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Learn to paint Portraits with Emotional Depth

The foundation for abstract-figurative paintings that truly work. 

 

 ENROL THIS WEEK WITH 25% DISCOUNT

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START is for artists who want to paint portraits that are both accurate and deeply emotional. 

 I believe that mastering realism is the foundation of any strong abstract-figurative work — which is why I designed this program to focus only portraiture, before moving onto abstraction.

This program is based on what I learned painting over 500 portraits in 15 years of professional studio practice — from life, from photographs, portraits of friends, random encounters— capturing the character and emotional depth of each person.

 

watch the process

By the end of the program, you'll learn how to:

 

✓ Simplify and interpret your subject "like a painter" — so you can paint anything including challenging poses/expressions.

✓ Understand facial featiures and proportions 

✓Paint portraits that actually look like your model

✓ Mix realistic skin tones —  white, olive, brown, black — without mud or over-saturation

✓ Understand how to use value, colour and edges strategically to push your portraits to the next level 

✓ use the background and composition to create original, compelling work 

Most importantly

Every demo and lecture teaches a method, not only a result — so you can apply it to paint any portrait, of any model, that you like. 

🎓START includes hours of in-depth, easy-to-follow demonstrations and lectures, such as: 

 

REALIST DRAWING FOUNDATIONS
  • Head construction and proportion
  • Classical drawing techniques
  • Step-by-step demos in pencil and charcoal
  • Downloadable references and lectures
  • Practical exercises 

Drawing teaches you how to create a solid structure and proportions before color comes in. This is the foundation of every strong portrait. 

MIXING SKIN TONES for any complexion
  • How to mix ANY skin tone (brown, white, olive, black)
  • Understanding warm and cool relationships
  • Avoiding muddy colour
  • Adapting to different lighting conditions
  • Keeping a simple, organised palette

     

    You'll learn a method that works every single time, regardless of the colors in your palette.

Painting Realist Portraits in oil/acrylics

  • Build a portrait from sketch to finish

  • Understand how to use brushwork / medium and paint to achieve powerful painting effects

  • Creating balanced, original compositions

  • Finishing with simple, colourful backgrounds

  • Taught in oil (fully transferable to acrylic)

    You learn a clear process, so you always know what to do next.

You'll also have access to these practical modules — at No Extra Cost

 

How to Paint Hair

Learn the fundamental guidelines for any hair type — red, brunette, blonde, curly, straight, afro. You'll understand which colors, brushes, and mediums to use for realistic, painterly hair.

VALUE: 75$
Mediums, Brushes & Surfaces

Learn which mediums and brushes to use — and when. Plus how to prepare your surfaces (canvas or panel) to achieve the best possible results.

VALUE: 55$
Focus Demos — Eyes, Nose, Mouth

Short, focused demonstrations breaking down each facial feature. Understand structure, light, color, and edges in a simple, practical way.

VALUE: 99$

Here's the full curriculum

  1. Welcome & How to Use This Program

    1 lesson
    1. Welcome to START

  2. Foundations of Drawing

    6 lessons
    1. Chapter Overview
    2. General Axes
    3. Planes of The Head, Light & Shadow Shapes
    4. Mapping the Planes: Adapting the Asaro Head to Your Portraits
    5. PRACTICE AT HOME: Creative Excercises & References
    6. Appendix

  3. Drawing a Realist Portrait

    12 lessons
    1. Before We Start: Materials and Studio Set Up PART ONE
    2. Before We Start: Materials and Studio Set Up PART TWO
    3. Drawing Irene
    4. Drawing Sarah

    1. Drawing Ella in Charcoal

      1. Drawing With Charcoal - Intro
      2. ELLA PART I
      3. ELLA PART II
      4. ELLA PART III
      5. ELLA PART IV
      6. ELLA PART VI
      7. ELLA PART VII

    2. PRACTICE AT HOME: Creative Exercises And Assignment

      1. Creative Exercises And Assignment

  4. Focus on Facial Features: Eyes, Nose & Mouth

    11 lessons
    1. Chapter Overview
    2. Drawing the Eyes - Uxua
    3. Drawing the Eyes - Esme
    4. Drawing The Eyes - Marta
    5. Recap / How to Practice Eye Studies
    6. Drawing the Nose part one
    7. Drawing the Nose part two
    8. Drawing the Nose part three
    9. Drawing the Mouth part one
    10. Drawing the Mouth part two
    11. Drawing the Mouth part three

  5. Hands Made Simple

    2 lessons
    1. Chapter Overview
    2. Basic Anatomy Of Hands

    1. Hands Demo I - Drawing a Simple Hand

  6. From Drawing to Paint: Painting Foundations

    5 lessons
    1. Chpater Overview
    2. Understanding How Light Affects Chroma & Temperature
    3. Mastering Temperature: How Classical Painters Created Depth
    4. Concluding Notes
    5. PRACTICE AT HOME: References and Creative Excercises

