BEGINNERS'
COURSES
Special
five-day courses, Mon-Fri, first week of the month, May to Sept
For:
beginners and improvers; maximum of 4 participants per course.
This
course will provide participants with a relaxed but stimulating
atmosphere in which to explore painting and drawing media, and,
if they wish, to discover their own personal vision. It is suitable
both for those looking to art as an enjoyable and therapeutic activity,
and those seeking to extend their existing skills. This is an Art
Holiday, and whether you choose to emphasize more the 'art' or the
'holiday' is entirely up to you!
Days
one to three begin with an informal presentation of about one hour
using slides/DVD to inspire participants with examples of the outstanding
art of the world, relevant to the day's topic, and suggesting avenues
that participants might explore during the day. The rest of the
morning is devoted to a series of set tasks designed to develop
participants sensitivity to the topic in question. The afternoon
allows free personally motivated exploration further developing
the discoveries of the morning.
Day
1
Topic: Line. it used to be said by art teachers that 'there are
no lines in nature'. This may be indeed be true, but these teachers
obviously never tried drawing a child flying a kite! Lines may not
exist in nature, but they certainly exist in art, from the cave
paintings of Lascaux, through the calligraphic arts of the East
to caricatures of today's politicians.
Eugène
Delacrox said you should be able to draw a man as he falls off a
roof! We'll follow his lead with a few tasks to develop quickness
of eye, and sensitivity of hand(s) and visual memory.
Incidentally,
there are no lines in nature, only areas of tone/colour....but what
is the quickest way to indicate the boundary between two areas of
colour? A line...
Day
2
Topic:
Tone. Indispensable in any artist's toolkit is the ability to read
tones - i.e. to disregard the colour of objects and see their surfaces
as a series of planes, on a scale from black to white. We begin
by looking at examples of work by the masters of tonal art, follow
up with some simple exercises to sharpen our perception of tone,
then explore its expressive force in drawing and painting media.
Once again, the afternoon allows free, personally motivated exploration
further developing the discoveries of the morning.
Day
3
Topic:
Colour. Inspired by the work of the great colourists (Titian,
Turner, Monet, Matisse...) we look at how colour adds emotional
as well as structural information to the linear and tonal elements
in a work of art. Because of course, you cannot use colour without
also creating lines and tone: every area of colour possesses a boundary
(a line) and a tone. So what you have discovered in days 1 and 2
will inform your discoveries on day 3.
Days
4,5
Participants
are free to develop further the personal discoveries made earlier
in the course, in whatever way they choose.
WHAT
YOU WILL NEED:
Participants
are invited to bring along any of the drawing and painting media
they wish to use. Below are some suggestions - some more practical
for those coming by car than by air and/or rail!
Drawing:
soft pencils (2B to 4B), a box of thick charcoal sticks, and a coloured
drawing medium of your choice, such as pastels or crayons. A can
of fixative spray.
Painting:
a good range of colours, student quality is fine. Students are free
to choose their favorite painting medium, whether watercolour, acrylic
or oil, but it is worth bearing in mind that oil can take a few
days to dry, and so present transport problems, and that watercolour
is probably the most difficult medium to master.
Brushes
for oil and acrylic: a good range of hog-hair (stiff bristled) brushes,
ovals, flats and rounds. Brushes for watercolour: a good range of
soft brushes. Ask your art dealer for help if necessary!
A
sketch pad, A3 or larger, for drawings. A watercolour pad, if that
is your chosen medium.
4-6
canvas surfaced boards (or canvases) size A3 or larger, if you want
to work in oil or acrylic.
Course
fee: €240 (excludes
accommodation and food.)
