Autumn is a special time of year for landscape painters. Colours can be very rich and the weather atmospheric. This is primarily an outdoor painting course in oils. The tutor will focus on techniques that will help you to make paintings that capture your individual responses to the landscape more fully, and also to deepen and enrich those responses.

You will be working in a range of locations (depending on the weather), which exemplify the beauty of the season. Subjects will include woodland and open views. You will be working on quick, one-off oils and also one or more sustained paintings. You will also explore ways of structuring paintings so they have a sense of space, light, form and atmosphere. The techniques that you focus on will be those that allow you to work at speed, so that you are better able to capture the fleeting effects of light.

You will be able to work on paintings in the studio in the evenings and in the event of bad weather. This will give you an opportunity to look at studio-based techniques and approaches for taking ideas further. This will be in addition to one-to-one discussion while you are working and whole class talks. The tutor will also paint sometimes, so that you can see how he approaches landscape painting.

Included

• Acrylic gesso primer and acrylic paints to add to primer for colouring ground
• Studio safe solvent (i.e. Zest-it) for studio use
• Two 8 x 6 inch MDF boards, two 10 x 8 inch MDF boards, two 12 x 9 inch MDF boards and two 16 x 12 inch MDF boards

What students need to bring

• Paint rags
• A camera or smartphone if you want photographic references
• West Dean has its own sketching easels and portable chairs, but you are welcome to bring your own foldable chair if you like.
• Oil paints: Titanium White, Winsor Yellow or equivalent, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, French Ultramarine, Winsor Blue (green shade) or equivalent, Raw Umber, Ivory Black
• Hog brushes (artists’ quality) — the tutor recommends long flat brushes in a range of sizes 1–10
• Double dipper
• A flat palette
• Surface to paint on – canvas or board White spirit or turps (for outdoor work only)
• A two inch decorator’s brush

-Please bring painting equipment and a surface to paint on for the first evening session.

Available to buy

Available from shop: A good variety of oil paints, such as Titanium White, Winsor Yellow or equivalent, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, French Ultramarine, Winsor Blue (green shade) or equivalent, Raw Umber, Ivory Black A good variety of hog brushes, long flat in a range of sizes 1–10, double dippers, palettes, canvases, boards, studio safe solvent, two inch decorator brushes

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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