Watercolour behaves (and can misbehave), like no other medium. First
time painters can find it difficult to master, while more advanced
watercolourists often reach a threshold beyond which they find it
difficult to develop. Books, videos and TV programmes can be very
informative, but have one major disadvantage - there is no feedback
or constructive appraisal of your work as you try to progress.I run various kinds of watercolour courses. An introductory course begins with first principles and teaches you how to master the medium, developing a style which is all your own. Courses are clearly structured and take you step by step through a number of logical stages, building eventually to a comprehensive understanding of watercolour. The course includes;
- A general introduction to the working properties, advantages and disadvantages of the raw materials – paint, brushes and paper.
- Looking at tone – what tone is; its importance in modelling your subjects; how to see tonal relationships clearly and record them accurately with the brush; worked examples.
- Looking at colour; including not only the primaries and secondary’s, but also the theory and importance of the complementarys and colour temperature; the logic of colour mixing and avoiding mud; lots of worked examples.
- The do’s and don’ts of composition – arranging you and your subjects.
- Producing depth in your work – using colour, tone, composition and the rules of linear and aerial perspective.
- Techniques and terminology – A whole armoury of techniques, including wet-into-wet, lost and found edges, dry brush, masking, sponging, spatter, time lapse – the key to success; plus lots more, with examples of how and when to use them.
- Improving your drawing technique – working with line and tone as a preparation for watercolour, including lots of tips on training your eye to see and prioritise.
As a member of a small, friendly group, you will work from life and look at the work of other professional artists, including occasionally my own work in progress, to open your mind to a variety of styles and help accelerate your development.
THE NEXT INTRODUCTORY WATERCOLOUR COURSE WILL COMMENCE ON THURSDAY EVENING, 15TH MARCH 2012 (Places available at time of publication).
For the more established artist, two alternative courses are available; on Wednesday afternoons (2-4.30pm) and Thursday mornings (9.30-12 noon), each enabling you to consolidate your working practise in like company. We can develop subject areas of your choice (still life, portraiture, landscape etc), or explore and develop particular areas of your technique. Issues such as becoming looser; balancing values in your work; the importance of timing in watercolour; turning an image or scene into a working plan of attack; improving observation skills; and prioritising subject elements, to name but a few.
Unlike those for beginners, courses for the more advanced operate on a rolling programme so you can start at any time, with prior notice, beginning with an in-depth analysis of your work followed by an agenda to address areas for improvement.
Wednesday and Thursday groups also take on the different challenges of working outdoors when weather allows and the Thursday group has its own DVD library; options to work in other media (charcoal/pastel/acrylics/oils); and an annual exhibition of its work in October each year.
All courses are held at the Old School in Dore, Sheffield; cost £90 and consist of 9 classes each of 2.5 hours duration.
THE NEXT ESTABLISHED PAINTER COURSES WILL COMMENCE ON WEDNESDAY 4TH JANUARY 2012 (Two places available)
AND THURSDAY 5TH JANUARY 2012 (fully booked but please contact me if you would like your name added to the waiting list or you would like to discuss one to one tuition)
For details and to book on any course please contact me
Workshops & Demonstrations
I work with Art Groups and
other agencies to give watercolour demonstrations and workshops.
Prices are subject to duration and distance travelled.Subject matter can be your
choice or mine and need not result in the production of a painting -
watercolour surgeries based on questions from the floor often prove
extremely valuable.
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Watercolour demonstration at Fanshawe Gate Hall, Derbyshire, on a superb day in May 2009 |
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For further
details/bookings, please contact me
