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Upcoming

WORKSHOPS

​The Power of Digital Composition + Painting the Child Portrait

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​Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio,

Whidbey Island, WA​

June 13  - 15

Tuition fee: $500

Skill level: Advanced Beginner-Professional

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Crystal will take you through her process of taking and choosing reference video and photos (with special considerations for working with children), composition-building using procreate on the IPad, mining masterworks for problem-solving, and painting the child portrait.

 

This class will focus on solving problems before they happen, and emotional storytelling through composition choices.

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This workshop is designed to simplify painting, and help give you the tools to advance your own style, process and craftsmanship. Students will focus heavily on the most important part of the painting process- the part that happens before the final painting even begins. Students will be painting studies and learning concepts that will advance their own finished work. This class includes demos, and a deep dive into Crystal’s unique process and perspective.

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Student Testimonials:

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"As an artist always seeking to learn more, I'm very thoughtful about my "continuing education" and taking a workshop from Crystal Despain was one of the best things I've done for my artistic growth. Crystal's workshop stands out from other workshops I've taken in that she has a very comprehensive approach in her teaching. She goes behind the scenes, so-to-speak, and shows you the inner workings of her process, her thinking as an artist, and little details that make a huge difference. She broke her process down into manageable steps and made sure we all thoroughly understood and were on track. Her energy, enthusiasm and light heartedness made the class loads of fun! The greatest take-away for me in applying what Crystal taught is evidenced in my work. I'm doing things that I hadn't attempted before and loving the outcomes, from compositing, to using paint mixing that I now can't live without in my work. I highly recommend learning from Crystal, whether you are beginning your artistic journey or a professional artist! She is an excellent teacher and as her work shows, she really knows what she's teaching!"

-Jessica A.

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"I was thrilled to have taken a recent workshop with Crystal Despain. She has an uncanny ability to empower her students, giving them a sense of confidence and respect for their own abilities ! She relays information concisely and patiently and is very attentive to each student, supplying them with support and guidance tailored directly to their individual needs.  While demonstrating her process, she moves with careful strokes, explaining her every move and answering questions quickly and comprehensively.  I left her workshop with a new outlook on the way I paint and different tools to find my own style and develop more desirable compositions." 

-Connie R.

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"Crystal is both an award winning artist and very approachable. I enjoyed learning more about her painting process. The workshop was organized and a good value for the price. She gave one on one time to each student and was generous in her praise and instruction. For example, she offered me paint when I had brought the incorrect color. Her attention to detail and generosity are two more great qualities for any art instruction. She was able to adapt her instruction to many differing ability levels within our 10 person group. I was feeling a bit behind and she found something genuine to compliment in my painting. I loved that and will always remember it."

-Beth H

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"As an amateur artist painting in oils, I have been fortunate to study with several excellent teachers over the years. Since I especially enjoy painting portraits, I was eager to attend one of Crystal Despain’s workshops.

 

It was clear from the start that Crystal had given much thought to the course. It was very well organized both in what she presented and how she presented it to us. She gave us booklets with the content and notes on the workshop material. These have been very useful references for me. Each day of the workshop flowed naturally with lively, interesting lectures, demonstrations, and discussions. I enjoyed myself and learned so much.

 

Crystal is a kind and inspiring teacher who also happens to be an amazing artist. I came away from her course with new approaches and techniques for my painting, eager to apply what I had learned."

-Laurie

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"Crystal’s workshop was very wonderfully put together and packed full of helpful information. Crystal is very good at breaking down hard concepts into easy to understand demonstrations. She was very generous in what she shared with us, and was very helpful in answering questions. Her workshop gave us lots of hands-on experience. She showed us her process of  how she photographs her model, how she chooses which photo to use, and how to translate it into a beautiful work of art. I especially loved all the knowledge she shared with us about her process! The way that she utilizes today's technology to create a beautiful composition and solves most of her paintings problems before she even begins the painting, it is truly genius. Her teaching style is perfectly geared toward anyone struggling with color, value, composition, and the general difficulty of mixing skin tones. Crystal is a wonderful communicator. She breaks things down in a very easy to understand way, and is sure to give you a detailed explanation of why she is doing what she is doing. I highly recommend Crystal's workshop. She is not only an extraordinary artist, but phenomenal at teaching and working hands on with each of her students."

-Charity C.

Student Testimonials

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