FULLY BOOKED
Course Suitability: Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
Join artist Jamie Boots for a two-day exploration into the nuanced world of graphite pencil art. This workshop delves beyond basic sketching, offering insights into the subtle techniques that breathe life into your creations. Participants will discover the art of manipulating pencil sharpness, pressure, and tones to convey the fine details such as fur, skin textures, and expressive eyes.
Materials Required:
All necessary materials will be provided at no additional cost by Jamie Boots, to use during the course.
Artist’s Profile:
Originally from New Zealand, Jamie Boots is a self-taught graphite pencil artist with a career spanning since 2004. Recognized for his exceptional work, Jamie has earned several awards, turning his hobby into a profession. With a limited number of originals available annually, Jamie’s drawings have become prized collectables.
Explore Jamie’s portfolio at www.jamieboots.com
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £110
Non-members of Nature in Art: £138
Course Suitability: Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 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.
Materials List:
Participants will need to provide the following materials:
- A good quality pad or book of cartridge paper, or loose sheets.
- A selection of B grade pencils, charcoal, or graphite drawing pencils.
- An eraser.
- 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.
Artist’s Profile:
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.
Trevor is self employed and has spent much of his career working in wildlife conservation.
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.
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
To book a place on this course, please click here.
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
This is a two day course that will show you how to sketch the colours and textures of autumn landscapes with waterproof black ink pen and watercolour wash.
Using photos supplied by the tutor you will be shown how to use the pen with watercolour paint both before and after painting. Techniques taught will include colour mixing, brush technique, light and dark, drawing with a pen and how to loosen up to achieve expressive sketches. By the end of the course you will have produced a few sketches to take home with you. Suitable for beginners and students with some knowledge of the medium.
Materials List:
Should the students wish to use their own tools and materials rather than buying a set from the tutor then they are welcome to bring them along.
A full list of what is needed can be obtained from the tutor jnewey210@gmail.com
Artist’s Profile:
Jonathan Newey is an award winning artist with over 25 years of experience in teaching in adult education. He has experience in a wide variety of mediums and subjects including landscapes, wildlife and architecture in acrylic, watercolour and coloured pencil. www.jonathannewey.com
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £110
Non-members of Nature in Art: £138
To book a place on this course, please click here.
Course Suitability: Beginners – Advanced
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
Drawing with charcoal on gesso is a delightfully tactile activity because of the extra brush texture on the surface which adds a lovely patina effect. It’s easy to smudge and scrape to make black and white marks and with smooth graduations in between. We will create a black and white animal image ready for tinting in acrylics before the end of the course.
Materials List:
Gesso boards prepared by Ian. 2@12x10in boards (£10) These are cut, sanded, prepared with 3 coats of Liquitex white gesso and sanded in between coats for a toothy smooth but slightly ridged texture.
Please bring the following:
- Fine willow charcoal sticks.
- Kitchen towel.
- Scalpel blade with handle, or sharp cutting knife or Stanley window scraper blade.
- Charcoal fixative spray.
- Half inch soft flat brush and any yellow/red/brown acrylic paints.
Please bring £10 in cash for the board to be paid directly to Ian on the day of the course.
Artist’s Profile:
Ian has been using traditional media skills in illustration and fine art over the last 20 years, mostly depicting animal art with a passion for marine-life painting. He has been creating large oil and acrylic paintings for hotels, palaces and government buildings often using pencil and charcoal compositions as part of the composition process. Here on this day course Ian will share his methods and tips he’s discovered in his professional career.
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
To book a place on this course, please click here.
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners – Advanced
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
This workshop will be a frolic through all sorts of ways of decorating initial letters – in fun, modern and quick ways with patterns, embellishments and loads of fabulous colours as well as some more historical styles, strutting their rich traditionalism.
Everyone will take home several decorated letters on cards, tags or the top of a natty little folded box. These would happily serve as highly personal and specialised (seasonal) gifts.
Materials List:
Josie will bring the majority of the materials at a cost of £3 (cash) per person to be paid directly to Josie on the day of the course.
