This course is about breaking down prejudices about colour, both in the timidity of its habitual usage and in discovering subtler unexpected palettes. Colour is such a stimulating and exciting area that it is easy to become either fearful or brash in our approach. You will gain confidence to discover your own chromatic voice within the rules that govern colour practice, enabling you to find your own sensibility. There is no prescribed house style, but a desire to experiment and analyse differing aspects of colour is essential. Using the work of artists who are considered above all to be colourists provides a scaffold to systematically cover a broad range of adventurous chromatic visions.

This is a fast moving course with distinct morning and afternoon sessions, complemented by two video presentations and the tutor's own slideshow of recent work in the evenings. There is also the possibility of an evening drawing project. Nine projects will be completed and a final group tutorial, emphasising where you could take your colour investigation after the course.

We will explore some of the major developments in colour theory by using examples taken from the working methodology of figures such as Joseph Mallord William Turner, John Constable, John Sell Cotman, Pierre Bonnard, Georgia O’Keefe, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, Richard Diebenkorn and Howard Hodgkin.

Working in oil, acrylic or gouache paints, you will study a balanced, structured sequence of projects, exploring the potential of colour to become a subject in its own right – from local colour directly observed, to the more subjective realms of imaginative associative mood colour, to the formal relationships of abstract colour.

You will be working extensively from the stunning landscape environment of West Dean Gardens, and walking to and from locations around the estate throughout the course, every day, subject to weather conditions. Please bring warm clothes and, if you have mobility issues, we recommend a studio-based course instead.

What students need to bring

• Please bring three paintings of colours that represent to you a distinct mood or place.
• A basic range of coloured chalks/pastels (12 hues)
• Coloured papers, one black sheet of drawing paper
• A range of Conté sticks, including white and browns (Terracotta, Sanguine, Umber, Burnt Sienna, etc. x 5)
• PVA glue, scissors
• Pencils: HB, 2B, 4B, and 6B
• A variety of brushes
• Acrylic painters: 5 sheets of A1 white cartridge paper and 2 sheets of A1 black cartridge paper
• Oil painters: 10 oil primed boards or oil primed paper, 1 litre odourless solvent such as Zest-it
• Oil or acrylic paints in the nearest colour (please note, manufacturers use different names for the same hues), but you really will need all the colours below, plus any others that you may have beyond this list: Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Lemon Yellow, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue,Terre Verte Green, Sap Green, Viridian Green, White and Paynes Grey (do bring any extra colours if you have them)
• Rags
• Warm clothing (for working outside)

Available to buy

Available from shop: A good variety of art materials, including:

• Sets and individual coloured chalks/pastels
• Coloured papers, black cartridge paper, white cartridge paper
• Conté sticks in white and browns (Terracotta, Sanguine, Umber, Burnt Sienna etc.)
• PVA glue, scissors, pencils in various grades and a good variety of brushes
• Oil primed boards, oil primed paper, Zest-it
• Oil or Acrylic paints in the nearest colour - Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Lemon Yellow, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Terre Verte Green, Sap Green, Viridian Green, White and Paynes Grey

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).

Arrival day - first date of course
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration  
Student welcome, followed by dinner: 6.45pm (dinner included)
Teaching session: 8pm-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 (lunch included)  
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 - last date of course
Course teaching: 9.15am-3pm (lunch included)  
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.

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