The Complete Portrait Painting Collection: All Four Online Courses

Learn to paint loose, expressive, colourful portraits in watercolour, oils and acrylics. You get all four of my online video courses together for one payment, with lifetime access. Every course follows my nine-step formula from reference photo to finished portrait, and every medium is painted in its own way, so each course teaches you something new.

  • Watercolour, two oil courses and acrylic
  • Paint from any reference photo
  • Beginner-friendly, no drawing experience needed
  • One payment, lifetime access to every lesson

4 Courses • 66 Video Lessons • 15+ Hours • Lifetime Access

A course by Matt MurphyPortrait artist, Brighton UK

Courses
4 complete courses
Lessons
66 videos
Length
15+ hours
Access
Lifetime, any device

Let customers speak for us

from 137 reviews

Thank you, I feel empowered to paint portraits - no longer paralysed by doubt

Alice Langtree
something new

the instructions give a new way of painting a portrait.

Therese Cruz
Wonderful

I love your 9-step method, it is very interesting. I have applied it in several portraits as you can see on my Instagram profile. Thank you very much for sharing your method
@alfonsocaballero_watercolor

Alfonso Caballero
Awesome!

I really loved this course. For me it was the perfect amount of straight forward information. It was great to watch the process from start to finish. It was a really inspiring course. Well done. Thanks for sharing!

Julie Hoffman
Love it

Matt’s demo’s are very clear and easy to follow. This was fun and exciting class. A++

kelly reemtsen
A Different Approach

I loved Matt’s “reverse” process for this course. I applied it to a portrait and it turned out pretty good. Looked nothing like Matt’s but I was seriously into it when I was far along. I will definitely try again and adjust the things that were “off” with my first attempt. Just wish I could think like Matt. But alas, I think like me.

Constance Wolfe

Very informative and easy to follow. Thank you Matt!

Alan
Great course to break out of traditional approach to painting

This course got me to use a different palette than the one I was accustomed to and build the structure of the face in an abstract yet sculptural manner by adjusting the colors of the shading. It also got me to work from light to dark and made me see the construct from a fresh perspective. Highly recommended for beginners but especially for painters looking to break out of a rut!

Penny Georgionis
Oils made easier!

This is a brilliant course really made things easier when using oils.
I always thought oils was a difficult medium to use but it really isn’t.
Thanks Matt!

Vikki H
Course is great!

Really good course thoroughly enjoyed it.
Lots of great points and information given by matt.
Well worth the money.

Dora P
Exactly What I Needed

I liked this fresh, minimalist and simple approach to watercolors.

Joanna V.
You wont be disapointed!

Really really good course!
To the point and straighforward.
Highly recommend!

j.
Helpful course

Thanks Matt for a really helpful course.
Made me re think how to aproach a painting making things easier.
Give it a go.

C.
Opened my eyes to using oils

I’ve always used acrylics to paint with and been a bit scared to use oils. I thought I would give this course a go and it really settled my fears about using this medium.
Highly recommend!

P.A.
Good course!

Really good course if you want to learn a slightly different approach compared to other courses.
I found it easy to follow Matt’s guidance.

marcelo h.

Everything in the collection

Four complete courses, each taking you from choosing a reference photo to a finished portrait.

  • Watercolour Modern, Vibrant Watercolour Portraits 15 video lessons, 3+ hours £39.99
  • Oil 1 Loose & Expressive Oil Portraits 17 video lessons, 4+ hours £39.99
  • Oil 2 Bold & Colourful Oil Portraits 17 video lessons, 4+ hours £39.99
  • Acrylic Modern, Colourful Acrylic Portraits 17 video lessons, 4+ hours £39.99
Bought separately
£159.96
All four together
£99.00

You save £60.96

  • 66 video lessons, 15+ hours of teaching
  • A downloadable pack for every course
  • Lifetime access, one payment
Get all four courses

Four courses, four ways to paint

Each course is complete in its own right, with a full real-time portrait narrated from start to finish.

A loose, colourful watercolour portrait by Matt Murphy

Watercolour

Modern, Vibrant Watercolour Portraits

15 video lessons • 3+ hours

My watercolour approach is different from the usual pale-washes-first method. I start by placing medium-value shapes, such as the shadow under the nose and the eye sockets, then lay two broad washes across the face that cross and overlap. The structure appears quickly, and the overlapping shapes give the portrait its loose, abstract character.

You’ll also learn to recognise when a painting already looks good, so you know when to stop.

  • Finish a portrait in a few hours
  • Medium values first, then broad overlapping washes
  • Keeps the colour fresh instead of overworked
See this course in detail
A loose, expressive oil portrait by Matt Murphy

Oil 1

Loose & Expressive Oil Portraits

17 video lessons • 4+ hours

Oils are more forgiving than most beginners expect. While the paint is wet, you can move a shape, change a value or paint over a mistake. I block in the whole face from light to dark using planned value shapes, then gently feather selected edges with a very soft brush and keep other edges crisp.

It’s a practical way to finish a loose, expressive portrait in a day.

  • Paint a portrait in a single day
  • Block in light to dark, then blend selectively
  • Balance soft transitions with hard, graphic edges
See this course in detail
A bold, colourful oil portrait by Matt Murphy

Oil 2

Bold & Colourful Oil Portraits

17 video lessons • 4+ hours

Oil 2 builds on my oil approach with a stronger focus on bold colour, expressive mark-making and creative freedom. If your paintings have ever felt too safe or too muted, you’ll learn to push warm and cool colour further while keeping enough value structure for the face to hold together.

It’s the course to take when you want your oils to feel braver and more personal.

