Portrait from Life
with Ivan Loginov

🗓️ July 12th to 18th 2026

🎨 Portrait from Life

Full Board Accommodation: 1710€ to 2480€ for 6 nights based on room choice & single or shared occupancy.

Tutor's Fee: 700€

Partners & family may join the trip as non-participating guests without the teaching fee.

Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Ivan's Website

Accommodation

Course Description

Portrait from Life is an intensive five-day course in painting and drawing led by Ivan Loginov, focused on the portrait as a complete and coherent artistic image. Throughout the course, participants explore the relationship between head, figure, and space, as well as the role of pose, proportions, and silhouette in building a convincing portrait.

The course is based on sustained work from the live model and is aimed at developing a structured and thoughtful approach to portrait painting from start to a finished result. Special attention is given to careful observation, analysis of form, and the construction of a compositionally unified image.

The course is grounded in the traditions of the Russian realist school, with its emphasis on close study of nature, clear structural construction, accurate proportions, tonal and color relationships, and anatomical logic. Key professional aspects of portrait painting are addressed, including composition, organisation of form in space, tone, colour, and the expressive character of the model.

During the course, each participant will complete two finished creative portraits.

The course is in English and is open to participants of all levels. However, it will be most beneficial for artists who already have some experience in drawing and painting and wish to deepen and systematize their understanding of classical portrait painting.

Course Schedule

About Ivan

Ivan Loginov is a contemporary academic painter whose formation began in Siberia and matured at the I.E. Repin Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. His early connection to classical art, combined with years of formal training, shaped a style that fuses precision, balance and emotional resonance.

In his portraits, the discipline of the academic school meets a distinctly modern sensibility. Working in a refined realist tradition, Loginov captures the individuality of his sitters with clarity and restraint, allowing light and form to reveal the essence of character. His practice reflects a commitment to timeless craftsmanship while engaging with the visual language of today, earning recognition from audiences and collectors worldwide.

Materials required to bring yourself:

Canvas

Fine-grained canvas on a stretcher frame
Recommended size: from 40×50 cm to 60×70 cm (minimum 40×30 cm, maximum 50×60 cm)
Aspect ratio can vary — square or rectangular — depending on your composition

Drawing Tools

Sketchbook
Graphite pencil or charcoal (for sketching)

Painting Tools

Palette
Double dipper for mediums
Palette knife
Brushes: a variety of large and small sizes, both bristle and synthetic (including fan brushes)
Rags or a roll of paper towels

Mediums

White spirit
Linseed oil

Oil Paints (at least 15 colors recommended)

You may use your regular set. These are suggested colors:

Titanium White
Lemon Yellow
Cadmium Yellow
Light Ochre
Raw Sienna
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Red
Burnt Sienna or Burnt Umber
Raw Umber
Mars Orange Transparent
Van Dyck Brown
Viridian
Cobalt Blue
Cerulean Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Ivory Black or Mars Black

Materials for Underpainting

Wide brushes or a roller
A few tubes of acrylic paint (white, ochre, sienna, umber, black) for the underpainting layer
Jar for mixing acrylics with water
Spray bottle
Roll of paper napkins

Materials List for Drawing Class

You are encouraged to choose one of the following drawing techniques:

Graphite with wet sauce
Graphite with toning
Charcoal drawing

Paper

Smooth, texture-free drawing paper
Recommended size: 40×50 cm to 50×60 cm
Aspect ratio can vary based on your composition

Drawing Tools

Sketchbook
Graphite pencils (B–8B) for graphite drawing
Charcoal pencils (avoid wood stick charcoal) for charcoal drawing
Soft brushes (for wet sauce technique)
Erasers — recommended brands: Milan, Koh-I-Noor (elephant logo), or your preferred brand
Pencil sharpener

Creative Freedom

You’re welcome to experiment with alternative materials and techniques — creativity is encouraged!

Note: The only medium not supported in this class is watercolour.

P.S. This list is a recommendation to help you prepare and feel confident in class. If you're missing a few items — no worries at all! We will find ways to adapt and make the most of what you have.

Ivan Accommodation