Watercolour painting – techniques to loosen up your style with Brian Smith

Ref: S3D38034

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About this course

Use water, paper and pigment creatively to produce individual work and develop your own painting style.

Course Description

The simple materials of water, paper and pigment can be used creatively in a variety of different ways. Learn how to consider these choices fully to produce individual work and develop your painting style.

You will explore how to paint with free-flowing pigment whilst retaining control. Wherever possible, you will learn ways to allow pigments to mix on the surface of the paper and explore this process with a selection of different paper surfaces. You will tackle subjects from landscape, detail, figures and architecture, on both a large and small scale.

On the first evening, there will be two demonstrations, followed by exercises on a similar theme, which are quick and fast to get you started.

This course will help you become a more accomplished artist on the journey of exploration. You will leave with studies, exercises and finished pieces, which will help you move forward to broaden your painting boundaries. You will have gained confidence in colour mixing on the paper surface and exploring the fluidity of the medium in a range of subjects.

Course Materials

What students need to bring

  • Water spray atomiser bottle
  • An old blunt knife (similar to a butter knife), not a scalpel
  • Please bring a couple of reference photos of your choice that could be used as the framework for a study.
  • Any watercolour paper, paints and brushes you may have
  • Adhesive tape
  • Pencils - 2B and 4B, a putty and a plastic rubber
  • Saunders Waterford or Arches watercolour paper - 140lb, 300gsm in all surfaces, Hot Press, NOT and rough
  • Winsor & Newton Artist Quality watercolour tube paints; recommended colours are 3 or 4 of each primary blue, red and yellow: Blue - Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine, Cerulean Blue and Indigo; Red - Cadmium Red, Cadmium Orange and Alizarin Crimson; Yellow - Cadmium Yellow, Aureolin, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre, plus a Neutral Tint, Raw Umber and Burnt Umber Bleedproof white paint by Winsor & Newton

Available to buy

Available from shop: A good variety of art materials are available to buy, including:

  • Saunders Waterford or Arches watercolour paper - 140lb, 300gsm Hot Press, NOT and rough
  • Winsor & Newton artist quality watercolour tube paints and bleed proof white paint
  • Watercolour brushes
  • Adhesive tape
  • Pencils -2B, 4B
  • Putty and plastic rubbers

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio. This includes stout covered footwear, i.e. no open-toes or sandals.

Timetable

Arrival day
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 7.15pm for registration. Students arriving earlier are welcome to purchase dinner in the College Dining Room from 6pm.
Students meet their tutor in the Bar at 7.30pm prompt to go to studios.
First Teaching session: 7.30pm - 9pm (attendance is essential)

Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am - 5pm
Morning session: 9.15am - 12.45pm including coffee/tea break
Lunch break: 12.45pm - 2pm*
Afternoon session: 2pm - 5pm including coffee/tea break
Teaching finishes: 5pm
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Departure day
Course teaching: 9.15am - 3pm
Teaching finishes: 3pm

Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am. Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.

*Lunch can be purchased on campus, view options

General Information

Tutors

Brian Smith

People and Architecture are the main focus of Brian's watercolours striving to capture mood, light and atmosphere in daily life. His paintings have been exhibited at The Mall, Bankside and the RWA Bristol gaining awards. He has written articles for International Artist, The Artist and Leisure Painter magazines. He now demonstrates and tutors Watercolour nationally. In 2020 he was elected as a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours.

Accommodation

Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.

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Further study options for art craft and design short courses

Further study options

Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study. 

Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.