C L AG U E F I N E A RT

WELCOME, BORCH

Learn to Paint
Dynamic
Portraits &
Figures in Oil
Online Video Course
With Adam Clague

Unit 1: Laying a Solid Foundation

Welcome! This free unit consists of 9 information-packed lessons. Although
this unit contains no videos, there will be hours of video demos throughout
the course. Stay tuned to your inbox, as I’ll be emailing sneak peeks and
updates as we draw closer to the launch of the full course later in 2019.

And now, please enjoy Unit 1: Laying a Solid Foundation

1.1 Communicating Beauty

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1.2 The First Step to Speaking the Visual Language

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1.3 The 5 Reasons Your Painting Doesn’t Look Like Your Subject
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1.4 Communicating With the 5 Fundamentals

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1.5 Don’t Let Your Message Fall Victim to the Game of Telephone

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1.6 Delivering Your Message Compellingly
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1.7 2 Dangerous Distractions that Can Hinder Your Progress
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1.8 Where You’ll Go and How You’ll Get There (Course Overview)
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1.9 Keys for Quickest Growth

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 C L AG U E F I N E A RT
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Learn to Paint
Dynamic
Portraits &
Figures in Oil

Table of Contents

Lesson 1.1
Communicating Beauty
People provide endless inspiration for us artists. Each person is uniquely
beautiful and has a story to tell. Whether it’s the innocence of a child, the
weathered features of an old man, or the attractiveness of a young woman,
the beauty of people can make you just want to grab your paints and capture
it!
Visual art (painting and drawing) can say things that words just can’t. When
you paint something, you’re calling out to your viewer, “Look at the
beauty I saw!” Often, people don’t notice the splendor right in front of them
unless an artist like you directs their attention to it. This ability to capture
and share beauty is one of the most incredible privileges of being an artist.
Unfortunately, this ability does not come easily…

You can see the beauty in your subject. It’s beckoning you to paint it.
However, by the time you reach the end product, something has been lost in
translation.

Maybe your model’s features were striking and defined, but in your painting,
they looked flat rather than 3-dimensional. Perhaps the pristine skin colors
of your subject turned out “chalky” or “muddy.” Maybe the elegant pose of
your model became awkward or out-of-proportion. The beauty of your
subject was not communicated through your painting.
If you want to communicate with words, you must know the language. If you
want to communicate with paint, it is no different. Visual art is a visual
language. In order to communicate through a visual medium like paint, you
must learn to speak the visual language.

If learning the visual language sounds intimidating, please take heart—it can
be learned. In fact, learning the visual language is what this course is all
about. I’ll show you step-by-step how to develop a command of the visual
language, so you can communicate the beauty of people effectively and
dynamically.

This may surprise and encourage you—You have already taken the first
step toward speaking the visual language. I’ll tell you what that first step is
in the next lesson.
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Lesson 1.2
The First Step to Speaking
the Visual Language
As I said in the first lesson, visual art is a visual language. And in order to
communicate through a visual medium like paint, you must learn to speak
this visual language. Please don’t let that intimidate you—this language can
be learned. In fact, I hope you’re encouraged to know that you have already
taken the first step toward speaking the visual language. I’ll share what
that first step is in just a moment.
Communication cannot exist without a message. Unless there is a message,
there is only silence—a blank canvas. I would guess your biggest problem
isn’t having too many blank canvases lying around. Rather, your biggest
problem is having paintings on those canvases you don’t like! It’s okay—I
have an attic full of paintings that failed to convey my subjects. But although
your past attempts may not have communicated your subject well, each one
is evidence that you did have something you wished to communicate. That
something was your message. And the first step toward speaking the
visual language is having a message to communicate.

“But,” you might be thinking, “when I paint, I just paint. I never have a
message in mind.”

Your messages may be hiding in your subconscious, but I assure you they are
there! When you start a painting, you can uncover your message by asking
yourself this question:
 “What part of this subject excites my eyes the most?”

