Susan Lyon Workshop 2026

5 Day - Painting the Narrative Portrait

Over five days, we’ll explore how to move beyond a simple likeness to create portraits that tell compelling stories.

Together, we will:
• Learn how to thoughtfully set up and light a live model.
• Draw inspiration from master artists throughout history.
• Incorporate still-life objects to evoke emotion and a narrative within a scene.
• Discover how to transform a portrait study into a fully realized painting.

The goal of this class is moving beyond a simple academic portrait study to something more unique and compelling emotionally.

Embrace this opportunity to deepen your creative process directly from a live model, and construct meaningful, story-driven portrait compositions within a scene.

Join us and bring your portraits to life!

We will have a maximum of 16 students for the workshop.

Day 1 - Susan and Scott will give a digital presentation showing master artists and how they compose models with the addition of a still life environment. Next, they’ll tackle all the techniques and choices involved in setting up the pose for the week ahead. They’ll discuss the compositional choices of a vertical versus horizontal composition utilizing the same model and objects. The class all will have time to take reference photos for each set up used as we experiment and gather references you can use later for a studio work when you get home. This part will not be rushed and questions are encouraged!

In the afternoon, the class will use charcoal pencils and a sketch book to draw out the light and dark patterns of the final pose from their spot—which with be the same pose, model, and scene we will all work from for all five days of the class—including Susan and Scott. Posing one model in a scene makes it easier for the students to fan out in the room and take their time over five days to create a work far more complete than just a quick study

Susan and Scott will help students understand how to design and mass in larger patterns to create a dynamic composition in this preparatory charcoal sketch. The goal is to emphasize the importance of these planning stages before starting your painting.

Day 2 - Susan and Scott will demo a color study in the morning of the setup and pose from the previous day. Susan will use a 9 by 12” canvas while Scott will use a 12 by 16” canvas for the color study.

The class will then paint a color study in the afternoon from the same model and set up. Students can choose the size of the canvas that they want.

Day 3 - Susan and Scott will demonstrate in the morning how they start a this model in a scene with a still life. Scott will use vine charcoal to sketch out his composition on a 16 by 20” canvas. Susan will draw out her design with a small brush and thinned transparent paint.

The students will start their 3-day painting in the afternoon. We recommend that you don’t go bigger than a 16 by 20” canvas. Susan will give personal attention to each student in the afternoon. Scott will help on breaks and keep working in the afternoon on his painting so students can see how he works on a more finished painting. Students are welcome to watch Scott paint as long as they’d like.

Day 4 - Susan and Scott will demonstrate more on their paintings in progress in the morning.

Students are welcome to paint in the morning also, Susan will go around and talk with everyone individually in the afternoon. Scott will give advice during breaks.

Day 5 – Everyone will paint all day. Students are welcome to watch Susan and Scott paint—or paint on their own work all day. Susan will paint for about 30 to 40 minutes then go around the class for 40 minutes. This will go on all day so everyone will witness the full process of creating a more finished narrative artwork.

• 5 days Tuition from Jill

• Wonderful, fresh packed lunches and snacks every day

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

• Transport to the daily locations if you are staying in Skipton (so you can avoid the cost and stress of driving a rental car! If you are in the UK and are willing to drive, or will be renting a car, do let us know.

• VAT (20% UK Sales Tax)

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.

We split the payment into three equal amounts (£566.66 GBP).

Please read through our FAQ’s.

Click here.

Please click the following link. There’s lots of important information there. If you still have a question, don’t hesitate to email us.

To see terms and conditions, please click here.

So, although you can pay via the website, they charge extra fees. Truth be told, there’s extra fees for all international payments, but if I call you and take payment over the phone, it’s only 3%.

If you are in the UK, we should do a bank transfer as there are no back fees that way.

If you book through the website, we will need to ask you for a 5% fee payment.