Explore an exciting and different approach to pastels and mixed media. This four-day course will focus on methods to achieve vibrant and expressive mark-making in landscape painting whilst using soft pastel as the primary medium in a mixed media process.
Your tutor will guide you to discover the limitless and varied mark-making opportunities possible within the methods she uses. You will begin by sketching in the beautiful grounds of West Dean Gardens before returning to the studio to achieve energetic work as an interpretation of the sketches, words and information you have gathered. You will work on mount board using gesso, acrylic paint and (chalk) pastel. If the weather is bad, you will work from sketches or photographs, so please bring what you have, just in case.
There will be regular demonstrations, with an emphasis on individual guidance to help you to improve your personal experience and understanding of layered painting and optical colour mixing.
By the end of the course, you will have gained an understanding of this mixed media process and how to incorporate it into your painting methods.
Included
The College will provide a set of Conté hard pastels, and some white mount board per student and some Derwent Inktense blocks, magnolia emulsion paint and clear gesso to share amongst the group.
What students need to bring
- Bring any reference material you might like to work from in case of poor weather (sketchbook studies, printed photos)
- Overalls or apron
- Newspaper and tape to cover finished work for transportation at course end
- Selection of brushes – importantly, to include some decorator’s brushes: 1 inch and 1.5 inch, the more wrecked and tired the better!
- Sketchbook and pencils
- Willow charcoal
- Spray fixative
- A selection of acrylic paints – to include Paynes Grey
- Paint palette with several deep wells
- A set of soft pastels (not oil) - such as Unison or Jacksons Art own make soft pastels (A set of 12 Conté hard pastels will be provided.)
White smooth mount board - Dayler Rowney Studland mountboard in super white (3 x A1 sheets will be provided but you may need extra.)
Available to buy
Available from shop:
General art materials, sketchbooks, pencils and charcoal, a good selection of acrylic paints, including Paynes Grey, soft pastels, paint palette with several large wells, paintbrushes, decorator’s brushes: 1 to 1.5 inches wide, spray fixative and Inktense blocks
Additional information
Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).
Arrival day
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration
6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included)
8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential
Daily timetable
Course teaching 9.15am - 5pm (lunch included)
Dinner: from 6.30pm (included for residential students)
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 (lunch included)
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