Your answer to this question is your message. Maybe it’s your grandchild’s
adorable expression. Perhaps it’s a pictorial story. Maybe it’s simply the
brilliant color of your model’s outfit. Once you identify your spark of
inspiration, don’t second guess it, even if it seems mundane or insignificant.
If it’s beautiful, it has the potential to be not only a valid message, but also an
extraordinary one.

You have already taken the first step toward speaking the visual language—
You have found messages to communicate. But if you can’t convey them to
your viewers, you’ll be the only one who can benefit from them. I want to
help you communicate your beautiful messages by showing you how to
develop a command of the visual language.

To begin, I’ll break down the visual language into its 5 parts—The 5
Fundamentals of Visual Art. Here’s how important these 5 are:
 When your painting doesn’t look like your subject,
the problem is always one or more of The 5 Fundamentals!

In the next lesson, I’ll help you take the next step toward speaking the visual
language by defining each of The 5 Fundamentals of Visual Art.
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Lesson 1.3
The 5 Reasons Your Painting
Doesn’t Look Like Your Subject
When you can’t make your painting look like your subject, it can feel like
there must be a million things wrong. Take heart—that is simply not the
case! In fact, there is a maximum of just 5 things that could possibly be
wrong. Here they are in order of importance:

1. Drawing

2. Value

3. Edge

4. Temperature

5. Color
These are the 5 Fundamentals of Visual Art. Now I’ll define each one, so
we’re on the same page.

1. Drawing:
Noun: A monochromatic work of art, usually created with dry media like
pencil or charcoal
Verb: The act of putting the right marks in the right places

2. Value: The darkness or lightness of a color

3. Edge: The transition between two adjacent shapes. Edges can be “sharp,”
“soft,” etc..

4. Temperature: The visual warmth or coolness of a color

5. Color: For our purposes, I don’t think it’s necessary to tackle the difficult
job of defining color. Color is color! However, if you want a dictionary
definition, I like the one on Merriam-Webster.com. Color is also called “hue.”

If these definitions seem vague, don’t be concerned. The 5 Fundamentals are

the bedrock of this course, so you can be sure I’ll explain each one in detail
as we go through the lessons.
Are you surprised how I ranked the 5 Fundamentals in order of importance?
Why is color dead last? Isn’t it very important?

All 5 of the Fundamentals are important, including color. In fact, they are so
important, I consider the 5 Fundamentals to be the very foundation of
representational art (art that realistically portrays the subject). If you want
to communicate through a spoken language, you need to study vocabulary,
grammar, and pronunciation. Similarly, if you want to communicate through
the visual language, you need to learn the 5 Fundamentals. Each of the 5
Fundamentals is an agent of communication that enables you to relate
certain information about your subject.
But although all 5 Fundamentals are important, some describe more
essential information about your subject than others. I rank the
Fundamentals based on the importance of what they communicate. In
the next lesson, I’ll share specifically what each Fundamental allows you to
convey about your subject.
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Lesson 1.4
Communicating With
the 5 Fundamentals
When your painting doesn’t look like your subject, the problem is always just
one or more of the 5 Fundamentals. But how do you know which
Fundamental(s) is the culprit? You can diagnose any such problem when
you understand what each Fundamental communicates.

Each of the 5 Fundamentals is an agent of communication that enables you

to relate certain information about your subject. Going down the list of
Fundamentals, each Fundamental builds upon the last by describing more
and more specific information about your subject. To demonstrate this, I’ve
created 5 paintings from a sculpture by artist John Asaro:
John Asaro created this model to illustrate the planes of the human head. It
has been used for decades by instructors and students alike, and I will utilize
it throughout this course to teach various principles. If you would like to
purchase your own, please visit http://www.PlanesOfTheHead.com.

1. Drawing
Even though this drawing consists only of simple lines, it conveys more than
enough information for us to understand what it is we’re looking at.

Drawing is the most important Fundamental because it communicates

the most foundational information about your subject—its shapes,
proportions and boundaries.
 Diagnosing Drawing Problems
Now that you know what drawing communicates, you can diagnose drawing
problems by asking yourself appropriate questions like these:

Does my portrait or figure look out-of-proportion?

Is my person off-balance or otherwise skewed?

