ZIN LIM - Expressive Portrait Drawing Workshop
April 11-13, 2025 (3 days)
10am to 4:15pm daily
Experience the tactile and spontaneous nature of charcoal! This innovative workshop will guide you into the dynamic world of expressive portraiture, expanding your practice outside of the boundaries of classical drawing. Under the expert guidance of artist Zin Lim, this workshop welcomes artists of all levels and explores the fascinating process of creating vibrant, emotive portraits that capture personal essence through expressive techniques.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
(You will complete one portrait in a different style each day)
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Day 1: Delve into traditional portraiture techniques with charcoal, blending classical structure with the immediacy of expressive drawing.
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Day 2: Explore the Impressionistic style, focusing on capturing light, shadow, and the subtleties of texture through varied charcoal marks.
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Day 3: Embrace the bold strokes and raw emotion of Expressionism, pushing the boundaries of portraiture with strong gestures and intense contrasts.
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MATERIALS
Drawing pad (One from below. 35x40cm (14x17 inches) or larger)
- Strathmore Drawing Pad, 300 series, medium surface.
- (Recycled) Strathmore drawing pad, 400 series, medium surface.
- Strathmore drawing pad, 400 series, medium surface.
- Strathmore Charcoal pads (300 or 500 series).
- Fabriano Tiziano
- Canson Mi-Teintes
- Canson Ingres Vidalon
* Though the above works best with a charcoal stick, If you can not have one from above, any local brands of drawing pads are acceptable but no 'New Sprint', 'Bristol', or anything has a 'smooth' surface, They don't work well with charcoal.
HB Charcoal Pencil: General Brand
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(if you don't have a 'General' brand, bring vine charcoal (medium or hard), or Nitram hard is fine.
Willow and/or Vine Charcoal (soft or extra soft sticks)
- (General, Cortes, Winsor Newton, or any local brand)
Kneadable Eraser
Optional Materials:
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Utility Knife
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(Workable) Fixative
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(For safe transport of works, if desired)
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Blending Stumps
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Sandpaper Block or any smooth Sandpaper
WHAT YOU'LL GET
Deep Understanding: Master core principles of portrait drawing, including figure structure, proportion, and gesture, while unraveling complex light and shadow schemes.
Creative Process: Learn to create dynamic and captivating charcoal marks, use tonal ranges effectively, and design compositions that reveal your artistic identity.
Hands-on Experience: Create three expressive charcoal portraits based on carefully selected photographic references. Using bold techniques and step-by-step guidance, you’ll build portraits that convey depth and emotion.
ABOUT ZIN LIM
Zin Lim is an internationally renowned Korean artist and educator, known for his unique blend of realism, impressionism, and expressionism. With over 12 years of teaching experience at the Academy of Art Graduate School in San Francisco, he has developed a range of theories and techniques to help artists discover and develop their creative voices.
He has conducted more than 100 workshops, masterclasses, and lectures worldwide, including in the United States, Korea, Japan, Europe, China, Australia, and Dubai. Zin Lim's workshops are known for their dynamic and improvisational approach, encouraging artists to break away from the constraints of traditional techniques and explore more expressive and emotional styles. His teaching focuses not only on improving technical skills but also on helping artists uncover their unique artistic voices and express them boldly through their work.
Zin Lim’s work has received international recognition, with seven grand prizes in juried competitions and representation in 12 galleries across the United States. His artwork has been exhibited in over 100 solo and group exhibitions worldwide, including in prominent galleries and museums in Dubai.
He holds an MFA from the Academy of Art Graduate School in San Francisco and a BFA in Industrial Design from Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea.
TESTIMONIALS:
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"I enjoyed it. I'm frankly very tired of doing hyper-realistic drawings—it's just not that relaxing. I think I will stick with expressive figure drawing for a while and see if I can improve. I would be very interested in taking another class, especially expressive portraits."— Michael M.
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"Thank you so much for teaching this class! Most of my drawing classes have focused so much on representation. Learning more expressive techniques from you has been enlightening and truly a joy."— Katie K.
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"This was amazing. I learned so much. Most of all, drawing in this way is more about a state of mind than I realized. Thank you, Zin!”— Nathan A.
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"I had tons of fun in the 'Expressive Portrait' class with Zin Lim. I learned absolutely different ways to approach gesture portraits, played with wild marks, and had fun the entire time. Usually, portraits feel like hard work, but this felt like joyful play."— Valerie L.
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"I had a great time today. It felt like a private tutoring session—brilliant! I learned so much in a short space of time. It's surprising what can be accomplished in a couple of focused hours!"— Jo H.
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