Two Figure Narrative Painting Workshop

Two Figure Narrative Workshop: In-Person

Michelle Doll | Spring 2026 | May 1 -3

Class Description:

In this workshop, we will create a two-figure narrative composition using both live models and photographs. The goal is to build paintings that feel intimate, charged, and story-driven by focusing on how two figures relate to one another and how their shared space can heighten meaning.

We will work in a direct painting method with an emphasis on painting flesh and form. You’ll practice mixing paint, making confident decisions, and translating what you see from life and photo references into stronger figurative compositions. We will also look at great painters of the past and present who found real connection with their subjects and turned that connection into deeply personal paintings. Throughout the workshop, we’ll explore the technical and practical choices that can amplify the emotional and conceptual depth of a narrative image. Along the way, students will refine their own methods while investigating what truly motivates the painting, emotionally, technically, and soulfully. From closely cropped figure pairings to genre-style setups, we’ll design compositions that feel powerful, intimate, and creatively alive.

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Workshop Dates:

Scheduled occurrences for the next session of this workshop are as follows:

Day	Date	Time
Day 1:	5/01/2026	6:30 pm - 9:30 pm ET
Day 2:	5/02/2026	10:00 am - 5:00 pm ET
Day 3:	5/03/2026	10:00 am - 5:00 pm ET

Before Class - Welcome & How to Prepare for Class
Day 1 - Lecture: Composition and Technical approaches: Creating a powerful, two-figure narrative composition and meaning in the technical process. 
Day 2 - Composing the two figure imprimatura sketch & Color and Value: Mixing a strong flesh palette to bring the narrative to life
Day 3 - Completing the Narrative: Finishing the Painting. - What makes a painting feel complete? Approaches and meaning in experimentation.
After Class - Wrap Up

$750.00
In-Person
3 Days
Beginner to Advanced

Meet Your Instructor

Michelle Doll

Instructor

Michelle Doll’s paintings capture quiet, private moments hinged on personal connections between herself and her subjects. Her paintings are infused with themes of intimacy and introspection and explore contemporary ideas about family, love, desire and femininity. Born in Canton, Ohio, she received her BFA from Kent State University (1999) and MFA from the New York Academy of Art (2006). Selected awards include the Prince of Wales/ Forbes Foundation Travel Grant (2006), Artist in Residence at Eden Rock on St. Barth’s (2008), The Bennett Prize Honorable Mention (2018), a fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (2019) and The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant (2024). Her paintings have been exhibited in the US and internationally with solo exhibitions at Pontone Gallery in London, Galleri Ramfjord in Oslo, Blank Space Gallery in NYC, DFN Gallery in NYC and Lyons Wier Gallery in NYC. She currently is an adjunct professor at New Jersey City University and has been mentoring artists for the past 20 years. Michelle lives and works in Hoboken, NJ.