There will be a small amount of other materials to bring along with you:
- 1 x H pencil + 1 x 2B pencil
- water soluble colour pencils
- gouache or watercolours
- waterproof fine liners (0.1 + 0.5) in black or colours
- watercolour paper – small pieces in approx. 300 gsm
- any pointed nibs and holder
If you do not have all of these items, please email the course coordinator, Alice. Josie will be able to provide some extras.
Artist’s Profile:
Josie Brown is a calligrapher and heraldic artist, who has carried out commissions for the private, academic and military sectors.
She enjoys taking natural materials together with ancient techniques and using them in a contemporary manner.
Josie trained in traditional arts, spending 3 years at Reigate School of Art learning calligraphy, heraldry, illumination and bookbinding. She has since worked for various adult education organisations in several curriculum areas, whilst always remaining a practitioner and teacher of lettering and associated arts.
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
To book a place on this course, please click here.
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
Bring your scraps of fabric, trims, buttons and beads or beg and borrow from family or neighbours. We will be learning a simple method of making use of them to create a new fabric from this assemblage of bits and pieces. If it can be sewn down, it can be used!
The fabrics will be pieced together onto a background, decorated with stiches and trim to make a fabric collage. This can be an end in its own right, being a small transportable piece that can be worked on wherever you are. It is not too big or daunting even if you have little time or energy.It can be scaled up in different ways which will be demonstrated and practiced if you wish. Your finished piece will be mounted onto a greeting card suitable for giving on a special occasion.
Materials List:
The tutor will provide basic materials at a cost of £6 (cash) per person to be paid directly to Anne on the day of the course.
You are also invited to bring scraps of fabric (any size), trims, buttons and beads if you want to. Please also bring a basic sewing kit if you have it, but not essential.
Please also bring a notebook and pen.
Artist’s Profile:
Anne is a capable, patient, enthusiastic tutor who will inspire people to learn. She has always loved art, particularly embroidered textiles. She is keen to keep the skills alive by teaching them in a contemporary way to anyone with an interest. Over time she has given many workshops both in her home studio and elsewhere and taken part on many exhibitions.
Anne has a B.A. in Contemporary Craft. Her website is: annewardartist.co.uk
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
To book a place on this course, please click here.
Course Suitability: Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
Collagraph is a wonderful form of printmaking that allows for a playful exploration of materials and techniques. It can be as complex or as simple as the artists wants it to be. For this 2 day workshop participants will be introduced to ways of creating quick, inexpensive collagraph plates with readily available materials, resulting in the opportunity to discover the potential of this printmaking process and develop ideas. There will be demonstrations of plate making using various materials, the process of inking a plate and using the press. Participants will also receive one to one tuition as they develop their own prints.
Materials List:
The tutor will provide the required materials for course participants. The cost per person will be £10.00 (cash) which will be paid to Nik by the participants on the day of the course.
Artist’s Profile:
Nik Pollard’s paintings and drawings are generated from sustained, direct observation and are often resolved in the field. Drawing from all the senses, he investigates the rhythms and characteristics of a location and its ecology, resulting in a sense of time and place. Working with a range of mediums, he focuses on the essential aspects of what it is that has drawn him to the subject. When working in the studio he often turns to printmaking in order to pursue an idea further, substituting the thrill of the first-hand direct response with the magic of printmaking and the exploration of materials and processes that cannot easily be replicated outdoors. Nik has been involved and has helped develop a number of Art/ Conservation projects, he sees art education as a perfect opportunity to help people re-engage with nature and believes that art has a role in promoting conservation stories. https://www.nikpollard.co.uk/
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £110
Non-members of Nature in Art: £138
To book a place on this course, please click here.
Wild Animal Portraits with Lucy Burton
Course Suitability: All Abilities
Maximum Participants: 12
Course Description:
Together we will work through a stage by stage process to create an Animal Portrait in Oils or Acrylics- using an ‘islands to oceans’ method of working. We are aiming to make the eyes come alive and give the animal and your painting lots of personality! I hope to inspire you with some new ideas and techniques to take away with you and apply to your own work.
You will be working from your own image, either from an I-pad OR you can use a photograph at least 5” x 5”. The animal’s eyes must be clear and in focus. Crop your image so that it is square. The head of the animal should take up most of the frame. For good (free to use) reference images see www.pixabay.com
Materials required:
8” x 8” Canvas or 8” x 8” Ampersand Smooth primed panel (available on day £5)
A colour photograph of your animal or an image on an ipad / tablet.
