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The Portrait in Drawing and Sculpture with Dan Thompson

$750.00

Instructor: Dan Thompson
Dates: July 24 –July 28, 2025 (5-day workshop, Thursday–Tuesday)
Times: 9 am–4 pm
Workshop Location: Chandler Studio and Southwick Keller Studios, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts
Directions and Parking: Registered students will receive detailed information before the workshop.
Levels/Ages: This workshop is open to all levels, ages 18+, or younger with instructor permission.

Register

This multidisciplinary five-day workshop integrates sculptural and drawing techniques to deepen students’ understanding of portraiture. The course emphasizes interpreting form, structure, and tonality through hands-on practice.

Part 1: The Planes of the Head (2 sessions) – Students will sculpt a life-sized portrait, focusing on major planar surfaces, and translate this understanding into a long-pose graphite drawing from the same model. This approach strengthens the correlation between light, form, and tonality.

Part 2: The Features of the Portrait (3 sessions) – Building upon the foundation of planes, students will sculpt and draw individual facial features while studying key artistic-anatomical structures. Through sculpting and graphite rendering, they will refine their ability to capture facial landmarks and apply hatchmark techniques to enhance form.

This immersive workshop offers a structured yet exploratory approach to portraiture, enriching both technical skill and artistic perception.

Please note that registration for this workshop is non-refundable and does not include supplies or materials; please see the Terms and Conditions for details before making the final purchase.

Questions? admissions@lymeacademy.edu or call 860-434-5232 ext. 202.

Artist Bio

Dan Thompson has exhibited in public and private collections throughout the world, including the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the National Arts Club, the Butler Institute of American Art, the Pasadena Museum of California Art, the Forbes Galleries, the Dahesh Museum of Art, Museo MEAM de Barcelona, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Shanghai Art Museum and Beijing’s World Art Museum. He has won numerous awards, ranging from the Grand Prize, American Society of Portrait Artists; First Prize in Figure Drawing at the Salmagundi Club; as well as two Bernstein awards from the Corcoran School of Art, and being designated a Living Master by the Art Renewal Center. Thompson co-founded two art schools in New York City, and has taught master classes and workshops internationally and nationally for more than twenty years. He has held long-term teaching appointments at the Art Students League of New York, the National Academy of Design, Parsons the New School for Design and Studio Incamminati. Since 2001, he has served on the faculty of the New York Academy of Art. He currently serves as Faculty Chair of the Certificate of Fine Arts program.

IG: @danthompsonart

To learn more, please visit DanThompsonArt.com

Daily Schedule

Day One: Salient Points, Facial Landmarks, the Great Cut (AM sculpting/PM drawing)

Day Two: Planes of the Head, Trapezoids within the Face (AM sculpting/PM drawing)

Day Three: The Cheekbone Staple (AM sculpting/PM drawing)

Day Four: The Nose as a Lesson in Triangles; the Ear as a Tapering Block (AM sculpting/PM drawing)

Day Five: The Greater and Lesser Eye, the Mouth and Muzzle (AM sculpting/PM drawing)

Supplies and Materials

The supply list will be provided to registered students. All supplies are available in the school store, de Gerenday’s Fine Art Materials and Curiosities.

Terms, Conditions and Policies

Registration and Enrollment Information

Registration and enrollment for workshops operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Full Payment Required:
    Registration must be paid in full at enrollment to secure a spot in the workshop. Registrants without payment or payment arrangements will not be on the roster.
  • Payment Plan Option:
    If you would like to arrange a payment plan, please email caitlin@lymeacademy.edu for more information and assistance in setting one up.

Workshop Refund Policy

Please review the following refund policy for workshops.

  1. 72-Hour Grace Period:
    Students may request a full refund for workshop registrations within 72 hours of signing up, provided that the workshop has not yet started. The refund request must be made within this 72-hour period for consideration.
  2. Non-Refundable Credit Card Fee:
    A 3.5% processing fee will be added to credit card payments. This processing fee is non-refundable.
  3. After the Grace Period:
    After the 72-hour grace period, no refunds will be issued for workshop registrations under any circumstances.

We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to contact us promptly if you have any questions or concerns regarding your registration.

Questions? 860-434-5232 ext. 202

Terms, Conditions and Policies