Portraits with Palette Knives with Paul Pietsch

Portraits with Palette Knives with Paul Pietsch

Short Class | Available

Intermediate
8/14/2026-8/28/2026
10:00 AM-1:00 PM EDT on Fri
$200.00

Portraits with Palette Knives with Paul Pietsch

Short Class | Available

Designed for students with previous oil-painting experience, this three-week course will explore portrait painting as a responsive act of perception. Painting with palette knifes instead of brushes, students will prioritize interpretation, suggestion and expression over mimesis.

The limitation of painting only with palette knives will help students focus on anatomical structure and texture, color-shape relationships, and decisive mark-making and revisions.

It also helps quiet the impulse for perfection. Students will learn through guided instruction, self-exploration, and individual and group critiques. A limited color palette is sufficient, but students may use additional colors as they wish. 

  • Painting Surfaces

    • 1 to 3 painting surfaces—stretched canvases, wood boards or watercolor paper, all prepared with primer and gesso or just gesso—each between 8" x 10" and 18" x 24"

    Palette

    • One flat palette 11”x14” or larger in size. Students may use a wood, paper, or glass palette. (Do not buy a plastic palette or a palette segmented into multiple smaller palettes.)

    Palette Knives

    Students will use palette knives instead of brushes. Students should have at least one drop-handle palette knife that has a narrow point. They are encouraged to use a range of palette knifes of different shapes and sizes. Students are also encouraged to use a puddy or spackle knife, which can be bought at the hardware store.

    Paint

    Students should have at least one tube (37ml or 40ml) of each color:
    • Ivory Black
    • Titanium White, Zinc White, and/or Flake White
    • “Warm” yellow: E.g., Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow Deep
    • “Cool” yellow: Cadmium Lemon, Hansa Yellow Light, Cadmium Yellow Light, or Bismuth Yellow Light
    • “Warm” Red: E.g., Cadmium Red Light, Naphthol Red, Perylene Red, Pyrrole Red or Winsor Red
    • “Cool” Red: E.g., Alizarin Crimson, Quinacridone Red, Cadmium Red Deep,
    • French Ultramarine Blue
    • Viridian

    Additional optional colors include:
    • Burnt Sienna
    • Raw Sienna
    • Raw Umber
    • Venetian Red
    • Transparent Red Oxide
    • Cerulean Blue

    Solvent
    • Gamblin's Gamsol Oderless Mineral Spirits (no turpentine or other mineral spirits allowed due to hazardous fumes)
    • Two shatter-proof jars (16oz or larger) with a secure lid for the Gamsol.

    Other Necessary Supplies
    • Bar soap or dish detergent for washing brushes
    • A bag or other container for transporting supplies
    • 1 roll of paper towels

    Optional Supplies
    • Viewfinder
    • Apron/smock
    • Nitrile/latex/vinyl gloves
    • Notebook (any size)

Paul Pietsch

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