If so, your issue is with drawing.

An accurate drawing provides a solid foundation upon which to build the

other 4 Fundamentals—values, edges, temperatures and colors. Perfection in
these areas does not make up for a shaky foundation of drawing. The 5
Fundamentals are the foundation of representational art. And drawing is
the foundation of the 5 Fundamentals. Yes, drawing is that important!

2. Value
Because my drawing consisted only of outlined shapes, it looked flat. But
now that I’ve added value (darks and lights), it’s evident that I’m painting a 3-
dimensional object. Value communicates mass.

The more the planes on a form angle toward a light source, the lighter they
become. The more they angle away from the light source, the darker they
become.
 Diagnosing Value Problems
Does your portrait look flat? Is it hard to distinguish which planes are in light
and which planes are in shadow? If so, you have a value problem.

Each plane on Asaro’s model (and in this painting) has a hard-edged

boundary all the way around. This is because the purpose of the sculpture is
to clearly illustrate the planes of the human head. Of course, the planes of an
actual head (or of most natural objects) are not this delineated. Normally,
planes transition into each other in a variety of ways. Some transitions are
abrupt, like on the Asaro head, but others are more rounded and gradual.
This brings us to the next Fundamental—Edge: the transition between two
adjacent shapes.

3. Edge
In the last painting, I communicated mass by using different values to show
how each plane angled toward or away from the light. In this version, I
conveyed more specific information about those planes by adding edges (I
painted the edges based on my experience of painting actual people). Now,
you can understand not only the angle of each plane, but also the way each
plane transitions into another. Edge communicates the sharpness or
softness of the transition between two adjacent shapes.
A shear, abrupt transition between two planes produces a “sharp” or “hard”
edge (like on the Asaro head). A gradual, rounded transition between two
planes yields a “soft” edge. A wide variety of edges exists in Creation—from
razor-sharp edges to very soft edges. There are also “lost edges”—edges so
indistinct, you can’t tell where one shape ends and the next begins.

Diagnosing Edge Problems

Ask yourself, “Does any part of my portrait look like it’s cut out and pasted?”
If so, that part probably has too many hard edges. If part of your portrait
looks overly fuzzy, it probably has too many soft edges.

Even in black and white, value and edge together are sufficient to create the
illusion of 3-dimensional form. You can view black and white photos or
movies and understand what’s going on just fine. But although value and
edge alone can communicate form sufficiently, the addition of temperature
can communicate form more specifically. I’ll show you what I mean with my
next painting…

4. Temperature
Below: In the value version the demarcated area has one continuous value.
The shape looks like it may be one continuous plane. However, the
temperature version reveals that shape actually consists of three separate
planes. All three planes still have the same value, but they are now different
temperatures (in other words, each plane is a “warmer” or “cooler” variation
of the same basic color). This enables us to distinguish three planes instead
of one. Value and edge communicated the form sufficiently, but now,
temperature helps communicate the form more specifically.
If you’re not exactly sure what “warmer” and “cooler” mean, don’t worry. I’ll
explain that in detail in Unit 4.

Diagnosing Temperature Problems

Your temperatures can’t be right unless your values are right. So when a
 form seems too flat, always test your values first. If your values are correct,
but the form still seems to lack “roundness,” you can probably fix it by
adding some temperature variations (I’ll show you how to do this in Unit 4).

Although the “Temperature” painting looks full-color, its colors are actually
generalized versions of my subject’s colors. This is because my chief aim was
to capture temperature rather than color. In the next version, my goal will be
to record the colors in my subject as literally as possible.

5. Color
In the last painting, I was content to communicate my subject’s colors in a
generalized way. Before, you could tell there was a red light on the model.
But in this painting, you can tell specifically which red it is—an intense
magenta. Previously, I decided a cold gray was sufficient to represent the
ground color. This version reveals the ground isn’t just a cool color, but more
specifically, it’s a bright blue (see photo below).
Although this “Color” painting reports my subject’s colors more specifically,
the previous “Temperature” version communicated satisfactorily. If your
message doesn’t require specific color, generalized colors are sufficient
and completely acceptable. The masterpieces of the Tonalists—who
prioritized form and temperature over color—are proof of this.

