Birds have been a fascinating subject for artists over the centuries from Carel Fabritius’ famous ‘Goldfinch’ to Paul Klee’s ‘Landscape with yellow birds’, and birds continue to provide inspiration across so many different, contemporary art forms today. With well over 9000 different bird varieties on the planet, encompassing every colour under the sun, with a multitude of shapes and sizes, there are certainly a lot to choose from. Birds are truly incredible.

For this course you will be working from photographic references of familiar British garden birds. By looking at the anatomy and structure of birds in different poses, you will start with learning how to draw a bird; you will practise observational drawing in order to create an accurate representation of the subject.

With an introduction to the fundamentals of oil painting, you will progress to painting portraits of birds on primed board. Beginning with looking at tonal values, the process will be broken down into steps which will give you the confidence to create your own bird portraits.

You will leave with several studies and a completed painting, plus all the skills needed to progress your painting journey to the next stage.

Included

On this course, the College will supply some of the materials, including painting boards (two 16cm x 16cm and two 25cm x 18cm), gesso primer, studio safe solvent, some oil paints to get you started, oil painting paper and A3 cartridge paper.

What students need to bring

• Glass jar
• Kitchen roll or paint rags
• Sketchbook
• Pencils, rubber, sharpener
• Palette - wooden or disposable, palette knife
• Dipper pots
• Stand oil
• Small brushes (for detail): bristle - filbert, round and flat; synthetic filbert, round and flat
• One or two slightly larger brushes: bristle and synthetic filbert/flat
• Oil paint suggested colours: Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Naples Yellow, Cadmium Red, Pyrrole Orange, Cadmium Orange, Ultramarine Blue, Light Blue, Viridian Green, Sap Green, Burnt Sienna, Payne’s Grey, Dioxazine Purple

Available to buy

Available from shop:

• A good variety of art materials including brushes in a good range of sizes in filbert round and flat, stand oil, Zest it, dipper pots, a good variety of oil paints, palette knives, palettes, oil paper, sketchbooks and drawing 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 - 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.

Terms & Conditions