Mastering Self-Portrait in Oils

Methods of Classical Realism

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In this immersive 6-hour course, Arthur Gain guides you through one of the most cherished and fundamental practices in art: painting a self-portrait from observation using a mirror.

This powerful exercise not only sharpens your skills in drawing, painting, and color mixing, but also serves as a profound act of philosophical self-reflection as meditative exploration of your own identity and artistic journey.

Arthur demonstrates his award-winning direct painting method in real time, captured with multi-camera detail so you can see every brushstroke and decision clearly. As he paints, he explains his process step by step while analyzing master self-portraits from different historical periods.

You’ll gain deep insights into composition, symbolism, color harmony, and the technical traditions that have defined self-portraiture in oils for centuries.

This course is based on materials from a 2-day self-portrait workshop held in December 2025, featuring thoroughly edited multi-camera footage for the best viewing experience.

Duration: 6 hours | Skill level: Any | Access: Lifetime

You will learn:

How to set up your home studio for a successful and efficient painting practice

1

2

How to create comfortable and effective self-portrait set up using mirror

How to combine constructive drawing methods with observational practices to achieve likeness while maintaining a painterly look

3

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How to plan, prepare for and execute the portrait in two days

5

Techniques for analyzing and mixing skin tones through observation and practical application

How to add a personal touch to a self-portrait by introducing subtle narrative elements

6

What Students Are Saying:

“First class.....excellent course... I learnt so much and Arthur was attentive to my progress, patient and super helpful with any issues I was having. I really appreciated the recordings and how information was easily accessible with it being divided into smaller lesson titles. ”

Pavllou Kokko
“This was a very helpful bootcamp both in helping me ground my fundamentals, as a largely self-taught artist, but also to see how Arthur pushes away from the reference/model to make decisions as an artist.”

Martin
“I loved the way Arthur explained so many techniques in detail and shared so many insights... All over my learning curve was very steep and I understood a lot more than what I ever did with just watching YouTube videos or studying books. There is not much to improve - it was really the best art instruction course I ever did”

Sigi Dannheimer
"This was such a wonderful learning experience; I’m saddened that it is over but excited to put all this new knowledge to work! Many thanks for being an exceptional instructor and thanks again to Kelsey, an amazing assistant."

Lori Barrison
"Extremely helpful and thoroughly enjoyed it. The mixing of skin colors was the most beneficial and what colors can do on the canvas next to each other also."

Patrick Stacy
"It was exactly what I needed as I had been away from painting portraits for a couple of years and although had been attempting on my own some self-doubt. This challenge gave me the tools to feel confident and new approaches to make it more interesting."

Santiago Perez
"Completely satisfied. This was my favorite course to date. The instruction was extremely clear and the step by step approach enabled me to build solid foundations and retain important information. I am quite slow and am still working my way through the course but knowing that I can work at my own pace has made the journey a rewarding experience."

Roda Fisher

First-week special price

Lifetime Access

$145180

6 Hours of content

Fully narrated real time demo. Video on setting up the mirror for successful practice

Access to Alla Prima Academy community

BUY NOW

Pay in 3 monthly installments

Full Access + Private Critiques

$275310

45 minutes Private Zoom Critique session with Arthur Gain

6 Hours of content

Fully narrated real time demo. Video on setting up the mirror for successful practice

Access to Alla Prima Academy community

BUY NOW

Pay in 3 monthly installments

No added VAT or extra fees. 30-day money-back guarantee

About Arthur Gain

Arthur Gain, based in Barcelona, Spain, is a self-taught oil painter with a diverse artistic journey. His works have been showcased in esteemed venues worldwide, including the MEAM in Spain, the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum in the US, and the Museo La Contea Del Caravaggio in Italy.

Arthur is a winner and finalist of numerous international competitions, including the prestigious BoldBrush Award, finalist multiple times in competitions such as BoldBrush, ModPortrait, and ARC Salon.

Nowadays, Arthur focuses on personal projects and commissions for private and corporate clients. Additionally he continues to share his expertise with a broader audience both offline and online, including professional artists seeking to enhance their skills in oil painting and alla prima technique, as well as students at the Barcelona Academy of Art.

Website: arthurgain.com

Mastering Self-Portrait in Oils

Methods of Classical Realism

First-week special offer ends in

You will learn:

1

2

3

4

5

6

“First class.....excellent course... I learnt so much and Arthur was attentive to my progress, patient and super helpful with any issues I was having. I really appreciated the recordings and how information was easily accessible with it being divided into smaller lesson titles. ”

“This was a very helpful bootcamp both in helping me ground my fundamentals, as a largely self-taught artist, but also to see how Arthur pushes away from the reference/model to make decisions as an artist.”

"This was such a wonderful learning experience; I’m saddened that it is over but excited to put all this new knowledge to work! Many thanks for being an exceptional instructor and thanks again to Kelsey, an amazing assistant."

"Extremely helpful and thoroughly enjoyed it. The mixing of skin colors was the most beneficial and what colors can do on the canvas next to each other also."

"It was exactly what I needed as I had been away from painting portraits for a couple of years and although had been attempting on my own some self-doubt. This challenge gave me the tools to feel confident and new approaches to make it more interesting."

First-week special price

$145180

$275310

About Arthur Gain

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