We’ll be spending the day together at a lovely venue, The Old House Studio in the middle of open countryside about 3 miles from Glossop.
We will begin with some simple ideas about how to compose abstract paintings, as well as spending half an hour looking at abstract work to get some ideas of why these works are successful.
To loosen up and get us in touch with landscape we will then spend an hour or two sketching and painting outside. The Old House Studio is ideally situated for this as it is overlooking part of the Pennine Way with stunning views up and down the valley. There is a useful terrace outside the main studio where we can assemble with all our gear, making it easy for us to paint outside without having to carry lots of materials with us. The sketches will form a loose reference point for the paintings we will then go on to make. We my even use some of the sketches later as collage materials if that is the direction the work takes.
Having connected to the scenes around us, we will move to beginning our final paintings. For these we will be using wood panels as it allows us greater scope for creating surface texture.
We begin on a gessoed panel with intuitive play. Laying down paint in a free and spontaneous fashion to both cover the surface and provide an initial jumping off point into a more finished composition.
Finished with play, we will begin to bring intention into the composition creating landscape forms and shapes. I will be demonstrating how I make decisions in my painting and sharing my thinking with you.
Along the way I will demonstrate various techniques including how to use oil pastel, line, scratching, sanding and scraping paint, collage.
The workshop is for people with some previous experience of painting but this is not essential, and absolute beginners are welcome.
With a few places left, if you are interested then please use the contact form below.