A thorough introduction to this versatile and accessible medium: learn simple and dynamic approaches to painting with oils, responding to landscape and working from still life in the studio.

Ideal if you are a newcomer to oils, we have designed this course to give you the tips and tools you need to get started. Learn simple and dynamic approaches to painting with oils, responding to landscape and working from still life in the studio. This will provide you with a thorough introduction to this versatile and accessible medium.

The course’s step-by-step approach will feature demonstrations and exercises at each stage to build your confidence using oils. On the final day, you will use your studies to develop a more complex painting, either on oil paper or board.

Explore different methods of applying oil paint to enhance your understanding of how it behaves as a medium. You will gain insight into how swapping a brush for a palette knife can have as much impact on the mood and tone of a piece as colour can.

When it comes to colour, you will initially concentrate on building palettes using primary and secondary colours with white. Then you will move on to tertiary colours, taking inspiration from the St Ives landscape to produce colour grids. You will develop a keener eye for what to record when out sketching and be confident in mixing the colours you need without having to carry lots of paints. The aim of this course is to provide you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to buy your own oil painting equipment and create your own oil paintings. Whether in the studio or out in the landscape.

There will be solvents used on this course, mainly low odour white spirit and an alternative to turpentine called Zest It. If you are particularly sensitive however to solvents the course might not be suitable.

What you will get out of this course

1. An understanding of the properties of oil paint.
2. Gained confidence in tertiary colour mixing and working outside.
3. The skills to develop paintings from drawing studies.
4. The ability to put together your own oil painting kit.

Who would this course suit?

Whether you are a complete beginner in oil paints or would like to build your confidence working with them, this course is a wonderful starting point. It will be an opportunity to work outside on drawings and colour studies and to develop work back in the studio. You will therefore need to be happy carrying your own kit over steps, sand and grass and be happy to draw standing or sitting on the ground. 

What to Bring

Timings and Breaks