Drawing · Mixing Skin Tones for Any Skin · Portrait Painting (Oil / Acrylics)

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FREE Portrait Guide

  Portraits that feel real start here.

—

 

The step-by-step program for mastering the fundamentals — from achieving an accurate likeness to painting with depth and emotion.

  

START today!

 

Many artists believe a realist portrait means copying a photograph.

It doesn't.

 

A photograph is flat. A face is not.

The reason so many portraits feel "off" is simple: artists try to copy the surface of a photograph without understanding the structure beneath it.

Like a building, every convincing portrait has two inseparable parts:

The Structure: The invisible 3D form—the skull, the planes of the head that give the face its volume and presence.

The Surface: The visible colors, values, edges, and transitions that you actually see and paint.

Everything you paint on the surface is determined by the structure underneath. If you only paint the surface, your portrait may resemble the photograph, but it will often feel flat, stiff, or slightly unreal.

START teaches you to build portraits from the inside out, so they don't just look realistic—they feel alive.
WHAT START IS

 

A fully self-paced course in realist portraiture — from drawing to painting in oil.

START is a self-paced course with over 30 hours of in-depth, step-by-step instruction, taking you from the foundations of realist portraiture to the last details of portrait painting. This program is based on everything I've learned about portraiture after painting hundreds of portraits over 17 years.

Rather than teaching you to copy photographs, START teaches you how portraits are built — from the underlying structure to the final painted surface. You'll develop the skills to confidently draw and paint portraits that are believable, with real emotional depth.

 

watch the process

Who Is It For

For anyone who wants to paint portraits with a soul — not just a copy of photos.

✓ You're a beginner or self-taught and your portraits feel hit-or-miss — sometimes they work, often they don't, and you're not sure why.

✓ You've been painting for years but proportions still feel off, skin tones go muddy, and you want to fix this properly.

✓ You're an abstract painter who wants to add strong figurative elements to your work.

✓ You're returning to painting after years away and want a clear method to follow.

🎓START includes 25+ hours of in-depth, easy-to-follow demonstrations and lectures, such as: 

 

REALIST DRAWING FOUNDATIONS
  • Head construction & proportions
  • Classical drawing techniques
  • Multiple demonstrations in pencil and charcoal
  • Downloadable references & lectures
  • Practice exercises and assignments

Why this matters: Drawing is where everything begins. You'll learn to see structure, not just copy what's in front of you.

 

MIXING SKIN TONES FOR ANY COMPLEXION
  • Simple method for ANY skin tone (brown, white, olive, black)
  • How to balance cool/warm temperature
  • Avoid mud & dullness
  • Adapt to different lighting situations
  • Keep a clear, organized palette

     

    Why this matters: Muddy skin tones ruin portraits. You'll learn a method that works every single time.

MASTER REALIST PORTRAIT PAINTING 

  • A complete portrait from start to finish

  • Step-by-step process, composition, background

  • High professional standard

  • Taught in oil (fully applicable to acrylic)

    Why this matters: You'll see the complete process — not just techniques, but how to bring everything together into a finished, compelling portrait. 

Plus These Bonus Modules — Included in START 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: 105$ - FREE
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$ - FREE
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$ - FREE

Here's the full START Curriculum:

  1. Welcome & How to Use This Program

    1 lesson
    1. Welcome to START

  2. MODULE 01: The Foundations of Realist Portraiture

    19 lessons
    1. Chapter Overview
    2. Foundations of Realist Portraiture

    1. BUILDING A SOLID STRUCTURE

      1. Getting Proportions, Likeness, Depth right: an intro
      2. General Axes
      3. SKULL ANATOMY FOR PAINTERS
      4. Understanding the Planes of the Head
      5. How to Identify the Planes: Using the Head-Study App
      6. Quick recap with practical excercices

