Stephen Bauman Workshop 2026

Composition in Portrait Drawing | All levels welcome

Many students, even those with strong observational skills, struggle to use what they see to its greatest potential- shaping their drawings into something more purposeful. This course is designed to address that by helping students think about a portrait not just as an object to be recorded, but as a design element within an image—something that can be emphasized and arranged to create a stronger artistic statement.

The teaching will be a combination of:

• Lecture-Based Content – Introducing key principles of dynamic structure, design and compositional thinking.

• Demonstration-Based Instruction – I will draw every project alongside students, showing how to simplify and organize the portrait into compelling, well-structured shapes.

• Daily Individual Critiques – One-on-one critiques ensure that students receive direct feedback tailored to their specific needs.

Day 1

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Composition Studies

• Morning (Demo + Group Practice):

Demonstration of compositional sketches for portraiture—placement, cropping, value distribution, and balance of figure and ground. Students create a series of small, quick studies.

• Afternoon (Individual Guidance):

One-to-one feedback on clarity of design. Students refine their strongest study to serve as the basis for their week’s drawing.

Day 2

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Structural Block-In

• Morning (Demo + Group Practice):

Demonstration of portrait block-in: framing, proportion, and construction. Students begin their own block-ins.

• Afternoon (Individual Guidance):

Critiques on accuracy and structure. Corrections made early to ensure solid foundations.

Day 3

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Light and Shadow

• Morning (Demo + Group Practice):

Tonal demonstration showing light vs. shadow grouping, with emphasis on simplifying values. Students apply tonal separation to their drawings.

• Afternoon (Individual Guidance):

Personal critiques on value clarity, shadow shape integrity, and establishing a consistent key.

Day 4

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Edges and Transitions

• Morning (Demo + Group Practice):

Demonstration of edge handling: sharp, soft, and lost edges, and how they direct the eye and describe form. Students experiment in their portraits.

• Afternoon (Individual Guidance):

Reviews of how edge decisions influence spatial clarity and expression. Individual guidance on intentional use of edges.

Day 5

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Cohesion and Expression

• Morning (Demo + Group Practice):

Demonstration unifying composition, structure, value, and edges into a coherent portrait. Students develop a sustained drawing with an emphasis on expressive clarity.

• Afternoon (Individual Guidance):

Critiques and corrections tailored to each student’s goals, pointing out how the week’s principles can be synthesized into a single piece.

Day 6

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Refinement and Finish

• Morning (Demo + Group Practice):

Demonstration on carrying a drawing further: refining subtle forms, adjusting value relationships, and deepening expression without overworking. Students work on completing their sustained drawing.

• Afternoon (Individual Guidance + Closing Critique):

Extended one-to-one critiques, helping students push their final work toward resolution. The day concludes with a group reflection, where each student shares their piece and progress, cementing the workshop’s lessons and identifying personal next steps.

• 6 days Tuition from Stephen Bauman

• Fresh pastries, yougurts or fruit in the morning with tea and coffee in the morning

• All lunches, snacks & soft drinks every day

• Two evening meals, at least one will be home cooked!

• VAT (20% UK Sales Tax)

• Easels, Drawing Horse if needed, Paper Towels, Gloves, Trash Bags

• Model Fees are included

We offer payment plans. The first payment secures your place and is your deposit. The second is required 3 months later. The third, three months from then and the final a month later.

We split the payment into four equal amounts.

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