Ref: SWE43219
A thorough introduction to oil painting from still life. Gain confidence and an understanding of this wonderful medium with structured exercises and expert guidance.
The still life objects will provide a visually stimulating and varied subject group for the focus of your painting, including natural and manmade objects. Your painting will evolve through carefully planned stages that will give you control over the medium and encourage confidence in your painting style.
The particular qualities of oil paint to describe and express form will be taught, starting with colour and how to use it to structure a still life painting. Context and composition are also taught, and you will learn and practise different technical approaches, such as under-painting and impasto.
Through one-to-one tutor support, live class technical demonstrations and critical analysis, your confidence will grow. You will experiment and investigate different approaches to mixing and applying colour, mark-making and highlighting.
By the end of the course, you will have completed a successful still life painting through a thorough exploration of oil painting techniques.
The course fee includes the cost of providing a range of materials, shared amongst the group, including charcoal, oil paints, painting medium and studio safe cleaning solvent.
Please note that you may need to purchase more materials depending on the scale of the work you produce.
Notebook, sketchpad, pencil case, etc.
A still life object from home: this object will form part of an interesting ice breaker exercise. The object should be something familiar/personal to you which could be shared, talked about and even studied in oil colour.
You are encouraged to bring along any oil painting materials/equipment which may be used under the guidance and support of the tutorA2 (equivalent) canvas or primed hard board/MDF
Brushes: generally a good range of student quality – natural bristle and/or synthetic brushes in both filbert and/or round pointed, in sizes large, medium and small
A variety of art and craft materials are available to buy in the Gardens Gatehouse.
Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (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
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.
Since completing his academic training at the Royal Academy Schools London, George has taught extensively in varied Art & Design education structures alongside developing his own work and exhibiting both in group and solo exhibitions. George lives and works in Dorset, specialising in Oil Colour medium exploiting its tactile wet in wet qualities to form the mediums expressive and sculptural qualities.
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.
Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study.
Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.
