Exploring the world of natural mineral and earth pigments together, this class is suitable for all who wish to make lasting, beautiful, professional quality art materials which do not cost the Earth. After a colourful introduction to the world of permanent, (mineral, rather than botanical) natural pigments, our days will be spent in hands-on work with plenty of time for questions.

On the first day, you will create top quality pigments from a wide selection of earths, stones, soils and clays, ensuring you feel confident to successfully source your own materials in both rural and urban areas when you return home. You will cover all the processes to safely and easily make pigments fine enough for all professional uses.

On day two, you will make artists’ soft pastels for painting, and hard pastels (‘Conté’ style) for drawing. Once you have understood these two different methods, an infinite number of styles, sizes, hardnesses and gradations of fine pastels await you, exactly tailored to your own practice. You will be creating egg-based and vegan natural fixatives for use with pastel and charcoal to complete your new/ ancient art kit. Your pastels will dry out enough to take them home and you can try out the hundreds that I will bring.

On the third day, you will create a range of traditional egg and gum paints such as tempera, glair and watercolour, looking at their historical uses, as well as contemporary methods. You will also learn how to make simple vegan alternatives to egg paints.

By the end of the course, you will know how to make pigments, pastels and paints, often better than shop-bought alternatives, understand pigments, gauge their quality and lightfastness and go home with the beginnings of a unique art kit.

Materials week – PIGMENT WEEK 2026 This course is part of our materials week. Our February themed week of short courses for 2026 focuses on PIGMENTS, led by talented artist-tutors:

• Sophie Bower – Natural dyed yarns and inks
• Lucy Mayes – Pigment making for creatives
• Christine Graf – Enamel – colour and textures
• Judy McKenzie – Nerikomi ceramics
• Caroline Ross – Pigments for paints, pastels and permanence
• Peter Ward – Painting with earth

Each course explores a different aspect of using pigments and how they are used in a variety of traditional and contemporary practices.

Each tutor will be invited to give a short talk (10 minutes) about an aspect of their work relating to the theme of the week on Tuesday evening at 5.15pm. You will also be encouraged to visit other courses to see work produced across the varied approaches offered in the week.

Included

On this course the tutor will supply some of the materials, including:

• Rocks, earths, stones and clays for pigments
• Containers
• Prepared pigments, gums, binders The College will supply paper, brushes and pipettes.

What students need to bring

• a good quality sketchbook or two (and/ or sheets of loose paper), suitable for painting and swatching watercolour paints, as well as pastels. Textured watercolour type paper can be used for both, but Ingres paper or other tinted papers for pastels are also enjoyable to use.
• Notebook
• Pen and pencil
• Any favourite watercolour brushes
• Boxes (such as reused chocolate, cigar or confectionary packaging) to take home paints and pastels

Suggested, but not compulsory:

• Soft colourful rocks, clays or earths from your locale that you would like to process into pigment Shells, such as mussel shells, for storing watercolour paint
• A palette knife
• The cardboard packaging from a box of tea, herbal tea, or similar
• Small, clean, empty spray bottles, such as used for cosmetic or hair products

Available to buy

Available from shop:

• Sketchbooks, paper and brushes if needed

Available from tutor:

• Signed copies of the tutor’s two books Found and Ground and Drawn From the Wild
• Art cards of the tutor’s artwork
• A selection of pigment materials

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 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

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