In week eleven, you’ll create a portrait illustration from imagination, focusing on form, light, and color temperature. Gary Meyer will demonstrate how to start with a proportional pencil lay-in, followed by a structured, procedural approach to painting. You’ll establish flat light and shadow masses, then gradually refine subtle halftones, shadows, and key facial features. By incorporating cool skylight into shadow areas and warm sunlight into highlights, you’ll achieve a natural, dimensional effect. By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to apply light logic and color harmony to create expressive, imaginative portraits.

Throughout this course, you’ll have access to the NMA community for feedback and critiques to improve your work as you progress.