  • Use colour more fearlessly
  • Exaggerate warm and cool temperatures
  • Semi-abstract results without losing form
See this course in detail
A colourful acrylic portrait by Matt Murphy

Acrylic

Modern, Colourful Acrylic Portraits

17 video lessons • 4+ hours

Acrylics dry much faster than oils, so the approach changes. You block in neighbouring colour and value shapes from light to dark, then link them by placing an in-between tone across the gap, rather than relying on oil-style soft blending. A slow-drying medium gives you a little extra working time.

Approachable for beginners, and a fresh, colourful way of working if you already paint in acrylics.

  • Build the portrait in clear, manageable stages
  • Bridge shapes with in-between tones
  • Work confidently with fast-drying paint
See this course in detail

One nine-step formula, adapted to each medium

The formula came from my own painting routine. I realised I follow the same broad process every time, so I organised it into nine steps you can learn and repeat.

It shows you where to start, what to do next and how to reach a finished portrait without getting lost in the details. The framework is the same in all four courses, but the painting itself is different in each medium, and that’s where learning all four really pays off.

In every course, you’ll learn to

  • Choose a reference photo with a good balance of light and shadow
  • See the face as connected value shapes, not separate features
  • Plan your lights and darks with a simple value exercise
  • Use the grid method so proportions don’t hold you back
  • Make bolder colour choices with warm and cool temperatures
  • Balance hard and soft edges, and know when to stop

What changes from medium to medium

Watercolour

Medium values first

Medium-value shapes go down first, then two broad washes that cross and overlap. Watercolour is transparent, so you plan carefully and protect your lights.

Oil 1

Light to dark, then soft blending

Block in the whole face from light to dark, then feather selected edges with a soft brush while the paint is still wet.

Oil 2

The same method, braver colour

The same oil process, used with stronger colour and freer mark-making for bold, semi-abstract portraits.

Acrylic

Light to dark, bridged with in-between tones

Acrylic dries quickly, so transitions come from placing an intermediate tone between neighbouring shapes rather than blending them like oils.

Private student community

Private student community

Every course comes with access to a private student community where you can share your work, ask questions and stay motivated.

  • Share unfinished work
  • Get feedback
  • See how others are progressing
  • Stay consistent
Lifetime access

Lifetime access

Stream all four courses on any device. Work through them in any order, and come back to any lesson whenever you start a new portrait.

  • Watch on your phone, tablet or computer
  • Pause, rewind and rewatch any step
  • No deadlines, paint at your own pace
  • One payment, no subscription

Downloadable course materials

Each course has its own downloadable pack: the materials list, the reference photo I paint from, a grid method guide and the one-page 9-step cheat sheet to keep beside you while you paint.

You’ll find all four packs as download links in your account.

Try it risk-free

14-day full money-back guarantee, no questions asked.

Your teacher

Matt Murphy (b. Brighton, UK, 1977) is a professional artist specialising in watercolours, oils and acrylics. He is best known for his unique abstract portraits, created through a modern, non‑traditional approach.

With decades of experience, Matt has exhibited in London and across the UK, and his work has been featured in art magazines and podcasts. He has been a judge for Sussex Portrait Artist of the Year and has completed commissions for clients around the world.

Driven by a lifelong passion for painting, Matt is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and methods so that others can discover the joy of creating art for themselves.

See new work on Instagram

Accessing all four courses is simple

  1. Create your account

    Use the same email address you bought the collection with.

  2. Activate it

    Click the link in the activation email we send you.

  3. Log in and start painting

    All four courses are waiting in your account, ready to start in any order.

Questions about the collection

What exactly do I get?

All four complete online video courses: Modern, Vibrant Watercolour Portraits (15 lessons), Loose & Expressive Oil Portraits (17 lessons), Bold & Colourful Oil Portraits (17 lessons) and Modern, Colourful Acrylic Portraits (17 lessons). That’s 66 video lessons and over 15 hours of teaching, each course with its own downloadable pack and lifetime access.

How do I access the courses after I buy?

After purchase, you’ll receive an email with a link to create your course account. Use the same email address you bought with. Once you log in, all four courses appear in your account and you can start any of them straight away.

Is it a one-time payment?

Yes. You pay once and keep lifetime access to all four courses. There’s no subscription.

I’m a complete beginner. Which course should I start with?

Every course starts from the basics, so begin with whichever medium excites you most. If you’re unsure, Oil Portraits 1 is a good first step: in my experience oils are the most forgiving medium, because you can rework the paint while it’s still wet.

Do I need materials for all four mediums?

No. You only need the materials for the course you’re working on, and each course has its own materials list in its downloadable pack. Everything is easy to find in art shops, and you don’t need expensive equipment or a studio.

What’s in the downloadable packs?

Each pack includes a materials list, the reference photo used in the course, a grid method guide and the 9-step cheat sheet. They’re available as download links in your account.

Can I watch on my phone or tablet?

Yes. The videos stream on smartphones, tablets and computers. They’re available to stream only, not to download.

What language are the courses in?

The audio is in English. Subtitles in other languages aren’t available at the moment.

I already own one of the courses. Can I get a reduced price?

Not at the moment. The collection is priced for buying all four courses together, and there isn’t currently a reduced price for people who already own one or more of them. If you have a question before buying, email support@mattmurphyart.co.uk.

Can I buy the collection as a gift?

Yes. After you buy, reply to your order confirmation email with the recipient’s name and email address, and we’ll transfer the course access to them.

Is there a money-back guarantee?

Yes, there’s a 14-day money-back guarantee. For refunds, contact support@mattmurphyart.co.uk.

Paint portraits in every medium

All four courses, 66 lessons and lifetime access, for one payment.

  • Watercolour, Oil 1, Oil 2 and Acrylic
  • A downloadable pack for every course
  • Private student community and direct support from Matt
£99.00 £159.96Save £60.96
  • Instant access to all four courses
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
  • Secure encrypted checkout