All of our online classes are recorded and made available for viewing for the duration of the session. Thus, missed classes or time zone differentials are not a major concern. You can rewatch a given lesson as many times as you want within the session you are enrolled.

A class designed for artists of all levels of experience

In this online Figure Painting course, we will study after specific master works in order to gain a better grasp of light and form as it pertains to a strategically organized painting practice. Conceptual and technical demonstrations will provide insight, and students will receive direct feedback on their work. The goal for the course is to help the students cultivate a skill set that will make for a more mindful, efficient and enjoyable painting process.

Each week will feature a given concept. Students can expect to get one finished drawing per session, and many short sketches and anatomical notes. Artist will paint monochromatically, then in full color.

5 essential concepts will be taught:

1. Gesture and rhythm of the pose
2. Basic proportions and geometry of the figure
3. Blocking-in using anatomy and a specific understanding of light and shadow
4. Modeling form
5. Finishing and refining touches

Figure Painting #3003

• Paint (Artists Grade - Gamblin, Holbein, Rembrandt, etc)

  Limited palette. Contact me if you have questions or are interested in working with a more extended palette.

  • Titanium White

  • Yellow Ochre

  • Cadmium Red Medium

  • Ultramarine Blue

  • Ivory Black

• Brushes

  I prefer to use rounds - I have a variety of sizes (nothing too big for this course, unless you want to work large). A medium range should be fine. I like to have at least 3 of each size.

• Support

  My preference is portrait grade linen, but that can get pricey. Stretched or mounted cotton canvas, or an acrylic gesso primed panel is fine, as well. For studies, I like Canson's Canva Paper or Arches Oil Paper (scraps of linen can be useful too)

• Board

  Something like cardboard or masonite to tape studies to

• tape

  I like black artists tape

• Easel

  Or something to prop up your support

• Palette

  Wood, Glass, etc. One that you can hold, or to lay flat - up to you.

• Medium Jar

  Something to keep your medium in (can be one that specifically clips on to your palette, or just a small regular glass jar)

• Brush cleaner

• Sealable container for cleaning brushes (with OMS)

• Solvent

  Odorless Mineral Spirits (OMS) - I use Gamsol

• Oil for medium

  Stand oil &/or linseed oil - I combine the two with OMS to make a medium

• Palette knife

  For cleaning palette and premixing paints

• Sealable tupperware or a Mastersons stay wet palette box

  To keep paints/palette in

• Clove oil (food grade)

  A few drops of this onto a paper towel that has been taped to the top of the tupperware will help the paint last longer.

M. Tobias Hall (b. 1981) lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Tobias has an MFA in Painting from the New York Academy of Art (Class of 2017), and received his BA magna cum laude in Fine Arts (with a focus on Animation) from Arizona State University.

He has taught drawing and painting as a visiting instructor and assistant instructor at Studio Escalier (Paris & Argenton Chateau, France), at the Ryder Studio School (Santa Fe, NM), online with Studio Incamminati. 

I’m absolutely loving this class, I’m learning so, so much!
I find the online class setting so much more motivating and rewarding than just watching an artist demo with no human interactions! I still can’t believe I can be painting in Australia in a class in America! So cool! Thank you so much for this opportunity ! :)

Kalinda W

I am enjoying the class so far and like having Toby Hall as the instructor. He breaks topics down easily for each class and is very organized.

Kaitlyn H

 Now Registering Spring Session 1 •  Feb 22- April 4
Winter Session 1 has started. Contact the school for information on late admittance by clicking here. 

To view more of instructor’s work, click on the images