A black and white print out of your square cropped image as large as you can make it on an A4 piece of paper eg:
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.
Palette knife – eg. Winsor and Newton size 22
Paper Palette and a box to take your work home in
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
Artist’s Profile:
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’
All courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members
Abstracts inspired by your surroundings with Christina Sadler
Course Suitability: All Abilities
Maximum Participants: 10
Course Description:
This workshop will introduce you to different ways of creating abstract art in response to your surroundings. We will explore the outdoors and beautiful grounds of Nature in Art but also use the sounds, smells and textures as inspiration. This will all be achieved through guided exercises and support from your tutor Christina. No judgement will be placed on the outcome of your work. This day is centered on the enjoyment and relaxation that comes from creating abstracts. There will be laughing as well as moments of calm and reflecting. An enjoyable day creating whilst giving you the chance to unwind. We will use a mixture of materials but acrylic paints and inks will be the main medium being used. You will create mini abstract as well as larger pieces and you will learn various skills and techniques to continue painting abstracts at home. But above all, it’s a day to escape and take some me out for yourself. As we will be venturing outside at some point please come with relevant clothing, if you have mobility issues please do not worry Christina will adapt the outside session to meet your needs. This class is perfect for all – even those who have never tried painting or abstracts before. If you have been on a class with Christina before this class will teach you new and wonderful techniques to try but also give you a chance to develop skills already learnt.
Materials Required:
Christina will provide the required materials for an additional charge of £15 per participant to be paid to Christina on the day of the course. This will include a little selection of inks to carry on using at home.
If possible please bring two jam jars for water
Artist’s Profile:
Christina is an abstract artist based in Gloucester. Inspired by the natural world she works with inks and paints to create layers of translucent colours resulting in soothing and relaxing art.
Christina has had lots of experience in the arts and running workshops and at one stage was even the Education Officer here at Nature in Art.
Currently, Christina is represented by Wychwood Art Gallery in Oxford. Her art has been exhibited on the London Underground and showcased in a pop-up shop at John Lewis, and her work is also available at Saatchi Art. Additionally, she is part of Sixteen Gallery in Cheltenham. Christina created the hero lion for the Lions at Large trail, set to launch in summer 2025, which will raise funds for the Big Space Cancer Appeal.
Christina is passionate about the power of art and actively engages in outreach programmes, providing artistic opportunities for individuals using art for well-being, such as Children unable to attend school. In 2024, she created an immersive installation for the National Gallery Road Trip, transforming an empty workshop into a living painting inspired by the collection.
All courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members
Experimental Acrylics with Jackie Garner
Book here
Course Description
The more artistic experience we have, the greater the options for our own creativity. This course is focused on the exploration of acrylics and techniques, giving a deeper understanding of the medium and a willingness to be inventive. We will create textures and marks through layering, monoprinting, stencilling, texture, spattering… laying down colour and working into or over it. The resulting art may include realism or be purely abstract according to the participants’ preferences. An ideal course for those who want to move their art beyond “It looks just like a photograph”.
All courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members
Materials list
Essentials: • Acrylics: Your usual acrylics, heavy body and/ or soft body • Palette • Brushes: Nylon brushes are best for acrylics. A variety of sizes and shapes will be useful. Some spares will be available for students to use. • Painting/ palette knife: any shape, a range of sizes and shapes if you have them. • Supports: Your choice of canvas, canvas board or primed board, at least A3 size • Water Pot • Kitchen roll • Sponge: different types are useful • Table covering: some spares will be available • Apron if desired – remember acrylics are waterproof and permanent when dry • Easel if desired
Please bring any of these if you have them, but no need to buy specially as some spares will be available: • Acrylic inks • Sketchbook for practice. (Some mountboard off-cuts will also be available) • Small spray bottle for water • Gelli plate • Colour shapers/ wedges • Stencils If you have no supplies, materials may be provided for a small charge, but only by prior arrangement with the tutor.
Students wishing to discuss the course in advance are welcome to telephone Jackie on 07800 804847.