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Course details
Learn to use diverse techniques and innovative painting exercises to explore your own personal approach to landscape painting today. We will look at a range of contemporary landscape painters and how they use paint to explore their individuality within this genre.
Prior to the three-day course at St Ives School of Painting, you will receive a list of questions to think about from your tutor, contemporary landscape painter Kerry Harding. These will help you think about, discover or hone your personal approach within a very popular genre of such unlimiting possibilities.
Questions such as Which landscapes do you draw comfort from? Which landscapes bring about a sense of awe, or unease? Are you interested in the pictorial or the political? There are no right or wrong answers but they will help determine the images and sketches you collect around St Ives to use as starting points throughout the course. The techniques and processes you explore will encourage you to be open to invention and new pivots away from constrictive expectations. Kerry will guide you through this way of working with the focus on bringing out your personal approach.
Within the landscape you will be using pencil, charcoal and ink and in the studio you will be experimenting with oil paint and then developing work in series on card. This course is a superb way to build an independent practice, gain momentum and form fruitful habits that allow your creative expression to flourish.
Day to day plan
Day 1
Through structured exercises learn to use visual clues from your response to the preparatory questions. Explore how composition, scale, texture, narrative, colour can be used literally, poetically or as analogy. Experiment with processes and techniques of mark making in oils, being open to a more intuitive way of working.
Day 2
Source material collecting in St Ives, this will be using drawing, inks, mobile phone photography and personal note taking. Kerry will lead you as a group but highlight individual points of interest based on the first days exercise. Working in series begin to explore source material collected with the techniques practiced.
Day 3
Continue to develop and ask questions of your work and your response to the landscape. Evolve your series of paintings through layering and reworking with Kerry’s help, observing what challenges and new discoveries emerge.
What will I learn?
- An appreciation of the diverse possibilities of landscape painting today.
- An understanding of the right questions to ask yourself when approaching this subject.
- A sharper understanding of what visual clues are emerging from your contemplation of landscape – past, present and future.
- The technical confidence to describe landscape in your own way.
Who would this course suit?
This course would suit anyone interested in exploring their personal narrative through landscape painting. You might be a more experienced painter looking to embolden your own style and voice or someone interested in exploring landscape painting at an early stage. There will be some time spent outside on the beach and headland, so you should be comfortable walking, carrying your materials and working standing or seated on the ground. However the course is mainly based inside the studio.
This course involves working in oils. We use low odour white spirit and keep the studio well ventilated. However if you have a sensitivity to solvents and oil based products the course might not be suitable.
Taught by
What to Bring
Our studios are fully equipped and we provide you with all the materials you need for your course. However, if you have a favourite set of brushes or any specialist materials that you would prefer to use, please bring them with you.
Timings and Breaks
The first day starts at 10am and finishes at 4.30pm, please aim to arrive ten to fifteen minutes before the start time.
All course days after that start at 9.30am and finish at 4pm and there will be an hour for lunch. There are plenty of nearby places to eat and we will serve tea and coffee at break times during the day.
FAQs
Studio Courses
How can I get help in choosing a course?
Our friendly expert staff are always happy to discuss your needs and our courses in more detail to help you with your decision. Please call us on 01736 797180
How do I get my work home?
Tutors have special techniques for transporting oil paintings and the school has plastic folders available in our shop for £3.50 or do bring a portfolio.
For international students we are happy to arrange transportation of your work back home.
What do I need to bring?
Absolutely nothing! All materials and aprons are provided although some people do like to bring their own set of brushes.
What do I do for lunch?
Courses allow an hour’s break for lunch and there are numerous places nearby or you are welcome to bring a packed lunch into the studio.
What times do courses run?
Most of our courses start at 10am and end at 4.30pm on the first day. Subsequent days we start at 9.30am ending at 4pm.
Weekend Courses run 10am – 4pm on the first day but the final day starts at 9.30 and ends at 3.30 with a short lunch break to enable people to get home that evening.
Do you have to be experienced to come to the School?
The School is a very friendly and welcoming place for all ages and experience. Our drop-in life classes and August half-day workshops are ideal for those wanting to have a go for the first time. Most of our longer courses are also fine for novices.
If any of the courses do need a bit of experience we flag this up in the brochure and on the website.
Booking a Course
How can I reserve a place?
We will hold a provisional reservation for 24 hours if you give us a call whilst you find accommodation. Otherwise please book online or by telephone 01736 797180.
You can reserve a place with a £100 deposit; balance is due 12 weeks before course start date.
About St Ives
Where do I park?
The nearest long stay public car parks are the Island and Barnoon Long Stay Car Park, both a 5 minute walk away. In the peak summer months it may be easier to park at Trenwith Car Park by the leisure centre and walk down into town. If you don’t fancy the walk up the hill at the end of the day there is a shuttle bus which runs from outside the cinema.
How do I get there?
Public Transport: If you are coming from further afield the main train line runs into St Erth which is a 15 min taxi ride away or you can take the St Ives Bay Line which runs approx. every 30 minutes. The School is a 10 minute walk from St Ives station.
Driving: M5 will take you to Exeter where we recommend that you take the A30 across Bodmin Moor and into Cornwall. After passing Hayle, leave the A30 at St Erth roundabout for St Ives. Turn right at the second roundabout. This road will take you through Lelant and Carbis Bay into St Ives.
Where can I stay?
St Ives has a huge selection of hotels, guest houses and self catering accommodation to choose from. Please browse the art holidays St Ives section on our website and give us a call if you would like any help.
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