This workshop will help students to make competent portrait drawings. Step by step demonstrations will help students to understand the structure of the face in terms of shapes, planes change, anatomy and value by using lines and value rendering. Students will learn the techniques of mastering expressive portraiture drawings with vine charcoal, charcoal pencils on drawing papers, and tonal papers. Oliver is a flexible art instructor and prefers to use picture references on the first day and then live models for the remainder of the workshop.

Oliver is an alumnus from Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA, with a BFA in Illustration. Right after he graduated in 1996, he started his art career as a computer game concept artist at LucasArts. In 2001 he returned to his former University to be an Art Professor for the School of Fine Arts and 2D Animation. Oliver was drawn to art early at the age of 3. Somehow, portraiture just seems to be his favorite form of expression which he constantly practices, not only as an Art Professor but as his favorite hobby as well.

Since 2011, Oliver has been lucky enough to come across a few distinguished contemporary artists as his mentors, ZhaoMing Wu, Henry Yan, and Chung-Wei Chien. Their tireless guidance has urged Oliver to put greater efforts in capturing fleeting human expressions and paying more attention to precise composition in figurative portraits. Oliver’s book, “Drawing the Head for Artists” is published by Rockport publisher in August 2019 and the Spanish version of this book was just released in June 2021. The vine charcoal portrait of his dad has won first place in the drawing award of the International Portrait Society’s portrait competition out of 3000 international entries with the Portrait Society of America in April 2021. The vine charcoal portrait of Bob has won second place in the drawing award of the International Portrait Society’s portrait competition out of 4500 international entries with the Portrait Society of America in 2019.

Two of his portrait drawings of Virginia Woolf and Emmy Noether were commissioned by Time Magazine for their “100 Women of the Year” project and they were published in the March 15, 2020 issue. With over 20 years of professional teaching experience at the Academy of Art University and over 300K of IG followers.

This class will be a unique opportunity to learn from an incredible artist at SOBO.

Samples of art can be reviewed below and at: https://www.instagram.com/oliversin/

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• • • Extra Soft Vine Charcoal in 6mm
    • Willow Charcoal in 6mm
    • A pad of 18 by 24 inch Strathmore 70 lbs Drawing Paper. Medium Surface
    • A pad of 18 by 24 inch Smooth Newsprint
    • 6B drawing pencils, General’s Brand Charcoal
    • White Pastel Drawing Pencils, General’s Brand
    • Gray Toned Charcoal Paper, Any Mid Tone Gray in medium surface
    • Kneaded Eraser
    • Final Faxitif​

SOBO Art Gallery is located at 127 S Boyd Street (see map) in beautiful Downtown Winter Garden

SCHEDULE

• • • Sunday April 2nd 10am - 5pm*
    • Monday April 3rd 10am - 5pm
    • Tuesday April 4th 10am - 5pm
    • Wednesday April 5th 10am - 5pm
    • Thursday April 6th 10am - 5pm

*Please note: One hour each day will be taken for lunch. Here are some local Hotel and Dining recommendations. 

HOTELS

Downtown Winter Garden (Within Walking Distance of SOBO Art Gallery)

• • • Historic Edgewater Hotel

Oakland (Within about a 5 Minute Drive)

• • • Oakland Manor House

Local Area (Within about a 10-15 Min Drive)

• • • Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Orlando Ocoee
    • Hampton Inn & Suites Clermont

Resorts with Amenities (Within about a 25-30 Min Drive)

• • • Hilton Orlando
    • Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes
    • Four Seasons
    • Gaylord Palms
    • Disney Resorts

FOOD: Downtown Winter Garden

Within Walking Distance of Gallery

Breakfast & Coffee

• • • Axum Coffee (All Day)
    • Rosallie French Bakery (All Day)
    • NY Bagel & Deli (All Day)

Lunch/Dinner

• • • Plant Street Market (Crooked Can Brewing Building with Multiple Artisan Food Options)
    • Urban Flats
    • The Whole Enchilada
    • Pammie’s Sammies (next door to Gallery)
    • Rita’s Ice Custard
    • Thai Blossom
    • Downtown Deli
    • Burger Fi
    • Chef’s Table/The Tasting Room and Happy Hour (4-7)
    • Pilars Martini (Bar and Lounge)
    • Moon Cricket Grille
    • Attic Door
    • Winter Garden Pizza Company
    • Three Birds Cafe
    • Harrell’s Dogs
    • Fat Mike’s Hot Chicken

Fine Dinning

• • • Market To Table
    • Matthew’s Steakhouse
    • Chef’s Table/The Tasting Room

Other Details To Note:

Our doors will open at 10am each morning. The studio center door is located on the south side of the SOBO building at 127 S. Boyd St.

 There are a few parking spaces available near the door and plenty of parking in the three floor (no fee) parking garage across the street.

 We have a refrigerator available to those of you who would like to bring lunch.