From Value to Color:
The Figure In Watercolor
A 3-day Workshop with Mario Andres Robinson
October 17-19, 2025 (Friday evening through Sunday)
Friday, 6-10pm, Artist's Demonstration and Discussion (link to public tickets below)
Saturday, 10am - 5pm, Workshop
Sunday, 10am - 5pm, Workshop
(1 hour lunch break each workshop day)
Early Registration Deadline (discounted): September 12
Final Registration Deadline: October 3
{ REGISTER HERE }
Tuition
Early Registration by September 12
$384 / Student Rate: $326 (with valid student ID)
Regular Registration after September 12, by October 3
$480 / Student Rate: $408 (with valid student ID)
* Discount student rates offered only with valid academic student i.d. We will contact you to obtain verification in advance of the workshop.
Description
Discover how values transform into luminous color in this focused watercolor portrait workshop. Designed to help artists slow down, look closely, and bring the figure to life with clarity and depth, the class works from a sustained live portrait pose to build paintings step by step.
The workshop begins with careful drawing and a monochromatic block-in to establish structure and values. From there, artists will layer transparent watercolor glazes, gradually developing luminous skin tones, subtle atmosphere, and a sense of realism. This methodical approach emphasizes observation, patience, and craft—tools that expand both technical skill and artistic voice.
Whether you’re refining your portrait practice or new to working in watercolor, this workshop offers the opportunity to sharpen your eye and deepen your understanding of how drawing, value, and color work together in painting the human form.
Class Size
Minimum:10
Maximum: 15
Materials List
[ download/print PDF of Materials List HERE ]
Level of Study
This class is suggested for individuals with some figure drawing experience. Basic knowledge of watercolor light and shadow is expected.
PUBLIC DEMO (open to the public): Friday evening, October 17, 6-10pm
$20 general public; $12 for current students w/ valid academic I.D.)
(Reserve tickets on Eventbrite here)
The demo is the introductory part of Mario's first workshop with Manifest Drawing Center. These tickets are specifically for the general public not enrolled in the workshop.
On Friday evening, October 17th, Manifest Drawing Center will welcome visiting artist Mario Robinson to our historic Central Parkway facility, where he will conduct a full 3-hour demonstration of his approach to making a portrait in watercolor, discussing media, approaches, and processes. Mario will discuss each phase of his process while completing one or more portraits in front of the audience. All attendees are encouraged to ask questions throughout the demo. There is a good chance that the intermission refreshments for this workshop will be served on the newly restored historic Manifest West Studio Terrace! (STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES) |
AREA ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THOSE TRAVELING TO ATTEND
For those traveling to Cincinnati to attend this visiting artist workshop, there are many exciting or practical options for accommodations. For a special stay within a mile of Manifest's new facility, we would recommend checking with The Clifton House Bed & Breakfast* (https://thecliftonhouse.com), or The Gaslight Bed & Breakfast (https://www.gaslightbb.com). Alternatively, the 21c Museum Hotel is in the heart of downtown just four miles from our location (link). Many other common hotels are within a few miles of our location as well. Those who are new to Cincinnati may want to arrive a day early and take in the Cincinnati Art Museum and Taft Museum of Art.
*We have confirmed that the Clifton House will honor a special discounted rate for Manifest workshop participants when rooms are available.
LOCATION: Unless otherwise specified, all courses are hosted at Manifest's new facility at 'M1' in Clifton at 3464 Central Parkway (see map and directions below). Manifest's new facility provides multiple studio classrooms, private lesson space, a darkroom, a film processing room, and a multi-purpose lecture and class meeting space as well as on-site parking, grounds, and exterior spaces in which to relax, discuss, and make art. The studios are outfitted with professional equipment, furniture, and study aids.
Map to Manifest's M1 Studios | Studio Calendar | Darkroom Calendar
Manifest's new home on Central Parkway is a historic 1932 structure ideally suited to the various programs of the Manifest Drawing Center (and future Manifest Gallery). Even now, mostly unchanged from 93 years ago, it serves as a playful collaborator in our educational mission. Students and guests are inspired by both the content of our programs, and the spaces in which they occur.
Learn more about Manifest here! |
Works by Mario Robinson
About the instructor
The work of Mario Andres Robinson fits squarely within the tradition of American painting. Robinson's finished works bear a close affinity to the masters of the realist tradition, Andrew Wyeth and Thomas Eakins. Containing few references to modern life, Robinson's work has a timeless and universal quality, and exhibits a distinct turn-of-the-century stylistic aesthetic. The images he chooses, which refer to a bygone era where solitude and reflection were abundant, also provoke frequent allusions to the paintings of Winslow Homer and Edward Hopper.
Robinson is an Exhibiting Artist Member (EAM) of The National Arts Club, an Artist Member of The Salmagundi Club and a Signature Member of The Pastel Society of America. His work has been featured several times in The Artist's Magazine, The Pastel Journal, Watercolor Magic, American Art Collector, Fine Art Connoisseur and on the cover of American Artist magazine. In the February, 2006 issue of The Artist's Magazine, Mario was selected as one of the top 20 realist artists under the age of 40.
Mario Andres Robinson was born in Altus, Oklahoma, where he resided with his family before relocating to New Jersey at the age of twelve. Robinson studied at the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. In 2014, Robinson was chosen to be a Brand Ambassador for Winsor and Newton art materials. He is the author of "Lessons in Realistic Watercolor," a comprehensive guide of the artist's watercolor techniques (Monacelli Press).
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