Make exciting abstract work on canvas, paper and board using a wide range of materials and paints. These include water-based paints such as acrylics and watercolours, inks, oil paints, pigments, glitter and plaster. Work with collage fabrics, papers and transparent cellophane, together with binding agents such as linseed oil, PVA glue, mediums and wax. This is an opportunity to extend your creativity and do what you haven’t done before. This way of working can lead back into your studio work or be the start of something new, in both figurative and abstract painting.

You will be experimenting and discovering different ways of mixing and applying paint, exploring their unique qualities and how they react with other materials when combined on different surfaces. As you explore the chance factor in your experimentation, forms, shapes and marks will become apparent from the making process.

You will be encouraged to work with shapes, forms, textures, lines and marks spontaneously and intuitively to give you a freeing experience and greater confidence in painting and making art. You will be looking at abstract artists and painters for inspiration, such as Tapies, Keifer, Helen Frankenthaler, Sigmar Polke, Blinkey Palermo, Alexis Harding, Rauchenberg, Gillian Ayres and many more.

There will be demonstrations for each technique, group discussions and one-to-one tuition.

By the end of the course, you will have increased your enjoyment, curiosity and skills at handling all the different materials. You will have a better understanding of composition and materials, greater trust in your decision-making and a greater sense of play in making art.

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Included

• The course includes the cost of providing some MDF per student and some materials shared amongst the group including wax, decorating filler, Cellophane, PVA glue, pigment, linseed oil, studio safe solvent and acrylic medium to try.

What students need to bring

• Paints – one tube of an acrylic paint, one tube of watercolour paint and an oil paint, in three different colours, linseed oil, studio safe solvent such as Zest it or Sansodor, acrylic medium
• 5 sheets of A1 cartridge paper, 5 sheets of A1 newsprint paper, 5 sheets of A1 sugar paper, 1 sheet of A1 watercolour paper, some tissue paper
• Canvas boards, boards, canvas or heavy duty calico
• 2 x MDF boards, any size
• Sketchbooks, PVA glue, masking tape, pencil, ink, glitter
• Brushes, small and large (decorator’s brushes)
• Water based varnishes, matt or gloss
• Overalls and a face mask for when using pigment
• Gloves for when painting with hands (also available in the studio provided by the College)
• Any fabrics (e.g. netting, transparent or old sheets, pillowcases)
• Any household paint you might have, varnishes
• Any poster paints, pigments, watercolours, oils, acrylics you might have (any quantity or colour)
• Pigments are available from Jacksons Art Supplies London, Russell and Chapple London and AP Fitzpatrick, London (free delivery)
• Any visual information that you feel inspiring to work from

Available to buy

• Available from shop:
• A good selection of art materials, including acrylic paints, watercolour paints, oil paints, linseed oil, Zest-it, acrylic medium, A1 cartridge paper, newsprint paper, sugar paper, watercolour paper, tissue paper, canvas boards, canvas on the roll, MDF boards cut to size, sketchbooks, PVA glue, a good variety of brushes, including decorator’s brushes, masking tape, pencils, ink

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio. This includes stout covered footwear, i.e. no open-toes or sandals.