Color communicates itself, and an artist may choose to interpret it

suggestively or specifically.
 Diagnosing Color Problems
One if the most common questions I’m asked by workshop attendees is
“How do I mix that color?” However, careful analysis usually reveals that
what they thought was a color problem was actually a value or temperature
problem. Before identifying your struggle as a color issue, ask yourself,
“Do I have the right value? Are my temperatures correct?” If you can
answer “yes” to both questions, but your color still seems wrong, then
you might choose to mix a new color closer to that in your subject.

•••

The 5 Fundamentals enable you to speak the visual language, so you can
effectively communicate your messages. Your messages are important, and
you don’t want them to become twisted by gossipers! Yet, that is exactly
what can happen when you employ certain working methods. I’ll help
you avoid this in the next lesson, “Don’t Let Your Message Be Victim to the
Game of Telephone.”
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Lesson 1.5
Don’t Let Your Message
Fall Victim to the Game of Telephone
If you played the game of telephone as a kid, you know messages can be lost
in translation, often with hilarious results. Unfortunately, it’s not funny
when the message you’re trying to communicate through paint is
skewed because of a certain working process.

In the game of telephone, a group of people sit in a circle. One person

whispers a message in the ear of the player next to him. That player
whispers the message to the next person, and so on. The message becomes
more and more distorted. By the time the message returns to the first person,
it is often unrecognizable from the original!
The message you wish to communicate through paint is important, and you
don’t want it to become twisted by gossipers! Yet, that’s what can happen
when you work from photographs.

Your camera does its best to interpret your subject, but a camera “sees” much
differently than the human eye. Even a professional camera will
misinterpret your subject in the areas of value, edge, temperature and color.
In fact, the only Fundamental a camera can consistently get right is drawing
—and that’s only if you avoid lens distortion. This is the game of telephone
your message is subjected to when you work from a photograph:

1. You see something beautiful you wish to communicate

with paint.

2. You snap a photo and your camera misinterprets your

subject.

3. Then, you put that photo onto your device or computer.

Your device looks at the data in your image and tries to
display it using tiny dots of colored light (pixels).
Likewise, if you print your photo, your printer will
attempt to interpret the millions of colors in your picture
using just 4 colors of ink.

4. Finally, you paint from your device or printed photo.

Your painting is now 3 generations removed from the
original! Just like in the game of telephone, your message
will likely be lost in translation.

Here is the solution: as much as possible, paint directly from life. When
you paint from life, your message is just one generation removed from the
original, and your viewer can enjoy your own personal, human, first-hand
account of your subject.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I, like many other professional artists, paint from
photos all the time. It is possible to use photos and still produce a painting
that’s true to the original—but only after the artist has had experience
(usually years of it) observing and painting from life. If you haven’t had that
opportunity yet, I implore you to work from life whenever possible.

Working from life has its challenges—like finding, scheduling and hiring
models—but I assure you, it’s worth it. Painting from life can allow your
beautiful message to be communicated as it should—faithfully and unsullied.
The 5 Fundamentals enable you to speak the visual language. Working from
life helps you do so truthfully. But speaking the visual language is just the
first step. For your message to have its greatest impact, you must be able not
only to speak the language, but also to deliver your message compellingly
(see next lesson).
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Lesson 1.6
Delivering Your Message Compellingly
It happens every time you see beauty and are compelled to paint it—you are
given a message with the potential to enrich your viewer’s life. In order
to communicate your message, you must learn to speak the visual language
by employing the 5 Fundamentals. However, learning to speak the visual
language is just the first stage.

For your message to have its greatest impact, you must be able not only to
speak the language, but also to deliver your message compellingly.

Let me tell you a story. Once, a long time ago, a brave hero climbed a castle
wall, fought a villain, and saved a princess. The hero and princess married
and lived happily ever after. The end.
Now, I may have communicated the elements of that story clearly and
faithfully, but my delivery of those elements was anything but exciting. My
description may have been true, but my delivery was tepid. This is because
telling a good story requires more than just the ability to speak the
language; it also requires a compelling delivery.

