The Teaching Studios of Art

09/26/2025

In our latest online tutorial, Instructor Robert Zeller explains the basics of mixing oil paint, using Degas's 'Portrait of A Woman in Gray," Zeller demonstrates how to analyze a painting reference, how to create three basic values—a light, middle and dark value—and then expand on those, utilizing a value string and a limited palette.

https://online.teachingstudios.com/courses/Basic-Color-Mixing-In-Oils

05/29/2025

“In The Studio: Advanced Painting Techniques with Adam Miller”

Learn advanced painting techniques from one of the most talented artists working today!

Painting techniques for female and male figures, with lessons in glazing, Direct and Indirect painting methods, anatomy, color, perspective, luminous shadows, and subtle transitions of form for hands, faces, torso and hair.

19 Videos. 7 hours of Content. 6 months (180 days) of streaming access from our website.

Learn advanced painting techniques for female and male figures, with lessons in glazing, Direct and Indirect painting methods, anatomy, color, perspective, luminous shadows, and subtle transitions of form for hands, faces, torso and hair.

04/19/2025

“In The Studio: Advanced Painting Techniques with Adam Miller”
19 Videos. 7 hours of Content. 6 months (180 days) of streaming access from our website.
Pre Sales begin next week!

Learn advanced painting techniques for female and male figures, with lessons in glazing, Direct and Indirect painting methods, anatomy, color, perspective, luminous shadows, and subtle transitions of form for hands, faces, torso and hair.

Born in 1979 in Oregon, Adam Miller began an apprenticeship to artist Allen Jones at thirteen years old and at sixteen, was accepted to the Florence Academy Of Art in Florence and continued his studies under Michael John Angel in Florence. For the next four years, Miller traveled throughout Europe studying the work of the Baroque and Mannerist painters. His work has been commissioned by Robert Pamplin Jr., the Chairman of the Board of the Portland Art Museum, Mike Tyson, and many others.

His most famous work, “Quebec” is a 9-by-10-foot masterwork exploring 400 years of the province’s history, rendered in a style and technique that draws from 17th-century Baroque art. I debuted at the unveiled at the McCord Museum in Montreal and traveled to Quebec City’s Musée national des beaux-arts.

04/17/2025

"In The Studio: Advanced Painting Techniques with Adam Miller"

Our latest online video series opens for PRE-SALES in one week

19 Videos. 7 hours of Content. 6 months (180 days) streaming access from our website.

https://www.teachingstudios.com/online-adult-art-classes

Learn advanced painting techniques for female and male figures, with lessons in glazing, Direct and Indirect painting methods, anatomy, color, perspective, luminous shadows, and subtle transitions of form for hands, faces, torso and hair.

Born in 1979 in Oregon, Adam Miller began an apprenticeship to artist Allen Jones at thirteen years old and at sixteen, was accepted to the Florence Academy Of Art in Florence and continued his studies under Michael John Angel in Florence. For the next four years, Miller traveled throughout Europe studying the work of the Baroque and Mannerist painters. His work has been commissioned by Robert Pamplin Jr., the Chairman of the Board of the Portland Art Museum, Mike Tyson, and many others.

His most famous work, "Quebec" is a 9-by-10-foot masterwork exploring 400 years of the province’s history, rendered in a style and technique that draws from 17th-century Baroque art. I debuted at the unveiled at the McCord Museum in Montreal and traveled to Quebec City’s Musée national des beaux-arts.

01/26/2025

New Class—Old Master Portrait Copying
Mondays, 7-9pm-
Rob Zeller, Instructor

Pictured: student work

In Old Master Portrait Copying, students learn an easy-to-grasp method of drawing or painting a portrait from references —either Old Master paintings or from photographs. By studying lessons from great artists, students learn how to prioritize what they observe from the source image, what to include in a sketch, and what to leave out. Students gain an understanding of the proportions of the face and learn how to translate the major masses into simple shapes that can be rendered in color quickly and accurately. They will learn to assign a range of values and colors to match the skin tones in light and shadow through direct perception, using only what they observe on the model in a given session. The ultimate point of the class is to develop the ability to create a painting from the live model, distilling to the essence of the portrait, rather than merely copying details. The simplicity of this approach transcends mere photo accuracy and allows for something more poetic. Students may also work with pencil and/or charcoal in this class.

To register or learn more:

https://www.teachingstudios.com/adult-art-classes-long-island/oldmasterportrait

01/24/2025

Figure Painting: The Historical Indirect Process With Noah Buchanan
A 15 hour course of indirect painting techniques based on Venetian methods from the Italian Renaissance. Learn to paint the n**e figure in three stages: Imprimatura • Velatura • Full Color Form Pass — 90 Days of Access • Reference Photos Included

To learn more or purchase access:

https://online.teachingstudios.com/courses/Indirectpainting

11/24/2024

Portrait Sketching in Oils • Mondays 7-9pm • Instructor  

In Portrait Painting And Drawing, students learn to draw and paint a portrait from the live model through both observation of the surface form of the face and understanding the structure underneath. To capture a likeness, we will study the proportions of the face as well as basic anatomy of the skull and facial muscles. Students will learn to assign a range of values and colors to match the skin tones in light and shadow, also learn to depict the textures of skin and hair. The instructor will demonstrate, in a slow step-by-step process—using the same drawing and painting materials as the students— who will follow along and develop their own drawings and paintings in a similar manner.

Pictured: work by and and Malia

To learn more, please follow the link in our profile.

03/09/2024

THROWBACK 2013:
"The Essential Color Study," a workshop in color/value studies, that was taught by Justin Hess has the distinction of being the ONLY sight-size workshop conducted at The Teaching Studios of Art in our 15 year history. It was taught at our Brooklyn location, in Bushwick, which we closed in 2014, though we've kept the Long Island studio going since then. Hess runs his own phenomenal studio program in San Francisco with his talented wife, Alicia Ponzo. Check them out at

As we gear up for a new batch of online classes and workshops, we are posting scenes from our previous workshops.

03/07/2024

THROWBACK 2019:
We hosted a workshop titled Figure Drawing on Toned Paper with artist Daniel Maidman.
In this workshop, students explored the luminous depiction of flesh on toned paper. Using Maidman’s standard drawing toolkit of white and graphite pencils and tan printmaking paper, students practiced techniques and received personalized critiques as well as discussion, demonstration about the fundamentals of life drawing.

03/07/2024

THROWBACK 2016:
Teaching Studios hosted a special workshop, “Alla Prima Floral Painting” guest instructor, Stephanie Deshpande. Students learned how to capture the beauty of a floral arrangement in oil paint, in one sitting.

11/08/2023

Announcing a new book, by The Teaching Studios of Art director Rob Zeller.

"New Surrealism: The Uncanny in Contemporary Painting" offers a sweeping exposition of both historical Surrealism and its legacy in the world of contemporary art. It demonstrates the many ways in which the most significant art movement of the last century continues to be relevant today, featuring an international selection of contemporary artists whose compositions and studio practice reveal its influence.

You can pre-order it here:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Surrealism-Advanced-Composition-Contemporary/dp/1580935699/

08/16/2023

Fabulous overcast, gloomy day plein air landscape painting at Cold Spring Harbor with , for our Summer Intensive workshop series. Students had a blast, as the rain held out till we finished.
Zeller’s compositional notations are seen in the sketchbook above his demo. Join us for the classes this fall. Click in the link in our bio to learn more.