  7. Mixing Realistic Skin Tones For Any Complexion

    8 lesson
    1. Chapter Overview

    1. An Effective Method to Mix Any Skin Colour

    2. Colour Mixing Demo

      1. How To Organize Your Palette
      2. One Palette For Different Skins
      3. Mixing Skin Tones : White Pale Skin
      4. Mixing Skin Tones: Olive: Light Brown Skin
      5. Mixing Skin Tones: Dark / Black Skin
      6. Concluding Notes
      7. PRACTICE AT HOME: creative exercises and assignment

  8. Painting a Full Portrait: Step by Step

    23 lesson
    1. Overview of the lesson

    1. Before We Start: Surface, Composition & Transferring Our Drawings

      1. How to Start Your Portrait- Irene
      2. Tracing Your Drawings
      3. Transferring Your Drawings

    2. Before We Start: Creating A Colour Stusy Using The Zorn Study

      1. Color Study Intro
      2. Zorn Palette: Mixing Demo
      3. Color Study Irene Part I
      4. Color Study Irene Part II

    3. Start Painting: Blocking-in

      1. IRENE PART ONE - Blocking In
      2. IRENE PART TWO - Adding More Definition

    4. Phase Two: Get the Likeness Right

      1. Intro: Rendering
      2. Using The Mirror
      3. Rendering Part I
      4. Rendering Part II

    5. Pushing the Portrait Further: Finer Details and Rendering

      1. Pushing The Portrait Further: Intro
      2. Pushing The Portrait Further: Remix Your Colors
      3. Pushing the Portrait Further: Oiling Out
      4. Pushing the Portrait Further: Irene - Final Push

    6. Finishing Touches: Adding an Abstract Background & Varnishing Your Work

      1. Finishing Touches: Background
      2. Finishing Touches: Varnishing Your Work
      3. Finishing Your Work: Concluding Notes Irene

    7. Appendix:

      1. A Review of Oil Paint MEDIUMS
      2. PRACTICE AT HOME: creative exercises and assignment

  9. Bonus: Painting Hair

    15 lesson
    1. Guidelines For Approaching Hair

    1. General Guidelines and Color Palette For Different Hair Types

      1. Hair Colour Palette

    2. FOCUS DEMO: Painting Blonde Hair

      1. Painting Blonde Hair
      2. Painting Flowing Red Hair — Full Module (Locked)

    3. FOCUS DEMO: Painting Bangs

      1. Bangs - Intro
      2. Bangs - Part I
      3. Bangs - Part II
      4. Bangs - Part III
      5. Bangs - Part IV

    4. FOCUS DEMO: SHORT HAIR & BALD STYLE

      1. Intro
      2. Bald Hair Part I
      3. Bold Hair Part II
      4. Short Hair Part I
      5. Short Hair Part II

    5. PRACTICE AT HOME: Creative Exercises And Assignment

      1. Creative Exercises And Assignment

  10. Introducing Abstraction in your Work

    1 lesson
    1. Am introduction to my Ground-Up Method

  11. Conclusion

    1 lesson
    1. Course Recap

  12. Studio Tools & Art Supplies

    4 lesson
    1. A Review Of Oil Paint Mediums

    1. Brushes & Brushwork

      1. Brushes - Intro
      2. Brushes - A Review
      3. Brushwork

 

Total Value: $628 Your Investment Today: $299 (discount applied at check-out)

What our students are saying:

"This is my first oil portrait, and for the first time I was able to mix rich, luminous skin tones — without mud, without fear. I loved the process so much I can't wait to paint many more. Thank you!!"

Maria Gabriela S (NY)

"I love your explanation of the axes and plane shifts on a face and although I paint portraits your method shone a whole new approach to portrait painting. Thank you for explaining this in such a clear way" 

Janet Moule (US )

 

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25% discount!

 

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  • 30+ hours of video lessons

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  • Artist Community

  • Alumni discounts on art supplies and future events

  • email support
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was 399$ now $299

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  • Instant Access to all Pre-recorded Content
  • 30+ hours of video lessons
  • Multiple Language Subtitles (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Arab, Polish, etc)
  • Monthly website/social features
  • Artist Community
  • Alumni discounts on art supplies and future events
  • email support
  • Lifetime Content  
JOIN NOW

Here's a preview of works created by artists after learning my portrait method:

 

 

Visit the Student Gallery

Hi, I'm Rosso.

 

Portraiture has always been my greatest passion and the main reason why I return to the canvas every day.

Over the past sixteen years, I’ve explored every stage of this craft: from copying and classical realism to developing my own expressive style. Along the way, I’ve experimented with countless techniques, tools, and materials — learning what truly works.

Through the START Program, I share the same foundations that shaped my own journey. You’ll learn the essential principles of portraiture — structure, proportion, light, color, and composition — in a clear, step-by-step way that truly works.

I now share my work and teaching with a community of over 190K artists and art lovers on Instagram — and through my school here.

Read my bio here

FAQ 

START isn't a course where you copy one demo mechanically. It's a concentrated path that will teach you how to see, simplify and paint portraits with a soul —  not just copies of photographs.

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