Likewise, the 5 Fundamentals enable you to describe your subject accurately,

but they cannot guarantee your message will be delivered compellingly. A
compelling delivery requires Composition.

Basically, Composition means “put together.” Composition helps you

determine what elements to place in your picture and where to place them.
Composition can make the difference between an accurately rendered
painting and a painting with the power to draw your viewers from
across the room.

I rank the 5 Fundamentals in order of importance, but it’s difficult to say how
important Composition is compared to the 5 Fundamentals. That’s because
the importance of Composition can change depending on your stage of
learning. In the beginning, when it’s a constant struggle to make your
paintings look like your subjects, the most important thing to study is the 5
Fundamentals. However, once you have a good handle on the 5
Fundamentals, and accuracy comes more naturally, Composition is likely to
become your primary interest. That being said, Composition can be studied
at any stage of learning.

Side Note: In the painting process, your very first decisions are Composition
choices. After all, you can’t make your first brush stroke without first
deciding where to place it, even if you do so subconsciously.

In Summary…
The 5 Fundamentals enable you to make accurate renderings.
Composition helps you create interesting paintings.

The 5 Fundamentals enable you to communicate your message.

Composition helps you deliver that message compellingly.
As you journey toward becoming a better painter, the two most important
things to learn are these:

1. How to communicate your message faithfully through the 5

Fundamentals

2. How to deliver that message compellingly through Composition

Therefore, your primary goals as a student of visual art should be gaining a

command of the 5 Fundamentals and Composition. Unfortunately, it’s easy to
lose sight of these goals, especially because there are two sirens that can call
you away from your course. In the next lesson, I’ll identify these two sirens,
so you won’t be swayed by their songs.
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Lesson 1.7
2 Dangerous Distractions that
Can Hinder Your Progress
 “A Water Sprite” or “Siren”
by William Henry Margetson

As you journey toward becoming a better painter, the two most important
things to learn are these:

1. How to communicate your messages faithfully with the 5 Fundamentals

2. How to deliver those messages compellingly with Composition

Therefore, your primary goals should be gaining a command of the 5

Fundamentals and Composition. Unfortunately, it’s easy to lose sight of these
goals, especially because there are two sirens that can lure you away from
your course. These sirens are Materials and Methods. Before I share how
they can be dangerous, I’ll explain how I define them.

I use “materials” to describe the supplies and equipment an artist uses—

paints, brushes, surfaces, etc.
I use “methods” (or “working methods”) to describe an artist’s process.
Please don’t confuse “methods” with “style” (also called “voice”). The same
working method may be practiced by many artists, whereas an artist’s style
or “voice” is the unique way he lays down paint that makes his work
recognizable from that of another.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying materials and methods aren’t

important at all. On the contrary, studying materials can help you choose
ones that provide longevity and ease of use. Similarly, studying the methods
of various masters can reveal how they solved painting problems and give
you ideas for solving your own (in fact, I strongly encourage this). But
although Materials and Methods are helpful, they also make a hollow
promise:

“We made that master artist’s paintings great.

We’ll make your paintings great, too.”

Materials and Methods can make no such claim. They can enhance a
painting, but they cannot make a painting great, at least not by themselves.
Besides, what exactly does “great” mean anyway? For the representational
artist, “great” means communicating a message faithfully and delivering it
compellingly. And only one road leads to these goals—the road of the 5
Fundamentals and Composition.

This is the correct road. You embark, eyes fixed ahead on the proper goals.
But soon, a melodious song wafts through the breeze. It’s the siren
Materials…
 Siren 1: Materials
Materials beckons, “Turn here—this brand of paint will transform your
pictures into masterpieces!” You know this promise is too good to be true, but
still its pull is strong. One reason the sirens’ calls are so alluring is that their
roads are paved and smooth.

The path of least resistance is attractive to both instructors and students. It’s
easy for a teacher to rattle off the paint colors he uses. It’s easy for a student
to place an order for those paints. But the same paint can be used to make
a masterpiece or a mess.

