Who this is for
You want to paint seriously. Not just follow along with a single project and call it done, but actually understand how to look at a subject and translate what you see into paint.
Maybe you've tried oil painting before and found it frustrating. The paint feels unforgiving, your artworks come out flat or overworked, and you can't quite pinpoint why. Maybe you've come from a drawing background, like I did, and need help adjusting to this new medium
This course is for anyone who wants to build a real foundation. The kind that doesn't just teach you to copy one reference photo, but gives you a way of seeing and working that you'll carry into every painting you make from here.
Why black and white
Painting in black and white isn't a limitation but one of the most deliberate decisions you can make as a developing painter.
Colour is beautiful and complex, but when a painting isn't working, colour makes it very hard to see why. The relationship between light and dark is what actually creates form, depth, atmosphere and the sense that something is real, and when you strip colour away there is nothing to distract you from learning to see correctly.
This is the same foundation the Old Masters built their work on. A fully resolved black and white underpainting, known as grisaille, was how many of them began before glazing transparent layers of colour on top, and starting here is not a step backwards. It is where serious painting begins.
What you'll learn
The method taught throughout this course is built around simplicity and layers. A limited palette of two pigments. A small selection of brushes. A process of blocking in dark and light, blending between them, letting it dry, and building again. It is repeatable, adaptable, and once you understand it, it becomes the foundation for everything else you paint.
Module List
Introduction
The philosophy behind the course: why simplicity produces better results, and what to expect throughout
Tools and materials
Everything used in this course, a simple list of supplies that get great results every time.
Outline and composition
How to transfer your composition to canvas and why the outline is a map for the values that follow
Painting the background
Mixing three tones of grey, working wet into wet, and completing the background in one session so the atmosphere is consistent throughout
The figure: first pass
Blocking in the darks and lights of the body, building form through tonal contrast, and understanding how to simplify what you see in the reference
The face
Mapping facial features through value, the importance of the eyelid and brow bone, and how to describe softness with precise marks rather than blending everything away
Hair
Building dark hair from shadow to highlight, creating individual strands with the right brush, and why committing to each stroke matters more than being precise
Arm and hand
How to keep peripheral areas gestural and soft so they don't compete with the focal point of the composition, and why a basic knowledge of anatomy helps even when you're not painting in detail
Drapery: first pass
Establishing the peaks and troughs of fabric, working from mid-tone outward, and how to create that translucent, light-filled quality that makes drapery feel alive
The foot
Painting extremities with enough suggestion to feel real without drawing the eye away from the focal point of the composition
Drapery: second pass
Using my unique method of layering to create texture and depth, here we sweep over the whole area to unify, then re-establish the values to create that soft, dreamy, floating quality
Face: refining
Returning to the face with intensity: the high points, the deep shadows, and blending only the edges of each mark so the structure stays sharp
Dark drapery and background drapery
Painting the trailing drapery in shadow, keeping it translucent against the background, and using tone to create the sense of space and depth behind the figure
Resolving the portrait
Standing back, assessing the composition as a whole, pushing areas forward and letting others fall away, and knowing when the painting is finished
Finished artwork
A final walkthrough of the completed painting and a reflection on the process
15 modules
Total video time ~ 119 min
Lifetime Access
About Carly
I'm a full-time visual artist based in Australia, working in oil painting and charcoal. When I made this course I was entirely self-taught: no formal training, just years of observation, experimentation, and patient repetition. I've since studied at the Florence Classical Art Academy in Italy, though the foundation here came long before that.
I made this course because black and white figure painting is where my own practice found its footing. It is where I learned to really see. And I believe it is still the most honest place for any serious painter to begin.
What students say
“This course completely changed the way I approach figure painting. Carly makes everything so easy to understand, from simplifying the figure into light and shadow to knowing where to add detail and where to let things fall away. I finally feel confident painting the figure without getting caught up in every little detail.”
- Rebecca
“I loved how clearly Carly explains every stage of the process. I learnt so much about values, creating form, painting realistic skin and achieving that beautiful softness in the drapery. It made a technique that initially seemed so complicated feel surprisingly achievable.”
- David
“Carly’s unique approach to black and white painting completely changed the way I see light and form. I especially loved learning how to use contrast, edges and subtle changes in value to create depth and atmosphere. I finished the course feeling much more confident and excited to start my own figure paintings.”
- Michael
Enrol in the course
✓ One-time payment - approx. $160 USD
✓ 15 video modules covering the complete painting process
✓ Full materials list
✓ Suitable for beginners and developing painters
✓ Lifetime access, watch at your own pace
This is a digital product with instant access. Please read through the course outline carefully before purchasing. Questions before you buy? Get in touch at hello@carlyrenee.co
The Complete Guide to Painting the Figure in Black & White
Sale price
$97.00 USD
Regular price
$249.00 USD
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The Complete Guide to Painting the Figure in Black & White
Sale price
$97.00 USD
Regular price
$249.00 USD
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any experience with oil painting?
No. The course starts from the very beginning with materials, canvas, and how to mix your palette. The method taught is deliberately simple and is designed to be accessible even if you have never picked up a paintbrush before. That said, it goes deep enough to offer something real to painters who have been working for years.
Why only two colours?
Titanium white and mars black are all you need to complete this course. Working with a limited palette forces you to focus on value rather than colour mixing, which is exactly the point. Once you understand how to build form in black and white, adding colour becomes a much more confident and deliberate decision.
What materials do I need?
The course includes a full materials module and the list is genuinely short: poly cotton canvas, two pigments, Winsor and Newton Liquin, a few brushes, and a palette knife. You don't need to have everything before you start, the important thing its to get going
Is this course suitable if I want to paint in colour eventually?
It is actually the ideal place to start if colour painting is your goal. Understanding value in black and white gives you a foundation that makes colour painting significantly easier and more intentional. Many of the most respected painters working today still begin new work with a black and white underpainting before introducing colour.
Is there a refund policy?
This is a digital product with instant access to all course content, so refunds are not available once the course has been accessed. If you have any questions about whether this course is right for you before purchasing, please get in touch at hello@carlyrenee.co
