Often regarded as a mysterious art-form, watercolours are actually not difficult to get the hang of… That is, as long as you have the right know how!
George Boyter is a professional watercolour painter and has been taught by one of the world’s renowned Masters of the medium, Alvaro Castagnet, in 2014. Using his knowledge, George will arm want-to-be watercolourists with essential information, inspiration and an armory of ideas to help them paint beautiful landscapes.
The weekend will consist of group demonstrations and individual guidance for each student. Over the course of the weekend we’ll cover what makes a good composition for a painting and the need for a focal point, the four vital stages of producing a painting – the drawing, the wash, the wet-in-wet phase and the use of dry brush strokes to finish off.
We hope that once having gone through the weekend you will have a much better understanding of the fundamentals of watercolour technique so that you can go on to express yourself with confidence.
This fun weekend course includes:
- Informal, relaxed & attentive guidance for every student, provided by George Boyter
- Step-by-step demonstrations covering…
– Materials, paper, brushes, palette colours and colour mixing
– How to use the ingenious Watercolour Clock
– How to compose a scene and provide a focal point
– How to judge Tonal Values and create Mood and Atmosphere
– How to follow the 4 stages unique to watercolour success (Drawing, The Wash, Wet in Wet and Dry Brush)
- All the necessary materials needed for the weekend are included in the course fee.
- George will also provide you with a list of materials so that you can carry on exploring the medium after the weekend.
COURSE OUTLINE
DAY 1: SATURDAY
We start with a look at our equipment – paper, palette of colours and brushes. We’ll look at painting ‘With the Light’ and ‘Against the Light’ and the different moods this creates. We’ll explore the all-important Tonal Values. Weather permitting we’ll venture outdoors, choose our composition and establish the foundations of our painting with the Drawing and Wash.
DAY 2: SUNDAY
An intensive day of painting starts with a review of what has been learned and assessment of the proposed painting you are going to complete. You work Wet-in-Wet with individual attention and guidance. You will finish your painting with the final phase of Dry Brush technique. Then we’ll have a review of results, learning and achievements.
Suitable for?
The complete novice and intermediates looking to improve their existing skills. We generally limit the age to 14 years old+.
What is included in the price?
- Two full days teaching (10am-4pm-ish)
- A printed course which will cover the main points to remember
- All materials and equipment needed for the weekend (bring your own materials if you’d like too)
- Tea, coffee, biscuits/cakes
- Use of a beautiful, purpose built art studio with all the equipment & materials you will need
- Beautiful countryside setting
This course is for you if:
- You want to explore your creativity but lack the confidence to do so on your own
- You want to expand on existing knowledge you may have
- You want to get away from it all and immerse yourself in a fun, creative environment
- You want to ‘try before you buy’ watercolour materials and equipment
- You love landscapes
Pre course prep
- Pre-course preparation really maximises your learning and enjoyment over the weekend so we really recommend this.
- You will be asked to select a variety of photos of landscapes you think would be a good starting point for a painting. You can use these on the weekend or bring the images George provides. NB – on booking your place, you will be given more detailed notes on what makes a good landscape to help you with your choices.
- If you can find the time, take a look at famous watercolourists from the past (i.e. JMW Turner, John Sell Cotman, Claude Buckle and Edward Wesson) and from the present (i.e. Alvaro Castgnet and Joseph Zbukvik). See which artists and styles you like the most.
What to bring?
- If you have painted before it could be useful to bring along any of your own watercolours so that George can understand your style and see how he can best help your progression.
- If we’re lucky with the weather we’ll paint outdoors, either in the meadow at the studio or we’ll venture forth and find a spot in the local village which is only a short walk away. Bring a fold-up seat if you have one.
- Bring along any of your existing range of brushes and paints as you wish but don’t worry if you forget anything, all you need will be provided at Phoenix Studios.
“At the end of the course I’m confident you’ll feel inspired to carry on with the challenge of watercolours, no matter what subject matter you choose, because you will have the information and knowledge of technique that achieves successful results and makes you want to go further.”
George Boyter – Course Tutor
ABOUT THE TEACHERS
George Boyter
“When I paint I try to create a mood and a moment in time that will evoke an emotional response in the viewer. Watercolour can never be fully controlled otherwise it would lose that elusive, magical quality it has and that fascinates us over and over again.”
Click here to see his artwork.
If you are travelling from further afield and would like to stay in the area for your visit then have a look at our recommend B&Bs and hotels. Click here for the list.
Comments are closed.