Furthermore, this path has no outlet—it’s a cul-de-sac!

If you expect materials alone to turn your paintings into masterpieces, you’ll
keep circling around and around indefinitely.
Yet, as I said, studying materials is helpful. That’s why I created blog posts on
my favorite brushes, paints and surfaces. You can enjoy these free resources
by clicking the links below. However, please be careful to not linger in the
cul-de-sac of Materials. Rather, poke your head in, take what you need, and
then swiftly return to the main road!

Our Favorite Brushes and How We Use Them

Our Favorite Painting Surfaces

The Very Best Color Palette

Back on the main road, the other siren calls out to you—Methods.

Siren 2: Methods
The siren Methods cries, “Don’t venture any farther! You want to make sure
you’re using the right working method, don’t you?”
Methods preys on your fear of “what if I’m not doing this right?” This
concern can hold you captive in a never-ending loop. But here’s why you
have no reason to be afraid:

There is no one “right” working method.

Many working methods have developed over the ages. Not one can claim it’s
the only way to lay down paint. In the end, the choice is yours—whether you
paint in layers or work wet-into-wet, whether you use mediums or not, or
whether you apply your paint thinly or thickly or both, or with a brush or
with your fingers.

Still, it’s good to study different working methods. In fact, I encourage you to
explore a variety of methods to discover which one(s) you like best. I’ll show
you my own process start to finish as I demo on video throughout this
course. I’ll also recommend good practices that can improve your pictures
and make your job easier. However, my method is not the only way. In the
end, the way you lay down paint is a matter of preference.

Important Note: The 5 Fundamentals and Composition are not just my own
personal methods. They are not merely a matter of preference for the
representational artist. Just like grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation are
required to communicate through a spoken language, the 5 Fundamentals
are essential to communicate faithfully through the visual language.

So breathe a sigh of relief—you don’t need to worry whether or not you’re

using the “right” method. I recommend you simply choose a process that
feels natural (provided it doesn’t hinder the communication of your subject
or cause you to battle with your materials). Along the way, sample various
working methods, picking and choosing the best elements of each to
incorporate into your own. Just take heed to not deviate from your true
course too long!
 Back on the Main Road

Unlike the smooth streets of Materials and Methods, the road of the 5
Fundamentals and Composition is difficult. It requires some uphill hiking
(discipline, patience and time). But although the road is challenging, it’s
nowhere near impossible, nor is it exclusive to the experts. You can do it, and
I am honored to be your trail guide.

Before we traverse this trail together, I want to shine some light on the path
ahead. In the next lesson, I’ll show you an overview of this online course, so
you can clearly see the stepping stones that lead to your true goals.
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Lesson 1.8
Where You’ll Go &
How You’ll Get There
(Course Overview)
As you journey toward becoming a better painter, some teachers may tell
you to embark on a certain path without telling you why. You start down the
trail, but you can’t help wondering, “Will this road really take me where I
want to go? Maybe there’s a better way.”

I am honored to be your trail guide, and I don’t want to send you down the
path blindfolded! In this lesson, I’ll show you an overview of this online
course, so you can clearly see the stepping stones that lead to your true
goals.

You have already taken the first step—you have found messages you wish to
communicate. Maybe you long to capture a striking pair of eyes; a rhythmic
pose; a pleasant expression. Whichever aspect of your subject excites your
eyes the most—that is your message. Unfortunately, if you can’t convey your
message to your viewers, you’ll be the only one who can benefit from it.
That’s why your first and foremost goal should be learning to
communicate your message. The only way to reach this goal is the road of
the 5 Fundamentals, and Portrait Painting (Units 2–4) will be your personal
road-map. Let’s take a look…

Overview of Portrait Painting (Units 2–4)

Through written lessons and hours of Full HD video demos, I’ll explain how
to employ the 5 Fundamentals to communicate your messages faithfully, and
I’ll demonstrate my working process from start to finish. Here’s a breakdown
of Units 2–4:
Unit 2: Putting the Right Marks in the Right Places
There is no better place to begin than with Drawing! Drawing is the most
important of the 5 Fundamentals because it communicates the most
foundational information about your subject—its shapes, boundaries, and
proportions. That’s why Unit 2 is completely dedicated to this vital principle.

