Book a Demonstration
Ryan Martin offers art materials demonstrations, college lectures, corporate art events, hands-on workshops, and retail staff training throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including Santa Clara County, Marin County, the East Bay, and the Peninsula.
With over 25 years of experience, Ryan combines materials expertise with an approachable, engaging teaching style. Each session is tailored to your audience’s interests, experience, and goals, bringing practical learning to colleges, art supply stores, conferences, workplaces, and artist groups.
Through live demonstrations, clear explanations, and open discussion, attendees discover how materials behave, why techniques work, and how to choose tools for their creative goals. They leave with practical knowledge, fresh ideas, and greater confidence in their materials.
Explore the two demonstration formats below to find the right fit for your audience.
Materials Lecture
Observation-Based Learning • Materials Education • Guided Q&A
Great for College Institutions, Art Centers, Museum Members, Art Groups & Collectives
These sessions are focused on watching technique, understanding material behavior, and building artistic knowledge without the pressure of producing a final artwork. Participants may take notes and ask questions throughout.
Materials are demonstrated live and provided to examine, but not used hands-on.
No art is made during this session — this is a demonstration and knowledge-building experience.
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2 hour visit
Live demonstration of techniques for the selected medium
Discussion of cost, care, sourcing, and workflow
Best practices, common mistakes, troubleshooting
Time for Q&A, open conversation, and specific problem-solving
Handout option available upon request
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Lecture Rate (up to 40 attendees)
Graphite - $400
Graphite softness & hardness, sharpeners, erasers, line weight, shading, gesture, contour, composition
Color Pencil - $450
Pigment, dye, binder, layering, blending, burnishing, paper
Watercolor - $500
Pigments, binder, wet into wet, washes, paint mediums, brushes, paper
Acrylic - $500
Pigments, binder, wet into wet, layering, paint mediums, brushes
Oil Painting - $600
Pigments, binders, alla prima, indirect painting & glazing, paint mediums, solvents, safety, brushes, varnishing
Online Lecture Option
Any medium: (up to 200 attendees)
Travel
For locations more than 25 miles from Berkeley, CA: $0.75/mile round trip.
Make & Take Tutorial
Hands-On Guided Art-making • All Materials Provided • Artwork Goes Home
Great for retailers (showcasing products/brands to customers), small drawing/painting groups (meetups, conferences, art societies)
These workshops are project-based and skill-building.
Participants will create a finished drawing or painting, learning step-by-step technique and practicing alongside the instructor.
All materials are provided for use during the session and must be returned afterward.
Participants keep their completed artwork.
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Graphite (Recommended for Beginners & Foundations)
Great for groups new to drawing, focusing on shapes, shading, and confidence-building without pressure. Can also customize project based off of groups interest (to be discussed during planning/scheduling stages)
Example Projects:Shaded sphere + cube composition, simple still-life of fruit, step-by-step animal silhouette with light and shadow.
Professional Color Pencils (Recommended for Groups Wanting Color Without Mess)
Ideal for studios, classrooms, or mixed-age groups — allows vibrant results using layering and blending techniques.
Example Projects:Gradient color wheel bloom, simple realistic leaf, layered gummy bear or soft candy drawing.
Watercolor (Recommended for Relaxed, Calm, Flow-Based Classes)
Perfect for adult groups or team-building — watercolor encourages creativity and loosens perfectionism.
Example Projects:Abstract sky + horizon landscape wash, loose floral bouquet, simple koi fish or jellyfish with soft gradients.
Acrylic (Recommended for Bold, High-Impact Visual Results)
Great for participants who want vivid color and strong shapes; works well in lively or high-energy group settings.
Example Projects:Simple sunset with silhouette foreground, stylized pop-art fruit or flower, layered mountain landscape with three values.
Oil Painting (Recommended for Adult Studio Environments and Slower Pace Learning)
Ideal for groups wanting a richer, more traditional painting experience — focuses on thoughtful layering and blending.
Example Projects:Small tonal value study on canvas, simple pear or apple still life, mini landscape block-in using three colors.
What’s Included
All materials (borrowed) such as pencils, brushes, paints, palettes, trays
Paper or canvas depending on medium (canvas is kept in Acrylic/Oil workshops)
Personalized coaching and technique support
Encouraging, structured guidance throughout
Participants Take Home
Their completed piece
(Not the art materials, those are returned at the end)
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Graphite
$400 (Group Size 10-20)
$500 (Group Size 21-30)
Step-by-step guided drawing
2 hours
Color Pencil
$500 (Group Size 10-20)
$600 (Group Size 21-30)
Layer & blend full-color drawing
2 hours
Watercolor
$550 (Group Size 10-20)
$650 (Group Size 21-30)
Complete watercolor painting
2 hours
Acrylic
$600 (Group Size 10-20)
$700 (Group Size 21-30)
Canvas painting
2–2.5 hours
Oil Painting
$650 (Group Size 10-20)
$750 (Group Size 21-30)
Learn safe oil workflow + canvas painting
2–2.5 hours
Travel
For locations more than 25 miles from Berkeley, CA: $0.75/mile round trip.
“I came in curious and left excited about painting again. Ryan’s demo reminded me why I fell in love with art in the first place.”
“He manages to make even technical material feel exciting. You walk away feeling smarter and more confident with your tools.”
“Ryan’s deep knowledge of pigments and oil painting techniques blew me away. You can tell he’s spent decades refining his craft”