    2. SURFACE: LIGHT & COLOR

      1. From structure to Surface - Intro
      2. Understanding the Light
      3. Why VALUE Matters
      4. Getting the VALUE Right is simple!
      5. How To Group Value Correctly
      6. How to Avoid Overworking: VISUAL HEARARCHY & FOCAL AREA
      7. TRY THIS with your work
      8. EDGES: what they are and why they matters
      9. How to use EDGES in Landscape and Portrait painting
      10. How Light Affects: Color
      11. Let's put all this to work

  3. MODULE 02: Drawing Realist Portraits

    13 lessons
    1. Chapter Overview: Why Drawing Matters
    2. Before We Start: Materials and Studio Set Up PART ONE
    3. Before We Start: Materials and Studio Set Up PART TWO
    4. Drawing Irene
    5. 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: 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. Before We Paint: Understanding Skin as Color

    6 lessons
    1. An Intro to Color
    2. The Three Dimensions of Color: Hue, Value & Chroma
    3. Colors Do Not Exist in Isolation: Light and Relativity
    4. A Practical Approach to Mixing Skin Tones
    5. How to Make Skin Tones Look Vibrant
    6. Recap: The Golden Rule of Mixing Skin Tones

  6. MODULE 03: Mixing Skin Tones For White, Brown, Black Complexion

    9 lessons
    1. Chapter Overview
    2. Identifying the Indentity Color for different Complexion

    1. Colour Mixing Demo

      1. How To Organize Your Palette
      2. Realistic Skin Tones Build Up Slowly, over time
      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

  7. MODULE 04: Painting a Full Portrait in Oil

    24 lessons
    1. Overview of the lesson
    2. An introduction: direct vs indirect painting

    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

  8. Introducing Abstraction in your Work

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

  9. BONUS: Drawing Hands

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

    1. Hands Demo I - Drawing a Simple Hand

  10. 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

  11. Conclusion: Your Path Ahead

    1 lesson
    1. This was only the START: Continuing your journey with RossoArtSchool!

  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

  13. SHARE YOUR STORY!!

    1 lesson
    1. Share Your Artistic Journey

By the end, you'll paint portraits with confidence. 

 
You'll have the understanding and technical skill to paint any portrait — any age, any lighting, any skin tone — in oil, acrylic or any other medium, without fear, confusion, or endless trial and error.

You'll know how to:


✓ Read the structure of a face — the planes, axes and proportions that make a portrait look right
✓ Draw a likeness in pencil and charcoal — classical technique that carries into any medium
✓ Mix skin tones for any complexion, pale to dark, without mud or chalkiness
✓ Build a portrait in layers — block in, model, render — so you always know the next step
✓ Use colour temperature and edges to give skin form instead of a flat look
✓ Paint hair — its structure, its colour, and how to simplify it
✓ Choose the right materials — which mediums, brushes and surfaces, and when

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

 

Here's some of the work created by artists learning with me:

These portraits were painted by artists of all levels — some had never painted in oils before, others had years of experience but were struggling with specific issues. All followed the same method I teach inside START.

 

Visit the Student Gallery

Most students who started here have now moved on to Complete or Master Path. Here's what they say:

"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 )

 START today!

 

✓ 25+ hours of pre-recorded video training
✓ Multiple language subtitles (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Polish, and more)
✓ All bonus modules free — Hair ($105), Mediums ($55), Focus Demos ($99)
✓ Lifetime access to all content and future updates
✓ Downloadable references and practice materials
✓ Access to the private Rosso Art School community
✓ Learn at your own pace — pause, rewatch, practise as needed
✓ Stream from any device

✓ Support via email

Total Value: $758

Your Investment Now: $399 

 

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FAQ 

START isn't a course where you copy a demo mechanically. It's a concentrated path that teaches you how to simplify and paint truly impactful portraits — the foundation for outstanding figurative-abstract work at any scale.

 

If you’re drawn to my portrait style and want to learn how it’s created — step inside. I show you everything.

START now ➝

Hi, I'm Rosso.

 

Portraiture has been my passion for sixteen years. Over that time, I've explored every stage of this craft — from copying and classical realism to developing my own contemporary style.

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

I now share my work and teaching with a community of over 190K artists on Instagram — and through Rosso Art School here.

 

Read my bio here

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