Unit 3: Making Your Portraits Look 3-D

After laying a solid foundation of drawing, it’s time to construct a sturdy
framework of form. In this unit, you’ll learn how to keep your portraits from
looking flat by using Value and Edge to create the illusion of 3-dimensional
form.

Unit 4: Rounding Form With Temperature & Capturing Color

Once you’ve learned to use Value and Edge to render forms that look 3-
dimensional, you can communicate even more specifically about those forms
using Temperature. I’ll also share “The 3 Questions for Correct Color,” “My 6
Guidelines for Mixing Color,” and more.

If you would like to dig even deeper, Figure Painting (Units 5–9) contains
even more content than Portrait Painting and mines the depths of the 5
Fundamentals and Composition. Here’s what you can expect…

Overview of Figure Painting (Units 5–9)*

Unit 5: Temperature—Knowing What to Expect
In Unit 5, I’ll discuss the Main Law of Temperature and share several
predictable sources of warm and cool light, so you can know what to
anticipate.

Unit 6: Strength through Simplification

Simpler is almost always stronger. In this unit, you’ll learn how simplifying
values can help you to paint figures with seemingly tangible forms and
compellingly realistic light.

Unit 7: Advanced Form and Color

In Unit 7, we’ll delve deeper into Form and Color, so you can anticipate and
tackle certain challenges your subjects may present.

Units 8 & 9: Delivering Your Message Compellingly with Composition

The 5 Fundamentals enable you to describe your subject accurately, but they
cannot guarantee your message will be delivered compellingly. For this, you
need Composition. Your paintings can benefit so profoundly from
Composition, that I’ve devoted two whole units to tapping its potential. In
Units 8 and 9, you’ll discover principles that can enable you to draw your
viewers from across the room and lead them on an adventure through your
painting.

*Topics and titles subject to change.

A Word of Encouragement
Now that you see how much information is packed into this course, you may
be feeling overwhelmed. Breathe a sigh of relief—You don’t have to learn
everything at once!

I’ve designed this course to be consumed one bite at a time. Each lesson is a
strategically placed stepping stone that leads to your true goals of
communicating faithfully and delivering compellingly.

As we traverse this trail, I won’t just show you how to paint people. I’ll also
share how you can improve—both during the course, and even afterwords!
After we explore each main concept, I’ll give you powerful exercises
designed to strengthen your skill in that area. These exercises are highly
effective because they are based on 2 Keys for Quickest Growth. In the next
lesson, I’ll reveal what those keys are.
 C L AG U E F I N E A RT
WELCOME, BORCH

Learn to Paint
Dynamic
Portraits &
Figures in Oil

Table of Contents

Lesson 1.9
2 Keys for Quickest Growth
After attending a workshop, were you ever left wondering, “Where do I go
from here?”

In this course, I don’t want to just tell you what you need to learn and then
say “Good luck!” That’s why I won’t just show you how to paint people, but
also how to improve—both during the course, and even afterwords! I’ll do
this by giving you powerful exercises designed to strengthen your skills as
efficiently as possible. These exercises are highly effective because they are
based on Two Keys for Quickest Growth…

Key #1
A runner’s biceps are usually not as big as a body builder’s. You would think
that running—an exercise involving the whole body—would result in large
muscles over the whole body. But it’s obvious why that isn’t so—building
huge biceps simply isn’t the focus of running. If you want large biceps, you
need to choose an exercise that focuses specifically on those muscles. The
first Key for Quickest Growth is Focus.

