Summer Painting Studio - Nottingham Trent University

Description

Immerse yourself in a summer of artistic growth, personal discovery, and creative rejuvenation; this three-week oil painting course is for all levels of painters looking to explore their creative boundaries, experiment with new techniques and cultivate your artistic vision by learning how to develop your own style. Each week offers a unique focus, from mastering the fundamentals of oil painting to capturing the beauty of landscapes, the emotion of portraits, or the freedom of abstraction. The Summer Painting Studio is a dynamic and enriching experience that will push your painting skills to the next level. Each week of the Summer Painting Studio offers a deep dive into a specific aspect of painting: • Oil Painting: you’ll learn the foundations of colour mixing, brushwork, and composition, creating beautiful works with depth and texture. • Abstract Painting encourages you to explore gesture, mark-making, and emotional colour palettes, culminating in a personal and expressive final piece. • Landscape Painting will take you outdoors to capture the light and energy of natural and urban settings, while teaching essential techniques for depth and perspective. • In Portraiture Painting, you’ll focus on capturing character and expression using the alla prima technique, creating vibrant and lifelike portraits. You’ll find yourself immersed in the art school experience with plenty of time to reflect on your approach and improve your research, idea generation and planning processes. Alongside one to one tuition, there will be essential daily group discussions, where artists are encouraged to give feedback and support. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll study during the course. A flexible approach to the schedule during the landscape painting sessions will be used according to the weather. Week 1: Oil Painting The first week is a comprehensive introduction to painting in oils that will build your confidence and encourage expressive mark making. You’ll learn the principles of oil painting and how to create different effects using the ‘alla prima’ method of painting wet paint into wet paint. You’ll learn a variety of tricks and techniques to achieve vibrant colour, textural detail and contrasting tone through the classic subjects of Sky and Landscape, Expressive Seascape and a Still Life. Throughout the week, you will: • learn to mix and manipulate oil paints to achieve desired colours without getting ‘muddy’ • explore various styles in oil painting through landscape, seascape and still life. • experiment with texture using a variety of tools and techniques • practice creating depth and tactile qualities to your painting • learn how to prepare your canvas with a coloured ground. You’ll complete the first week with three finished paintings. Week 2: Abstract Painting and Portraiture Painting You’ll spend the first two days exploring gesture, mark-making, and emotional colour to develop a personal abstract language. From drawing to music in charcoal to completing a unique oil painting on canvas, this will inspire you to embrace spontaneity and creativity. You’ll create an emotional colour palette through engaging collage exercises and finish with a fully realised abstract painting in oil on canvas. During the abstract painting sessions, you will: • develop your ability to create expressive, gestural marks that convey energy and movement • learn how to use contrast, brushwork, and texture to build dynamic compositions in paint • explore the emotional power of colour and how to construct a palette that reflects mood and intention • gain confidence in translating ideas and gestures into a cohesive, abstract painting • build a deeper understanding of abstraction as a process, from initial mark-making to a finished oil painting on canvas. You’ll spend the next three days exploring portraiture painting and bring them to life. You’ll learn how to capture the likeness, personality, and essence of your subject using the expressive alla prima “wet into wet” painting technique. Beginning with charcoal sketches from life or self-portraits, you’ll sharpen your observational skills, develop your composition, learn how to mix colours that convey depth and vibrancy, and create realistic and dynamic skin tones, ensuring your portrait captures both likeness and personality. Whether you choose to work with a live sitter, observe yourself through a mirror or work from a photograph, this course will help you create portraits that are rich with character and energy. During these sessions, you will: ● strengthen your observational skills by working in charcoal to understand proportion and gesture ● explore techniques to arrange a compelling composition that highlights your subject’s unique personality ● learn how to take and use reference photographs effectively for continuity in your painting process ● understand how to select and paint a background that enhances your subject ● master the alla prima method to create vibrant, lifelike portraits directly on canvas ● develop your ability to mix colours for realistic and dynamic skin tones, paying attention to warm and cool colour contrasts ● gain confidence in creating expressive brushstrokes and fine details that bring your portrait to life. By the end of the week, you will have completed a finished portrait in oils on canvas, rich in character and skillfully executed, and produced a series of abstract drawings, a black-and-white abstract painting and a final completed abstract oil painting on canvas. Week 3: Landscape Painting With an inspiring mix of en plein air sessions and studio-based work, you’ll develop essential techniques to create stunning and atmospheric landscapes. Under the guidance of a professional landscape artist, you’ll explore composition, tone, colour, and mark-making. You’ll paint in locations within Nottingham experiencing the light, movement, and grandeur of the natural landscape firsthand. When the weather takes a turn, you’ll return to the studio to hone your skills further using photographs you’ve taken. You’ll learn the essential compositional rules, colour and painting techniques to achieve panoramic skies and beautiful landscapes. There will also be some exercises in line and tone using charcoal, ink and pencil. During this week, you will: ● enjoy the unique experience of working in the rural landscape , in a variety of settings in and around Nottinghamshire ● work from a range of source material; from photographs and sketches to direct observation of the landscape (weather permitting) ● loosen up with line drawings and gain the confidence to put colours straight onto the canvas without a guide line ● learn how to maintain a level of expressive freedom in mark-making when working from photograph in the studio ● learn how to choose your palette to achieve distance and panorama ● apply and appropriately use tone, warm and cold colours in both skies and landscape ● study the rules of landscape composition such as point of focus and depth of field in order to create a beautiful artwork that flows. By the end of this week, you will have created a series of landscape artworks, painted both outdoors and in the studio. These pieces will demonstrate your understanding of composition, tone, and colour, as well as your ability to convey the beauty and energy of the natural world. By the end of the Summer Painting Studio you’ll have produced a collection of sketches, paintings in progress, and completed works that demonstrate your artistic growth. Tutor profile: Sarah Watson is a practicing artist, painter and teacher who exhibits in shows across the UK and is represented by Gallery6 in Newark, Nottinghamshire. She featured on the Sky Arts television show Landscape Artist of the Year in 2016 and was accepted for membership of the exclusive Lincolnshire Artists’ Society in 2019. Sarah has a First Class Honours degree in Combined Arts from De Montfort University where she specialised in abstract painting. Level: Open to all Entry requirement: The Summer Painting Studio is open to all skill levels. Beginners are welcome, though some painting experience may be helpful for the landscape and portraiture courses.

What's included in the price?

This is a practical course and the subject is underpinned by theory and demonstrations. This course will be delivered in person on Nottingham Trent University City Campus. Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course. Your course fees include everything you need to dive right into painting—premium oil paints, quality canvases, brushes, and more, so you can focus on creating with professional equipment. You may also wish to bring with you: • any paints, brushes, canvas, and artists’ equipment you already have • oil paints are provided but you can bring any coloured medium you prefer to work in, from pastels to watercolours • cotton rags • glass jars • old credit card / flat plastic object for scraping • sharp spikey tool(s) like a small skewer from the kitchen, hair grip, nails, old scissors • portable easels and folding chairs are optional, as is working on the ground on a blanket, whatever is most comfortable for you. On successful completion of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance.

Cancellation policy

Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts

Maker

Nottingham Trent University

with Craft Courses since 2015

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