Course Date: 9th – 11th September 2024 
Medium: Oils, acrylics and dry media
Participants: Maximum 10
Course level: Intermediate and advanced
Course Cost: €435

The course will be conducted by Zsolt Basti and Salvatore of Lucan, two successful young artists, respectively graduates of IADT and NCAD, living and working in Dublin. Both artists have exhibited with prestigious galleries and have each had their work included in private and public collections both in Ireland and abroad and have been awarded multiple residencies and awards such as Salvatore’s 2021 awarding of and Zsolt’s 2022 shortlisting for Zurich Portrait Prize.

In this course, Salvatore and Zsolt will work with course participants on composing their paintings using multiple photographic references with the objective of making a legible image.

As the title ‘Double Portraits’ suggests, the work will be about the relationship or space between the two sitters, the setting, and the symbolism of the props rather than about the portraying of an individual. The course is offered to artists with previous experience in drawing and painting, and its focus will be on narrative composition and texture rather than on colour mixing or drawing.

Salvatore and Zsolt work in different ways, which will complement each other for the purpose of this course. Salvatore will assist artists in composing their painting, while Zsolt will focus on priming and paint application techniques, including a mediums tutorial, and let the participants experiment with specialist materials such as marble dust, impasto medium etc. There will be time dedicated to both group and individual tuition.

The aim of the course, rather than completed paintings, are paintings that have a promising start which you will want to complete in your own studio after the workshop. Rather than teaching you how to paint, Zsolt and Sal propose to help you improve your own way of working through information, and guided practice as well as an insight in their processes.

* The course takes place in Artform’s modern light-filled seaside studio with 24hr access for each visiting artist, and runs from 11am to 5pm on the first day and from 10am to 4pm on the second day. Cost does not include accommodation, on request Artform offers artist accommodation options. Details on art materials and safety will be provided after signing up to the course. 

Images below in chronological order: Salvatore of Lucan 1,2,3; Zsolt basti 4,5,6.