Streaming Video Collection
Welcome to Robert Liberace’s streaming video collection, a library of 12 instructional videos exploring classical painting, drawing, sculpture, and anatomy. These classes are designed for artists of all levels seeking in-depth, high-quality instruction in traditional techniques.
Each video is streamed directly from this site , no downloads required, and can be viewed on any device.
In order to view excepts from the videos click here
How to Watch
1. Complete your purchase securely and begin streaming right away.
2. Click any video in the collection to begin.
3. Select your preferred rental option…pricing is built directly into each video player.
For more detailed information and instructions click here
The model poses and anatomical diagrams for all released DVDs and Streaming can be found here.
THE ALLA PRIMA PORTRAIT
The Alla Prima technique, also known as premier coup, is a bold and immediate approach to painting, where the image is completed in a single sitting using wet-into-wet application. Celebrated for its freshness and vitality, this method captures the energy of the brushstroke like no other. Masters such as Frans Hals and Joaquín Sorolla used this dynamic style to achieve dazzling, expressive portraits.
In this video Rob demonstrates the Alla Prima approach by painting a portrait of his friend, artist and filmmaker Adam Lubkin. As the portrait takes shape, Rob discusses the structure and planes of the face, the interaction of color and light, and the materials that support this vibrant, efficient process. A dedicated chapter on materials is also included.
GRISAILLE: THE PAINTED SKETCH
Join Rob as he creates a monochromatic figure painting in oil on paper, using a limited palette of brown and white. Known as grisaille, this classical technique emphasizes value and form without the complexity of color, allowing artists to focus purely on light, shadow, and structure.
Although traditionally used as an underpainting for full-color works, Rob treats the grisaille as a finished piece. He walks viewers through each stage of the process, from selecting the pose and organizing the composition to applying paint and refining the final details. Materials, techniques, and practical tips are clearly explained throughout.
THE CLASSIC PORTRAIT
This four-hour video presents a traditional, step-by-step approach to portrait painting, beginning with a monochromatic underpainting and progressing to luminous color glazes. The first day focuses on grisaille to establish form and value, while the second day introduces color, bringing life and subtlety to the portrait. This two-stage method, practiced by masters such as Raphael and Ingres, yields works with both radiant depth and strong structural clarity.
Rob uses historically accurate materials throughout the demonstration, including authentic pigments like lapis lazuli and vermilion, as well as classical mediums enhanced with wax and leaded glass. These time-honored tools help recreate the richness and glow of Renaissance and neoclassical portraiture.
THE FIGURE SKETCH IN OIL
In this in-depth video, Rob explores the figure in oil using a full-color palette. Filmed in real time, the demonstration begins with a simple monochrome sketch that is gradually blocked in, modeled, and refined, ultimately developing into a complete figure study, all within a single sitting.
Along the way, Rob shares insights into key aspects of the painting process, including the power of a dynamic underpainting, strategies for anatomical accuracy, and techniques for controlled, expressive modeling.
Special features include a section on materials and previews from other videos in the series.
THE WATERCOLOR PORTRAIT
Watercolor and ink offer a remarkable range of possibilities from swift, expressive sketches to richly developed forms. Masters like Rembrandt and Goya elevated the ink sketch into a profound art form, blending precise linework with soft, tonal washes. Similarly, artists such as Dürer, Sorolla, and Sargent demonstrated watercolor’s ability to capture both refined detail and the fleeting beauty of light and atmosphere.
In this 2-hour, 9-minute video, Rob explores the portrait in watercolor, working both in full color and monochrome. Through two in-depth demonstrations, he reveals watercolor’s expressive range from broad, abstract washes to finely observed anatomical precision. Materials are clearly explained, and each demo includes a step-by-step approach to guide viewers through the process of creating a finished portrait.
THE PORTRAIT IN THREE-COLOR CHALK
The classic trois crayon technique, using red, black, and white chalk, offers one of the most elegant and effective methods for rendering the portrait. This approach evokes the warmth and subtle complexity of flesh tones while maintaining a disciplined focus on form and structure. Masters such as Rubens, Watteau, and Holbein used this method to create some of their most expressive drawings.
