Course Description

Explore an exciting and different approach to pastel painting focusing on colour and mark-making.

You will begin by sketching in the grounds of West Dean Gardens before returning to the studio to work on mount board using gesso, acrylic paint and (chalk) pastel. If the weather is awful, you will work from sketches or photographs, so please bring what you have just in case.

There will be demonstrations of simple mixed media processes. The emphasis will be on individual guidance helping you to improve your personal experience and understanding of painting.

By the end of the course, you will have gained an understanding of this mixed media process and how to incorporate it into your painting methods.

Timetable

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, 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)

Course Materials

Included

• Some magnolia emulsion paint to share amongst the group.

What students need to bring

• Bring any reference material you might like to work from in case of poor weather (sketchbook studies, printed photographs).
• Large water vessel, rags, overalls or apron
• Tape and newspaper to cover finished work for transportation
• Hair dryer
• Selection of decorators' paintbrushes to include 1 inch and the more tired or wrecked the better!

Available to buy

• Available from shop:
• Sketchbook, pencils and charcoal
• White smooth mountboard (2-3 sheets)
• A selection of acrylic paints to include Paynes Grey
• Waterproof black Indian ink
• Pastels (not oil) to include a selection of soft pastels and also a harder type such as Conte a Paris pastels or Caran D’Ache
• Paint palette with several large wells
• Selection of paint brushes, a large decorator brush 1 – 1.5 inches
• Spray fixative
• Clear gesso (not white)