Just like you wouldn’t hope to build huge arms from running, you shouldn’t
hope to dramatically improve your painting skills unless you focus on one
principle at a time. Please don’t try to master everything at once. You will
burn out trying! You can strengthen your skills. But you must do it the
same way you eat a steak—one bite at a time.
That’s how this course is laid out—one step at a time. After we explore each
main concept, I’ll recommend exercises for building your skill in that area.
Once you’ve gained a command of that concept, it’s time to focus on the next.
Focusing on just one principle at a time will help you move systematically
and efficiently toward your goals. But in order to unlock your quickest
growth, you must pair Focus with a second Key for Quickest Growth…

Key #2

Let’s say you want large biceps, so you switch to an exercise that targets
those muscles. Now you have focus. However, if you only do your exercise
once a month, you won’t have bulging biceps anytime soon. You’re missing
the second Key for Quickest Growth—Frequency.
The exercises in this course not only have focus but also frequency. Each
exercise will have a prescribed schedule—usually every day for 30 days—so
you can progress toward your goals as quickly as possible. Now, I know
you’re probably thinking, “Every day? I don’t have time for that!” I hope this
encourages you—

How frequently you do these exercises is more important

than how long you exercise each time.

Most of the exercises can be completed in just 30 minutes. In less time than it
takes to watch a typical TV episode, you can move a step closer toward
achieving your artistic goals!

Focus and Frequency can help grow your skills as quickly as possible.
However, when you’re practicing the same concept every day for 30 days,
you won’t always feel like you’re moving quickly! In those moments,
remembering the difference between “quick” and “quickest” can be an
invigorating breath of fresh air…

Quick vs. Quickest

Notice that Focus and Frequency are not the 2 Keys for Quick Growth, but
rather the Quickest Growth. The difference is like the tortoise and the hare.
The hare was quick, but because the tortoise’s progress was more efficient, he
was the quickest to reach the goal.

In the same way, Focus and Frequency won’t necessarily help you reach your
goals quickly, but they can help you reach them as quickly as possible. Like I
said in Lesson 1.8, the main road to your goals is an unpaved, uphill path full
of obstacles. So when your speed is less than Olympic, there is no reason to
be discouraged! Keep pressing on, even when the trail tests your endurance.

As you trek through this online course, your inner hare may sometimes
tempt you to hop over certain stepping stones. I want to caution you against
skipping ahead, even if the concepts are familiar to you. Each lesson is
carefully built upon the last, so jumping forward may cause you to miss
foundational material. Take a tip from the tortoise—slow down, savor each
step, and soak up each lesson. When I determine to be patient like the
tortoise, I’m often pleasantly surprised how another perspective of a familiar
concept can expand my understanding of it.

Unlike the story of the tortoise and the hare, pursuing your artistic goals is
not a race. It’s a wonderful journey…

The Journey

You have beautiful messages you wish to share through paint. Now, you need
to learn to communicate and deliver those messages. These goals can only be
reached by one path—the road of the 5 Fundamentals and Composition. Like
most trails worth traveling, this one takes time. But there’s no reason to be
discouraged, because reaching your artistic goals isn’t a race. It’s an
exquisite, awe-inspiring journey!
I created this course to be a roadmap for that journey. Like any other map,
this course will show you how to reach your goals, but it cannot transport
you. Ultimately, it’s up to you to pursue your goals by faithfully practicing
your skills. It can be difficult to know how to do this. At the end of a
workshop, it’s common to wonder, “Where do I go from here?” I wanted this
course to be different—I didn’t want to lead you to the end without
equipping you to continue on. That’s why I designed the course exercises
to not only aid you during the course, but also afterwards. Even after
you complete every lesson and video, these exercises can help you continue
honing your skills.

Reaching your artistic goals is a journey, not a destination. Once you

learn to communicate and deliver your messages, the adventure has just
begun! The joy of discovering, capturing and sharing beauty will be
continually before you. So keep your eyes open, take in all the beauty, and
stretch a big, blank canvas. Let’s enjoy this wonderful journey!
 When Will the Rest of the Course Be Available?
I am aiming to have the rest of this course ready later in 2019. In the
meantime, stay tuned to your email inbox for…
 Periodic updates on the course and exclusive sneak-
peeks of course content.

Notification when the course is about to open, so you

can take advantage of Early Bird Pricing and Limited
Offers.

Announcements of other educational opportunities

such as workshops.

Talk to you soon!

—Adam