In this video, Robert Liberace guides you through the complete process of creating a portrait in three-color chalk. From selecting materials and preparing the paper to developing structure, form, and final highlights, every stage is clearly demonstrated and explained.
THE FIGURE IN MOTION
Classical figure drawing is charged with energy, capturing the body’s full range of strength, movement, and vitality. This dynamic approach brings a kinetic excitement to the page, a hallmark of the classical tradition.
In this video, Rob explores the art of drawing the figure in motion, tracing the process from selecting and arranging the pose to the final expressive accents. Each stage reveals how gesture, structure, and rhythm combine to create a figure that feels alive on the page.
RED CHALK: WORKING LARGE
The warmth and subtlety of natural red chalk have captivated artists since the Stone Age. Renaissance artists discovered it was ideally suited to intimate, finely detailed studies. But with the advent of modern pastels and Conté crayons, artists can now scale up their vision, bringing the elegance of red chalk to larger, more expressive formats.
In this two-hour video, Rob demonstrates how to create a large-scale red chalk drawing from a live model. Throughout the process, he shares insights into materials, tools, and techniques, while exploring the possibilities of bold, physical mark-making within this timeless medium.
SILVERPOINT AND INK: THE FIGURE AND PORTRAIT
Among the many drawing techniques available to artists, silverpoint and ink stand out for their grace and refinement. These timeless mediums were favored by early masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer, whose works showcase their extraordinary subtlety and power. In this nearly three-hour video, Rob demonstrates the expressive potential of silverpoint and ink using specially prepared paper, silver styluses, and a variety of ink types. Through techniques such as hatching, crosshatching, and linear glazing, he reveals the luminous beauty and disciplined elegance of these classical methods.
ANATOMY: THE TORSO
For centuries, anatomical study has been essential to the artist’s craft. From Leonardo’s masterful dissections to Michelangelo’s powerful figures, an understanding of anatomy has shaped some of history’s greatest works of art. In this 2-hour, 48-minute video, Robert Liberace continues this tradition by exploring the fundamental anatomical forms that define the torso’s light, shadow, and structure.
Working from a live model, Rob demonstrates how each major form-defining muscle, from origin to insertion, contributes to the surface anatomy. Using a modified three-color chalk technique, he highlights the direction, character, and bony landmarks of each muscle with clarity and nuance.
The video also includes a detailed reference gallery featuring anatomical diagrams drawn by Rob. Each diagram corresponds to the model’s pose and includes labeled origins, insertions, and muscle actions to support deeper understanding.
ANATOMY: THE ARM AND HAND
Anatomical knowledge has long been a cornerstone of the artist’s training. From Leonardo’s luminous studies to Michelangelo’s commanding figures, anatomy has inspired some of the greatest artistic achievements in history. In this 3 hourvideo, Robert Liberace continues that tradition with a focused exploration of the arm and hand, two of the most expressive and structurally complex parts of the body.
Working from a live model, Rob demonstrates how each major muscle group contributes to the form and motion of the upper limb. Using a modified three-color chalk technique, he carefully renders each muscle from origin to insertion, highlighting direction, structure, and bony landmarks.
The video includes a set of detailed reference diagrams drawn by Rob, corresponding to the pose in the demonstration. Each diagram features labeled origins and insertions to reinforce anatomical understanding. A chapter on materials is also included.
THE PORTRAIT SKETCH IN TERRA COTTA
In this two-disc set, follow the step-by-step development of a terra cotta portrait bust over the course of two days. Rob covers every stage of the process, from selecting materials and massing the form to refining details and discussing sculpture’s valuable connection to painting and drawing.
Working in three dimensions offers a powerful way to deepen your understanding of structure, helping artists grasp the subtleties of planes, musculature, and bone formations. This knowledge directly enhances techniques such as brushwork in painting and cross-hatching in drawing, leading to more dimensional, lifelike results.
Terra cotta, with its natural warmth and exceptional versatility, has long been a favorite of artists, from the life-sized warriors of ancient China to the expressive portrait studies of Rodin. Even painters like Degas and Zorn explored its creative potential to expand their visual language.