Painting the Figure in a Landscape

Sheila Barbone

This 5-week course is designed for painters with prior experience who are looking to strengthen their skills by learning how to integrate the human figure into a landscape setting. Using a provided photo reference (a beach scene), the instructor begins with a demonstration covering key techniques.

Students then work from the same reference image, applying those techniques with line, brushwork, palette knife, and color to ensure the figure is fully integrated into the environment—rather than appearing separate from it.

Through guided instruction, individual feedback, and in-class critiques, students refine their approach, build stronger compositional skills, and create more cohesive and engaging figure-in-landscape paintings.

5-week series