From photograph to finished portrait - Led by Elizabeth Porcel

Wednesdays 1:00–3:00pm | Oct 21, 28, Nov 4 & 11 | $175

You know that photo of your pet — the one with the judgmental expression, the one white paw, the ridiculous fluff. Over four weeks, you'll turn it into a finished gouache portrait that doesn't just look like an animal. It looks like your animal.

This isn't four sessions of copying a photograph. The first two weeks are about the decisions that make a portrait work — choosing a strong reference, simplifying shapes, building a color palette from your pet's actual fur (a black cat is never just black), and learning what gouache can do. Then weeks three and four are sustained painting time, so you finish one portrait you're genuinely excited to hang.

The four weeks: Week 1, choose your reference and design your composition. Week 2, mix your pet's palette and learn gouache on practice sheets. Week 3, establish the whole painting — big shapes before whiskers. Week 4, details, personality, and knowing when to stop. We end with all the portraits side by side with their reference photos, which is exactly as fun as it sounds.

You'll take home: your finished gouache pet portrait, plus your sketches, color studies, and a technique sampler.

Good to know: No painting experience needed. All materials included. Limited to 12 participants. Before Week 1, you'll bring 3–5 photos of your pet — we'll send a short photo guide when you register (and don't worry if your favorite photo isn't "perfect"; bring it anyway).

*Photo credit: İclal Çapoğlu Cinal