye from an artist’s perspective.
• How to transfer your reference to the painting surface.
• How the directions of your brushstrokes impact the realism you achieve within your painting.
• How to identify basic skin tones in your photo reference.
• How to use texture and light to move beyond the flatness of a photo reference while interacting with a rich and interesting background.
• Knowledge of common drawbacks and what to be careful about when painting from a photo reference.

Belinda Flores-Shinshillas
Belinda Flores-Shinshillas is a visual artist born in Mexico City and a resident of New Orleans. Her artwork has been of a contemporary nature using the figure and representational elements as an important component in the visual narrative, merging it with abstract concepts and techniques as a way to move through space.
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