Zorn Palette Portrait in Oils

In this oil painting portrait course, we will examine the incredibly simple yet versatile Zorn palette. Developed by the late 19th Century Swedish painter Anders Zorn, this palette consists of only 4 colors. Using such a limited palette not only simplifies the color mixing process, it also produces cleaner, more concise flesh tones. Not only will we learn to get the most out of this sparse selection, we will also cover measuring, drawing, blocking in, and modeling the human head to produce a head and shoulders portrait that pulsates with life.

About the instructor: 

Paul Abeleira is a graduate of Western’s Visual Arts program. He continues his own studies in still life and portraiture in workshops  in New York, Wisconsin and Arizona, and has instructed artists in many facets of visual arts. Paul has taught at TAP for over 10 years and has received positive responses from his students who characterize him as a sensitive coach with a broad range of skills and knowledge. He is committed to making the learning experience worthwhile.

Thursday evenings from 6pm-9pm

November 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2025

Instructor: Paul Abeleira

Location: Cocker Fulton

$200 + materials

Maximum of 10 students

Materials

4 canvases or gessoed panels, 9 x 12 or 11 x 14 inches each (or similar size)

2 flat or filbert hog hair brushes, size #6

2 flat or filbert hog hair bristle brushes, size #4

2 round hog hair or synthetic sable brushes, size #2

#4 or #6 fan brush (optional)

Oil Colours

Titanium White (large tube recommended)

Yellow Ochre

Cadmium Red Light

Ivory Black

Optional Color – any blue (French Ultramarine, Phalo, Prussian or similar) 

Other Materials

Odorless thinner (Gamsol, Taltine or similar is ideal)

Brush washer or glass jar with tight fitting lid (for holding thinner)

Wooden handheld palette

Paper towels or rags