PAINTING DOESN’T HAVE TO BE INTIMIDATING

Have you ever wondered how artists of the past produced such beautiful, compelling paintings?

How they created scenes full of life and emotion- the kind that capture your imagination and transport you to a different world?

You’re not alone! Even with a great art education, I spent years feeling stuck, not knowing how to put the skills together and falling into perfectionism- it was paralyzing!

After diving into every article, study, and clue on how artists like Bouguereau, Bonnat, and Gerome were trained, I uncovered surprisingly simple, clear, and FUN techniques to making great paintings. Now, I’ve distilled these methods into a straightforward framework that I’m excited to share.

In this workshop, you’ll follow my process and historical examples to learn the complete picturemaking journey—from concept sketches, building props, drawing models, color studies, to painting the final piece. By keeping things simple and manageable, you’ll see how the ‘impossible’ becomes possible, faster and more easily than you might think!

My goal is for you to leave this workshop inspired, energized, and with a clear understanding of how to transform your ideas into narrative paintings, empowering you to create your own beautiful, unique work. Whether you're in art school or learning independently, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro- if you’re looking for a blueprint for your art education, if you want greater creative freedom and you’re tired of wondering, this is the workshop for you!

TESTIMONIALS

“There is an overwhelming amount of places online to learn how to draw or paint. However, almost none of them show you how to apply that knowledge to create meaningful art. Ramon provides excellent foundational techniques that anyone can learn from, but his true strength lies in teaching you how to guide your learning based on your own goals. The Prix de Rome is a captivating narrative that reveals how the great masters of the past were just like us. With the right knowledge, we too can paint like them. Before discovering Ramon's courses, I was stuck in a cycle of endlessly acquiring technical information without ever stopping to ask myself, "How does this make me more creative?" After the narrative painting masterclass, I feel confident in my ability to create great original artwork in any medium.”
-Jake Taplin @jakedontdraw
“Ramon is the best teacher I've ever had because he gets right to the core of what painting is and shows his students how to implement their ideas in the simplest, most direct way possible. His narrative painting class has been an invaluable resource because it’s taught me that successful projects, no matter their complexity, rely mostly on good planning. This class is unique because he doesn’t just show you how to paint a study of a head, arm, etc, but instead discusses how this sort of work fits into the development of an idea from sketch to final canvas. And he does all of this in the most approachable terms, teaching his students how to solve visual and creative problems regardless of style and medium. All the things I’ve learned from Ramon have made my own work much more purposeful and enjoyable, I can’t recommend his classes enough!”
-William Yeats Ihrig @yeatsihrig
“Ramon’s Prix de Rome painting course was transformative, finally linking concepts I had only encountered in fragments before. I had felt lost in a sea of art instruction, unsure how to achieve the storytelling power of the 19th-century masters. Ramon’s historically grounded methods changed everything. His structured approach and use of analogy sparked countless “aha” moments, with each lesson directly connecting to storytelling, making everything click as never before. I revisit his course often, finding fresh insights each time. His mentorship not only advanced my work but also gave me the confidence to start my own teaching practice. Ramon’s teaching provided a path that has fully empowered me to realize my artistic ambitions.”
-Nathe Thompson @nathe_thompson

Lesson 1: History of the Prix de Rome and French academic training

6hr 30min

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about how 19th century artists learned to draw, paint, and how this training allowed them to compose narrative paintings for the Prix de Rome.

Lesson 2: Storytelling and setting up props

7hr 30min

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about how 19th century artists learned to draw, paint, and how this training allowed them to compose narrative paintings for the Prix de Rome.

Lesson 3: Making studies and gathering references

9hr 15min

Working with live models to create believable characters- when to make drawn or painted studies, managing detail and capturing facial expressions. We’ll also cover materials, color mixing and simple drawing and painting techniques to keep the process manageable.

Lesson 4: Putting the scene together

5hr 45min

Painting a color sketch of the overall scene, correcting perspective and transferring the drawing to the final canvas. Starting the final painting- how to use your life studies, how much to put into the painting and what to augment to support the story.

Upcoming LIVE bonus lesson- December 1, 2024

11am - 6pm PST

Finishing the painting- repainting problem areas, making additional studies and how to know when you’re done. Recap of the process and final Q&A.

NARRATIVE PAINTING MASTERCLASS

$249 $199

Step-by-step process for drawing, painting and composition · 30+ hours of video · Bonus LIVE session · Rare historical process images · Books and resources

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes! This course is meant to introduce you to the entire creative process, so you can plan an art education that works for YOU.

This way, you’ll waste less time on pointless exercises, or choosing between dozens of different methods. Instead, you’ll be able to focus on getting the tools you need to make the art you dream about.

AND it’s never too early to start composing and thinking about your creative work, instead of just technical studies!
Yes! The recordings are yours to keep and do not expire, so you can come back to them again and again. They also come with subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and Mandarin.
Think of this as a big friendly chat. There will be no homework or critiques, just a ton of practical information, juicy art gossip and a good time! The goal is not to teach you one new skill, but to show you all the creative tools at your disposal, so you can apply these ideas in your own work.

I want this course to be like your personal reference library- anytime you have a question about the big picture- how long to study anatomy, how to use perspective, where to learn more, you’ll find answers here!
No! Historical painting just gives us a great way to show how all elements work together as a team, from composition, to anatomy, to perspective, color and more!
BUT these ideas apply to all kinds of creative work, from the simplest sketches, to still life, portraits and landscapes. You’ll be able to use as much or as little of these concepts as you need, in any style of your choice.