This is a series of 3 full days. Dates are: 4th, 11th, 18th November 2021
Join artist Karen Innes to explore the wonderful world of painting plants and flowers over three consecutive Thursdays. Learn how to express and paint their beautiful shapes, fabulous details and colours, creatively using watercolour techniques to produce a piece of finished art work. During this series of days you will:
– Gain a brief historical insight into botanical painting.
– Learn how to observe closely and investigate botanical subjects.
– Learn how to lay out a piece of subject matter for impact.
– Learn techniques used in watercolour & gouache painting.
– Use specific techniques such as mixing greens and use of tonal values.
– Learn about texture mediums and gold leaf.
– Use different papers to create a variety of effects.
Week 1 will focus on drawing techniques and mixing colour and will concentrate on understanding ‘greens’ enabling a greater understanding of colour mixing in general. Karen will supply extra ‘experimental’ paint colours for mixing above the general palette you are requested to bring along. A fine felt tip pen (0.5) will also be supplied for the drawing but please feel free to bring your own if you have one.
As the weeks progress we will explore the way to develop work using a sketch pad and developing ideas for composition and creating excitement in seeing, doing and producing a piece of work. There will be homework. You will work through the process of selecting your subject, drawing up and layout of a design for your piece, and practice and develop your painting techniques as you work to complete your botanical artwork. Karen will be on hand to advise and give guidance and feedback throughout.
Please bring along a selection of subjects to draw from. . . These can be potted plants, flowers, bark or and natural artefacts . . i.e. shells, dried skulls, bark . . These could be used as a subject to draw from or even include in your work.
A selection of papers will be available to use and the cost for these and the paints will be £7 opposed to £5 previously requested on top of the course fee due to raising costs and further experimental work.
Click on the title below to find a list of what you’ll need to bring with you if anything.
What to expect
Time at ArtisOn is designed to take you away from it all. We provide the environment, space and guidance you need to create. You can expect a warm welcome, skilled and friendly tutors plus the chance to meet like-minded people keen to share ideas. You can even leave us to clear up the mess! There will usually be two workshops going on and we encourage everyone to mingle and be nosey about what the other workshop is up to.
We encourage you to arrive at 9.30am. This will allow time to meet other participants over a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits before beginning workshops at 10am. There will be a mid-morning break for refreshments and a chance to talk over progress with others. Lunch is usually around 12:45 for about 45 mins – you can expect a delicious homemade 2 course lunch. There will be a further afternoon break with tea or coffee and cake. All food and refreshments are included in the price of your workshop.
The finish time given is a target. There is some flexibility depending on how your work is progressing. Depending on the tutor and the group, start times for day 2 can be flexible too.
We aim for your day to be a real treat. You could always learn a new skill in a shed or a draughty village hall with a curly sandwich, but we want you to have more fun than that! So we make sure we provide a day where you will be looked after, with good food, good company and great inspiration!
What you’ll need to bring with you
There will be some materials and equipment available to borrow.
However participants should bring their own core materials as follows.
• X3 magnifying glass (easily obtained from a optician or ordered online)
• Pencils HB and 2B
• Putty rubber
• Sketch book
• Paint brushes (preferably sable) sizes 5, 3, 1.
• The following colours of Artists Quality Watercolour Paints used:
Transparent Yellow
New Gamboge
Burnt Sienna
French Ultra Marine
Cobalt Blue
Windsor Blue Green Shade
Windsor Red
Quinacridone Magenta
Permanent Rose
Burnt Umber
If you would like to purchase any of this at cost from Karen on the day, please let us know.
Please bring a selection of subjects to draw from, these can be potted plants, flowers, bark or and natural artefacts . . i.e. shells, dried skulls, bark
Please note there is a small charge of £7 to cover papers and other supplies used during the 3 weeks, where the type and quality selected are really important.
