Painting Flowers in Oils

Oil / Still Life

Purchase

Course details

Learn how to capture in oils, bold spring blooms, to create a beautiful expressive still life, rich in colour and texture.

Each session lasts three hours and you can pause and rewind each recording. You will see Gary as he works alongside you.

Nothing quite compares with the luscious possibility of working with oil paint, but it can be a daunting medium. Follow in the seasoned footsteps of tutor Gary Long and work from a subject that has transfixed artists for centuries: a beautiful still life of flowers. This course equips you with a practical, step by step approach to painting flowers in oils. Gary shares with you the usually hidden process of creating a painting from scratch leading you to a final finished piece.

You’ll start with a compositional drawing in charcoal, giving you a feeling for the tonal values. From your charcoal study, move to working with gouache, incorporating colour and a flush of confidence into your painting. This approach drives away the apprehension of beginning an oil painting and draws out your intuitive knowledge. You can either work from the same still life as Gary or create your own at home.

You will build your colour palette, learning to unearth the right tones and to create a dialogue between them. This gives you a solid support system for working in oils, bringing depth to your painting. Work on canvas; using brushes and experiment with palette knives, reveal the possibilities of expressive mark making. The two sessions will establish the practical approach you need to feel confident working with oils, creating still lifes that luxuriate in the richness of paint, movement and texture.

Sessions

In these two recorded sessions, Gary will be working in the studio to share with you his process.

Recording 1 – Looking and Preparing

(3 hours)

Introduction. Gary will show you some of his own pieces. You can then work from our display of flowers or your own at home and begin with charcoal studies. You’ll incorporate gouache, with Gary demonstrating expressive and experimental painting techniques.

Recording 2 – Palette and Painting

(3 hours)

Gary will share some information on colour and techniques for laying out a palette. You will then begin to paint on your canvas in oils, using your charcoal and gouache studies as references. Gary will introduce you to mediums such as impasto paste, which you can use to create texture in your painting, creating gestural forms without losing the intensity of your colour.

What will I learn?

  • Learn to sharpen your observation when it comes to working from still life.
  • Understand tonal values and how to convey these in different media.
  • Build confidence to experiment with gouache as a way into oil painting and a reference point throughout the process of making work.
  • Build confidence in colour mixing and develop your understanding of how colours interact in a piece.
  • Learn to create texture in oil paintings using different tools and media.


Who would this course suit?

This course is a wonderful starting point to build your confidence working with oil paints and to develop a more expressive and gestural still life style. With its structured and practical approach, it is ideal for anyone looking for a better understanding of composition, colour and the physical properties of oil paint and is suitable for complete beginners as well as those with a little more experience.

How does an online session work?

Once you have booked you will be able to watch on demand immediately. 

You can pause, rewind and watch again as often as you like until the session expires 90 days after purchase

You will also be invited to join our Facebook Alumni group so you can share your discoveries with our community of fellow students from around the world.

You will need access to the internet and ideally a Smart TV, PC or laptop or a tablet with audio. Phones are not suitable unless cast to a smart TV.

Painting Flowers in Oils

Oil / Still Life

Purchase

Taught by

Gary
Long

View Gary’s Work

After many years as an illustrator I taught on the BA Illustration course at Falmouth University. In 2011 I began teaching at St Ives School of Painting. I deliver courses involved with the figure, still life and landscape. My practice as a painter feeds into the teaching, often through demonstrations. The school is wonderful – the history the ethos and most of all the people.

What our students say

A special thank you to Gary.  That colour mixing was truly therapeutic!!  

Jean R

Everything was fabulous, thank you. I enjoyed the sessions very much – I could have watched Gary mix colours all day!  

Roxanne D

FAQs

Art Courses

Do you have to be experienced to come to the School?

No prior experience is required to join most of our art courses. The School of Painting is a friendly and welcoming environment for all ages and abilities, including complete beginners.

