Ref: SSS39908
This course will help you to improve your watercolour skills and painting accuracy, encouraging you to look closely at your subject in order to portray it in as much detail as possible. During the course, you wiill visit the gardens to choose items that appeal to you such as fruit, vegetables, flowers, leaves, bark, etc.
You will learn how to use a variety of watercolour techniques to create textures and detail and how to mix and match colours to specimens from a limited palette. You will learn how and when to use wet-in-wet, wet-on-dry and dry brush techniques. You will use different mark-making techniques to create texture. Comparative and to scale measuring will enable you to create accurate initial drawings. Using a variety of techniques and an understanding of negative space, you will be able to create a balanced composition.
Sketchbook studies will be used to develop drawing skills and to gather information about your subjects. There will be plenty of tutor demonstrations and one-to-one tuition.
By the end of the course, you will have produced a completed composition and a series of small detailed studies. You will have developed your knowledge of the various watercolour techniques, colour mixing and an understanding of how to build a painting from start to finish.
Summer School Highlights
The Summer School week is an immersive learning experience with more time to develop your creativity and embrace opportunities for creative development beyond your chosen course. A detailed timetable for your Summer School week will be given to you on arrival. This will include:
All lunches and evening meals are provided for residential and non-residential students during summer school due to planned activities/events in the early evenings.
The College will provide some heavyweight 640gsm watercolour paper.
The College will provide a selection of specimens from nature and plant material to paint during the course, but bring any items you have that you may like to include.
Available from shop: A good selection of general art materials, including watercolour paints in tubes and pans (artist quality), brushes, hot pressed watercolour paper blocks (and loose sheets), drawing equipment, tracing paper, sketchbooks, rulers, etc.
Wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear i.e. no open-toes or sandals.
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
All lunches and evening meals are provided for residential and non-residential students during Summer School due to planned activities/events in the early evenings.
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.
Several evening events are planned throughout the week, a detailed timetable for your Summer School will be given to you on arrival.
Amber trained at the University of Creative Arts in Canterbury. She then went on to specialise in watercolour and coloured pencil in botanical art. Amber currently works on private commissions and teaches botanical and watercolour classes. Her work is highly detailed with a contemporary style. She is a Fellow Member of the Society of Botanical Artists, exhibits regularly in London and Germany, and has sold work to private collections in the UK, Germany, France and China.
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.
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