Article: New Lesson 'Hollywood Glamour' just released
New Lesson 'Hollywood Glamour' just released
Learn How to Paint this Classic Hollywood Portrait
This tutorial goes beyond portrait painting—we’re recreating the photograph itself. Every crease, fold, and mark on the surface is included, right down to the piece of tape holding it to the backing board.
We'll create the illusion that you’re not just viewing a painting, but an authentic vintage photograph fixed to the canvas.
In this lesson we look closely at the fine details—the scratches, softened edges, and slightly worn corners, as well as the way light plays across the paper. Alongside this, we’ll focus on the portrait itself: subtle shading on the face, the shine in the hair and the soft trail of smoke rising from the cigarette holder.
I’ll help you capture the glamour and realism of vintage Hollywood on canvas.
In this full-length 14 part lesson with clear, real-time instruction, you’ll learn how to establish tonal values, achieve smooth skin tones, and balance light and shadow to create depth and atmosphere.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll not only have created a glamorous 1950s-style portrait, but also a trompe-l’œil painting that tricks the viewer into believing it’s an actual photo—tape, folds, creases and all.
This is such a classic subject, full of style and character. I hope you find this lesson as rewarding to paint as I did to create!
Happy painting
