Course details
Artist Gary long shows you the secrets to capturing in oils bold spring blooms, rich in paint, colour and texture.
Each session lasts three hours and there will be an opportunity for you to pose questions to Gary during the demonstrations.
You will see Gary as he works along with you but you won’t be seen or heard. You can join in live and watch again on demand.
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 days 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.
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Sessions
In these two sessions, Gary will be working in the studio live to share with you his process. Questions will be taken throughout. We expect each one t0 last around three hours.
Session 1 – Live broadcast, Thursday 20 May 10:00 am – 1pm
Looking and Preparing
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.
Session 2 – Live broadcast, Friday 21 May 10:00am – 1pm
Palette and Painting
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?
We will send you a link on the morning of the session so you can join in live.
You can put questions to the tutor using the online chat function. We record the sessions so you can watch on demand, as often as you like, for up to a month after.
You will also be invited to join our Facebook Alumni group so you can share your discoveries with fellow students from around the world.
Share your work live with others on social media using the #schoolofpainting
Taught by
What to Bring
Materials: You will need a selection of oil paints and a canvas to work on. A full list of materials will be sent to you on booking.
Still life: You can either work from the same one as Gary working from the screen or create your own at home. The key is to keep it simple. Just a few blooms or even a single rose or peony can work well.
You will need access to the internet and either a Smart TV, PC or laptop or a tablet with audio. Phones are not really suitable however cast your phone to a Smart TV.
Timings and Breaks
We will start teaching at 10.00 am and expect each session to last three hours with a five minute break half way through.
During the session please pose questions to the artist using the chat function.
We will be sending you a recording of the sessions so you can revisit as often as you like for up to 3 months after broadcast.
What our students say
A special thank you to Gary. That colour mixing was truly therapeutic!!
Everything was fabulous, thank you. I enjoyed the sessions very much – I could have watched Gary mix colours all day!
FAQs
Online Broadcast
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
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 info@schoolofpainting.co.uk. 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
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
Can I pay by cheque?
Please get in touch by phone and we can hold your place for a few days whilst you post your cheque (made payable to: St Ives School of Painting) to us at St Ives School of Painting, Porthmeor Studios. St Ives TR26 1NG
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 both 5 minute walk away. In the peak summer months it may be easier to park at the big top 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.