Our drop-in life drawing classes and short workshops are perfect if you’re trying painting for the first time. Many of our longer courses are also suitable for beginners, as our tutors are experienced in supporting mixed ability groups. If a course requires previous experience, this will be clearly stated on the course page.

Online Art Courses

Do I need a webcam/any equipment?

For our webinar sessions which are broadcast on the internet and no webcam or microphone is needed as you just need to be able to see/hear hosts and you can communicate using the chat function. You can watch using a PC, Smart TV or tablet. A phone isn’t ideal as you will struggle to see enough unless you can miracast to a screen or smart TV.

For the longer online courses on Zoom you will need a laptop or tablet with audio and camera enabled so you can have a screen near where you are working. If you have a PC without camera or speakers, you can purchase a plug and play webcam for approx £25 which connects to a usb port. You will also need reasonable broadband connection and speed.

All the art materials and equipment needed to participate in the course will be listed in full on the online learning platform, for live webinars this will be a minimum of two weeks before the session starts.

I have registered for the webinar but I can't find my joining link

You can access all the resources and joining link for your webinar via our online learning platform. You will need to have set up an account on our online learning platform in advance. You can do this during the checkout process when purchasing your webinar. If you are having trouble accessing your online account, please contact [email protected]. You can use a PC or tablet or even cast from your phone to watch on your Smart TV.

I paid for the session but missed it, how can I watch?

Currently all our online sessions are recorded and you can access the recording on our online learning platform until it expires. Usually 60 days for a webinar, 90 – 180 days for multipart webinars or online courses.

Studio Courses

Can I bring my dog?

The studios are busy places with lots of equipment and not suitable for bringing a pet dog. We can accommodate assistance dogs with prior notice so we can make suitable adjustments. If you wish to bring an assistance dog please call 01736 797180 or email [email protected]

Can you help me choose the right course?

Yes, our friendly and knowledgeable team are always happy to help you choose the best course for your needs, whether you’re a beginner or looking to develop specific skills.

Please call us on 01736 797180 to discuss your options.

How do I get my work home?

Tutors have special techniques for transporting oil paintings and for our 3 day courses we will give you a plastic folder with a handle. These are also available to purchase for £3.50 or do bring a portfolio.

Please note: For the course Bigger, Bolder, Braver with Boo Mallinson, we will provide a large A1 size plastic folder for your work but please consider how you will be able to transport the larger canvases home safely before signing up for the course as we will not be able to store large paintings in the studio. On this course you will be painting on a 50cms x 50cms and a 1m x 1m canvas alongside smaller pieces.

For international students we are happy to arrange transportation of your work back home, postal costs will be borne by you.

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.

Short workshops start at 10am in the Summer and 9.30am/ 1.30pm during September festival


Booking a Course

How do I reserve a place on a course?

You can book your place online or by calling us on 01736 797180.

If you need time to arrange accommodation, we can hold a provisional booking for 24 hours. To secure your place, a £100 deposit is required, with the remaining balance due 12 weeks before the course start date.

About St Ives

Where can I park near the School?

The nearest long-stay car parks are:

Island Car Park
Barnoon Long Stay Car Park

Both are approximately a 5-minute walk from the School.

During the busy summer months, you may find it easier to park at Trenwith Car Park near the leisure centre and walk into town. A shuttle bus often runs back up the hill from near Tate St Ives.

How do I get to the School of Painting in St Ives?

By train:

The nearest mainline station is St Erth, which is approximately a 15-minute taxi journey away. From there, you can also take the St Ives Bay Line, which runs every 30 minutes. The School is a 10-minute walk from St Ives station.

By car:

Take the M5 to Exeter, then follow the A30 into Cornwall. After passing Hayle, exit at the St Erth roundabout towards St Ives. Continue through Lelant and Carbis Bay into St Ives..

Where can I stay in St Ives?

St Ives offers a wide range of accommodation, including hotels, guest houses, and self-catering options. You can explore options on our website, or contact us directly on 01736 797180 if you’d like personalised recommendations.

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