Course Suitability: Suitable for all

Maximum Participants: 12

Course Description:

I found, early on, running courses, that a good structure was the most beneficial format. We explore colour mixing using a limited palette and the use of different brush types to develop the painting. I will go through creating the picture stage by stage and although we are all working on the same composition , because of the wonderful nature of watercolour, no two pictures will be the same. Exciting things happen!
www.johnhorton.co.uk

Materials Required:

I supply a sheet of A3 200 lb Two Rivers handmade watercolour paper with a composition lightly marked out with 4H pencil. Cost £4 per person. PLEASE BRING: Palette: Ideally 2 large white plates to build up areas for colour washes. Brushes: Wash brushes up to 5cms width. and a variety of watercolour brushes. I favour Pro Arte riggers. 0 to 6.  Paint: I use artists quality Winsor and Newton paints:  permanent rose, permanent magenta, cadmium yellow, cadmium lemon and cobalt blue. If you don’t have these or don’t wish to buy them bring cobalt blue (sky colour) a red and a yellow. Miscellaneous: Hair dryer, kitchen roll and a few scraps of watercolour paper to test colour mixes. Supplies: www.jacksonsart.com

About the artist: 

I have always been fascinated as an artist by being able to take a flat piece of paper and create distance and light in that space. I have worked with watercolour as my favourite medium for over 40 years, the last 10 years running courses in my studio and with art societies and groups. I have a passion for the natural world in all its forms. Birds are my favourite subjects often in a landscape setting. A number of years I have been artist in residence at Nature in Art (Feb. 11th. To 16th. 2025) and organize and take part in The Wildlife Art Society International annual exhibition in a marquee on the lawn at Nature in Art over spring bank holiday. (May 24th. To June 1st. 2025.)

Places are on a first come first basis.

To secure your place on this course a £25 non-refundable deposit is required.

All courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members

Course Suitability: Suitable for all

Maximum Participants: 12

Course Description:

A one day workshop aimed at introducing and exploring the subject of sketching birds. Suitable for anyone with an urge to draw!
The day will include:
•    A look at simple avian anatomy, focussing on the movement of the skeleton and feathers and their effects upon form and structure.
•    Simple sketching techniques for capturing an image.
•    A brief discussion on suitable materials for use in the field.
•    A brief look at foreshortening effects.
•    Adding colour to a sketch.
•    Putting it all into practice using reference material.

Participants will need to provide the following materials:

1/ A good quality pad or book of cartridge paper, or loose sheets.
2/ A selection of B grade pencils, charcoal, or graphite drawing pencils.
3/ An eraser.
4/ A colour medium; for example: Watercolour, coloured pencils, pastels etc,
for applying colour to sketches if desired. (one medium is enough)
While colour can be applied onto cartridge paper with good results, watercolour, or pastel paper or board may be preferred by some participants.

NB – Reference material will be supplied on the day, but participants are advised to bring photographic reference of desired subjects, if the intention is to draw a particular species.

About the artist: 

Trevor is a wildlife artist whose inspiration comes from British wildlife; working from life wherever possible.
Sketching in pencil and watercolour, his sketchbooks provide a unique connection to a living subject that is of great value to him; they provide a record of his encounters with wildlife and, acting as aide memoirs, allow recall of past events with clarity.

The immediacy of watercolour makes it his chosen medium with which to achieve this.

Trevor is self employed and has spent much of his career working in wildlife conservation.
‘Britain’s wildlife and wild places are under threat as never before. As wildlife artists we are better placed than many to witness this decline, but can also be influential in highlighting the loss of biodiversity by helping to shape opinion to reverse that loss’.
Trevor has taught fellow artists and novices alike to sketch birds, for many years now, specialising in passing on his experience of sketching from life, in the field.

To secure your place on this course a £25 non-refundable deposit is required.

All courses are £59 per day for members, and £75 for non-members

Course Suitability: Suitable for all

Maximum Participants: 12

Course Description:

In this workshop we are going to consider lots of compositional ideas and guidelines, arranging and lighting our fruit on a transparent plate with different coloured backgrounds.  We will be looking to create interesting and unusual compositions, shadow shapes and colour relationships.  We will then sketch out our composition on canvas, before applying the paint in a dynamic and interesting way: focusing on colour mixing, brushwork and how to paint shadows effectively.

What will be supplied:
A selection of fruits (or vegetables)
Coloured backgrounds
What to bring:
A canvas or board min A4, max A3, rectangular or square
A selection brushes eg. Rosemary Ivory Short Flats nos. 2,3,5, Ivory Filbert size 0
A selection of artist quality paints oils or acrylics eg. Daler Rowney starter set
A black sharpie and a ‘fine liner’ pen (or similar)
A spotlight or anglepoise desk lamp
Palette knife – eg. Winsor and Newton size 22
Paper Palette and a box to take your work home in
A phone or IPAD for taking photos
Oils only: A jar and some low odour thinners/ white spirit substitute for cleaning your brushes, some rags or plenty of tissues to wipe brushes clean.
Optional extra items 
‘Liquin’ painting medium if working in oils
A ‘Stay-wet’ palette if working in acrylics

About the artist: 

Lucy is an oil painter and teacher, living in Leamington Spa.
Whatever the subject matter, Lucy encourages students to apply the paint in a dynamic and interesting way: focusing on colour mixing, brushwork and composition.

She paints commissions, sells her work and exhibits locally with ‘Leamington Studio Artists’…and has also:

•    Worked as the ‘Artist in Residence’ at ‘The Artroom’ Gallery in Leamington,

•    Painted live at ‘Blenheim Palace Flower Show’

•    Been a wildcard artist on ‘Landscape Artist of the Year’

•    Exhibited with ‘Warwickshire Open Studios’

Places are on a first come first basis.

To secure your place on this course a £25 non-refundable deposit is required.