The course will involve walking daily along the meanders of the River Lavant, close to West Dean College. The riverbed has barely changed over the centuries, but our world has. The water holds and keeps so many species alive: the ones living in the river and the ones around it. Plants, insects and water creatures will delight your senses along the walks. The land appears so different seen from the river bank, where special permission has been granted to gain access. During the month of May, the watercress is in flower and some of the river is transformed by it. The weather will be changing and the reflections in the water too, and so will your perception of the world as you walk.

You will walk and draw along and against the flow of the River Lavant, with special attention given to the water’s flow and how the river meanders through the land. The close up and the far away will be explored, and you will be encouraged to question where your focus will be.

You will be encouraged to record through drawing your observations and your thoughts. Your tutor will give you drawing exercises to follow, and she will work individually with each of you to improve your recording skills. You will be taught how to find a focus and a personal area of interest. With your tutor’s help, you will develop and expand your sketches back in the studio into a series of larger, well considered works.

The course is aimed at developing and recording skills through drawing your awareness to nature and how we are all interconnected. The course aims to expand your drawing skills. You will be encouraged to develop ways of responding to nature with a free approach and plenty of interpretation in the studio. You will be taught how a few sketches can be transformed into a coherent artwork.

At the end of the course, you will have a full sketchbook with drawings and notes. You will also have learned to plan, develop and produce a series of artworks to take home. You will have discovered how a body of water tells its own story by spending time with it.

Please note, there will be two walks along the river. You will need to be physically able to walk at a leisurely pace for approximately three hours on uneven ground on both walks.

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

• On this course the College will supply some black and blue and brown ink, charcoal willow and compressed charcoal to share amongst the group, plus a variety of papers, including cartridge paper, tracing paper, graph paper, grey Rives BFK paper, watercolour paper, tissue paper and newsprint.

What students need to bring

• Drawing equipment and materials you like to work with and a sketchbook – on this course, students often need to replenish their materials or try out new ones from the shop. The list isn't definitive, it is about exploring and experimenting, taking inspiration from peers, artists, the walks and responding creatively and intuitively.
• A camera or your phone camera
• VERY IMPORTANT, please bring a portable water container and a small portable bag or backpack to carry a small amount of drawing media and sketchbook.
• Walking shoes and adequate clothing for the weather
• A small A5 sketchbook for the walks
• Your favourite drawing materials
• Water based materials such as ink, water based pencils and water based graphite stick
• If you have watercolour paints, you might want to bring those too.
• Good quality cartridge drawing paper, A1 size and 160gsm minimum weight
• A2 size paper for ink based work
• A Chinese brush, medium size, and a selection of brushes
• An apron/artshirt

Available to buy

• Available from shop:
• A good selection of art materials, including inks, pens, pencils, brushes, a good variety of different papers and sketchbooks, water based pencils, watercolour paints, etc.

Additional information

The course will include two walks along the river. You will need to be physically able to walk at a leisurely pace for approximately three hours on uneven ground with a backpack containing a small amount of equipment, plus a snack and a drink.