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11

Watercolour Miniatures: Landscapes - Essential Techniques

Creating ‘fine art to hold in the hand’ this course is specifically focused on the skills and techniques for miniature landscapes including village scenes, beach scenes and depicting the four seasons.

Is there a difference between a miniature and a small painting? During the week the participants will learn the specialized techniques that define the miniature.

Each step of the process to paint a miniature will be demonstrated from initial concept sketches for composition to the final, finished painting. Reference material will include pictorial examples of the development process, a library of photos and finished, mounted and framed works. One to one tuition is provided as required. All participants will be given the opportunity to mount their work ready for framing.

All essential materials, detailed advice and supporting notes will be provided. Bring your own paints and brushes if you wish or contact me for further advice.

CS:

12

Focus on Watercolours

This course explores in detail certain aspects of watercolour painting and reveals the reasons for and the potential of using the best materials to produce the best of paintings, especially when aimed at particular subjects and themes.

If painting is a ‘language', then your brush strokes are the ‘words' of its ‘vocabulary'. Pursuing the analogy, the dexterity or ‘fluency' with which you use them becomes your own style or way of ‘speaking'; your signature.

Whether you are relatively new to watercolours or more experienced, this course will develop your skills of observation, and complement these with a sensitive handling of brush and paint. We will reinforce your understanding of a challenging medium and give you a foundation and springboard for making attractive paintings that will not only please you but which you'll be proud to show to anyone. For your interest this course could complement last week's course 'Watercolours: Into the Light'.

CS:

13

Architectural Watercolour

This is a beginner’s/intermediate’s opportunity to learn how to draw and paint buildings in watercolour. During the week, demonstrations will be given by the tutor in the different skills and techniques of drawing and painting in watercolour and will also help guide students individually through the exercises. The course is based on buildings using photographs supplied by the tutor and also includes sketching on site in the grounds of the college.By the end of the week students will be able to produce watercolour paintings using the skills and techniques learnt during the course.Materials will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own if you wish.

CS:

14

The Figure in the Landscape

A figure can bring a painting to life. It can enhance a landscape and make a picture. It shows scale and can create a focal area. To make figures comfortable in the picture, the size and proportion has to be right. The course will begin in the studio with a clothed model to study the proportions and the movement of a figure. Once we have learnt the simple rules of the figure the students will go out with sketch booksand cameras to capture figures in action. This will be followed by painting the landscape and adding figures. Paintings will be done in the college grounds, in the town or further afield depending on the weather. Sketchbooks, drawing paper and watercolour equipment will be provided. Easels and stools may be available if required. Students may paint in any medium of their choice i.e., oils, acrylics but will need to bring these materials. All equipment should be light and portable as we will paint out of doors weather permitting. The course is ideally suited to intermediate and advanced students who are fit and able to walk fair distances carrying their own equipment.

CS:

15

Drawing and Painting Trees

This new course will take you through all you need to know about drawing and painting trees in a variety of mediums. From bare winter trees to summer foliage and autumn colour, from individual trees to groups and whole woodlands! A range of creative techniques will be applied to experiment with, alongside good observation and drawing skills. Weather permitting we will venture outside to paint the real thing in all its variety and glory. All levels of ability are welcome.

CS:

16

Oils for All

Have you ever wished you could try oil painting, but have been discouraged by the mystique that sometimes seems to surround the subject, not to mention the noxious fumes? Using water-mixable oil paint that eliminates the use of pungent solvents, we will be delving into the practicalities of colour mixing, brush and painting knife technique, together with the application of paint on board, to achieve a variety of surface textures in your paintings. Add to all of that a little knowledge gained through employing the use of a colour wheel and some basic colour theory and we will explore ways in which colours can be combined and made to work in order to achieve fresh, vibrant pictures. As the title suggests this course is suitable for all levels of ability. Students will have the chance to work on a number of subjects, both inside the studio and outside in the beautiful college grounds. These will include still life from ‘set pieces' and ‘found' objects, as well as outdoor subjects from photographs and on location, weather permitting. Leading by example, there will be demonstrations at every stage, as well as one-to-one support throughout the week. Working at your own pace, you will receive sympathetic tuition from an experienced and friendly tutor. All materials and equipment will be provided, but if you have one or two interesting photographs or objects that you would like to work from, please bring them.

CS:

17

Oils: Landscapes and Seascapes - The Essentials and Beyond

If you are just starting out or have some experience with oil paints and want to develop a surer approach and personal style, this course is for you. An understanding of tone is vital in oil painting and if it is developed in a well-composed under painting portraying the subject's variety of dark and light areas, then it becomes the foundation for successful work. Our landscape and seascape subjects will be painted directly all in one go, or by a slightly more careful approach. I hope that one painting will be based on an outdoor sketch of your own complemented by a reference photo I will take. Additional reference will be from my own work or location photos I provide. Original paintings will be on show, together with sketches, reference photos, demonstrations, and painting notes for you to keep for future reference.

This course is a modified version of that in 2009. It is not the same; differing notably in that the subjects we will paint will be new.

CS:

18

Pastels for All

Soft pastel is an exciting and versatile medium. Arguably the easiest of the mediums to use, its pedigree stretches back as far as the Palaeolithic cave paintings! Since it is a ‘dry' medium, it has many advantages: it is possible to work continuously on the same picture without first having to let it dry; it is very direct - there are no brushes, palettes or other paraphernalia. Above all it is very forgiving, i.e. any mistakes can be easily rectified. As the title suggests this course is suitable for all levels of ability. You will be shown how to use the pastel medium to achieve a variety of surface textures and incorporate them into your work. We will look at composition and you will learn how to evaluate tonal values and colour. Our subject matter will include ‘found' objects, still life ‘set pieces', landscape from photographs and other source material, and outdoor subjects, weather permitting. Through the use of demonstrations at all stages and one-to-one guidance, students will receive sympathetic tuition and may work entirely at their own pace. All materials and equipment will be provided, including a free box of pastels for you to take away with you at the end of the course. If you have your own pastels and would like to use them, please feel free to bring them. You may also like to bring one or two of your own landscape photographs from which to work, although there will be a large selection available.

CS:

19

Developing Your Style in Acrylics

Throughout the week we will explore various painting techniques with a view to improving your style. Also covered will be the colours and equipment we use. Subject matter will be provided, please feel free to bring along any sketches or photos that you would like to try. There will be several demonstrations throughout the week to illustrate different methods of working. Individual tuition at all levels is given as and when required. You will find plenty of enthusiastic encouragement for painters, both accomplished and those with less experience.

CS:

20

Into the Abstract

How do you develop a figurative drawing into an abstract painting?  This exciting new course will examine some of the concepts of abstract painting. Looking at the work of 20^th Century artists for we will use them as inspiration for doing our own abstract work. It is planned to do many paintings within the week examining different ways of working. The course is ideally suited to intermediate students who are confident about handling paint, however the feeling of being free, uninhibited and being willing to tread into the unknown, will be the most important quality to bring to this course. Students may work in the media of their choosing.