Painting outside, especially with oils, can seem a daunting prospect, but once you’ve tried it, hopefully you won’t look back! This workshop aims to provide the practical advice you’ll need to make this a regular part of your art practice.
After a brief introductory talk about equipment and method, we’ll be leaving the studio to explore the outside space and beautiful gardens at Micklems Farm. Shelagh will advise on how to choose a subject to create an interesting composition and how to simplify your set-up to deal with the everyday practicalities of working outside. On-going advice and help will be given throughout the day.
Shelagh is equally happy teaching beginners and more experienced artists so this workshop will suit anyone who just wants to have a go at painting plein air. Please note, acrylic paints will not be suitable for this workshop.
What to bring:
A packed lunch
A small sketchbook and soft pencil
1 or 2 canvas boards, probably not larger than 10 x 12”. You may like to put a thin wash of raw sienna down in advance to provide a tinted background
An easel – many plein air painters use a pochade box and tripod combination, or a French box easel. We do have some easels if you don’t have your own
Artist quality oil paints (traditional or water-mixable) Useful colours would be: titanium white, lemon yellow or cadmium yellow pale, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, cerulean, raw sienna, burnt sienna. Nice ‘extras’ would be cobalt violet, sap green, naples yellow and yellow ochre. Shelagh will have stand-by paints if you’re missing any colours
An oil palette – this could be a hard or a ‘tear-off’ palette
Palette knife
Brushes (ideally in a brush roll) – synthetic or bristle, whatever you like working with
Odourless thinners and receptacle with a lid
Rags or kitchen towel (to wipe your brushes on)
Warm layers (even on a sunny day you can get chilly)
Sun hat or visor
Apron or coverall
If you are buying oil paints for the first time, Daler Rowney’s Georgian range do a good value starter set of 10 colours. If needed, the tutor will have some extra colours you can use. There will also be canvas covered boards available to buy if needed.
Refunds are not available on this booking. Start dates may be amended on request.
Included on the day:
Any other materials not specified for students to bring
Easels
Expert tuition
1 to 1 guidance
Detailed demonstrations
A selection of tea, freshly brewed coffee, biscuits and delicious cakes.
And of course, you take your wonderful creations from the day. If you would like to share any photographs of your day here and/or your finished work, we’d love to see them, so you can share this on social media and tag us.
Terms - Fee is payable on booking. If having booked, you can no longer attend, we are unable to offer a refund or transfer you to another workshop. However, you may nominate someone else to attend the workshop or class in your place by notifying us using the contact page on the Micklems Farm website. We reserve the right to cancel a workshop up to 48 hours prior to the workshop date. We will only cancel due to insufficient places sold and you will be refunded the full amount paid.
Level: All levels welcome
Number of students: 10
1 day (10:00am to 4:00pm)
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