Learn Oil Painting Foundations

Hi, my name is Alexander Hayden and I'm an artist.I began working with charcoal and oil paint at age 14, and now have 15 years of consistent experience with drawing (graphite and charcoal), painting with acrylic, oil, and pastel, photography (film + digital, as well as editing experience), digital art (well-versed in ProCreate), tattoos, art business work (preparing and selling art, navigating gallery and museum relationships), and more generally how to live as an artist and maintain an obsession with artistic expression and growth. That includes how art can be a tool to help you live a better life. I've shown work in galleries in NYC and Chicago, I now split my time between NYC and Paris and am well-involved in the artistic communities of each of these art hubs. I've studied many well-respected teachers and artists and understand how best to learn the skills of figurative artwork and portraiture from the foundation up. I’ve lost count of the number of books on anatomy, figure drawing, oil painting techniques and materials, and philosophy of artmaking that I’ve read. Having been through a long journey of learning to draw and paint and photograph, I can caution against pitfalls and guide towards efficient growth. You get to learn from my experience.I love to teach.I teach above all because I truly enjoy it. The moment people go "Aha! This is working" is a moment I live for in my own work, and to see it in others is to experience that same joy myself. We'll tailor teaching methodology to your level of experience and your goals, and we'll keep the focus on building your portfolio of artwork. The more work you make, the better. Building and maintaining the habit of good art-making is a process that requires accountability, and I'll help you maintain that accountability to yourself. ​Our classes will be focused on helping you make final pieces of artwork that you'll be proud of, and constantly making even better work after that. ​