The Thick + the Thin of it: Painting the Ocean

Mixed Media / Oil / Landscape - Materials included

Book Selected Date

Course details

This course revels in the bounty of materials available to you as a painter. Use differences in texture and viscosity to describe organic coastal forms. Combine sheer washes and sprays with thicker, impasto marks by layering, scraping and saturating, building the dramatic expanse of the sea. 

Plunge into painting the ocean in all its mesmerising wildness. Learn from the masters of layering and gesture – Claude Monet, Cy Twombly, Joan Eardley and more – to create energy and texture from beneath the surface of your paintings. Jill Eisele offers her professional insight into techniques that often took artists years to develop – and how to apply them in your own expressive seascapes.

Over the three days you’ll gradually incorporate colour and materials to build layers of interest, experimenting with how different consistencies react to one another. Rough and viscous textures like salt, wax and oil bars combine with washes, glazes and inky pools, replicating the movements, meetings and retreating of the sea, land and sky.

You’ll spend time surrounded by the sea, working en plein air – a method that revolutionised Monet’s work, allowing him to ‘seize’ the experience of a landscape and truly capture it in his paintings. Work with specific colour palettes and combinations to evoke tone and mood in your paintings. Learn to control saturation and translucency of colour to build intensity.

Collecting from the treasure trove of research and experiments you’ve gathered, you’ll create vibrant, semi-abstract paintings with a powerful personal connection to the ocean.

Jill Eisele
Jill Eisele

Day to day plan

This is a rough indication of what to expect over the course. However sometimes the structure of the days may alter depending on the nature of the group and weather.

Day 1

After a brief introduction we will explore the work of artists such as Monet, Tress and Twombly, specifically how they created texture in their surfaces. We will spend time both outside and in the studio, experimenting with a variety of materials in monochrome and creating surfaces to use in the coming days. We will then explore colour control, saturation and translucency.

Day 2

We will continue to explore colour today, creating depth using washes and ink. We will then explore earth tones and gestural mark making using a palette knife.

Day 3

After some sketching outside we will consolidate work and research from previous days to create semi-abstract paintings. We’ll apply principles of composition and structure gleaned from deconstructing historic works to create strong, interesting paintings.

What will I learn?

  • Professional insight into the techniques used by expressive landscape painters.
  • Exploration and experimentation in a wide variety of materials.
  • A technical understanding of colour theory.
  • Confidence and control in using colour to create saturation, translucency and glazes.
  • An understanding of principles of structure and composition to create strong paintings.

Who would this course suit?

If you’re inspired by the ever-changing ocean and would like to put that inspiration into practice, whatever your experience, this course is for you. Jill Eisele’s positivity and enthusiasm create the ideal conditions for venturing into experimentation and abstraction. If gestural and luscious landscape paintings appeal to you, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn the tips and techniques for creating textured and intriguing seascapes.

Ahead of your oil painting course with us if you would like to brush up your skills, you are entitled to 25% off our online “Getting Started with Oil Painting” course here. You will be given a code after purchasing our studio oil painting course.

Our studio ‘Beginner’s Oil Painting’ courses can be found here.

The Thick and the Thin of it: Painting the Ocean

Mixed Media / Oil / Landscape – Materials included

Book Selected Date

Taught by

Jill
Eisele

View Jill’s Work

My practice begins with drawing, often taking me to wild and wonderful parts of Cornwall, capturing fleeting moments where light and colour create atmosphere and expression. These underpin my largely figurative paintings, which convey a sense of incompleteness; of place and mystery.

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.

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 3.30 on Sunday after a short lunch break to try an enable people to get home that day.
There are plenty of nearby places to eat and we will serve tea and coffee at break times during the day.

What our students say

Jill was extremely knowledgeable about her subject and very good at passing on that information. Very patient, helpful and encouraging.

The course was beyond what I could have hoped for. Jill is a wonderful teacher, she planned the course so intricately, gave us so many ideas, techniques, knowledge, expertise and amazing encouragement. I don’t think I have ever learnt so much from anyone in such a short space of time. I’m so inspired to keep painting and experimenting and trying to capture the light of St.Ives.

Hannah

A bit mind blowing in a positive way. Learnt so much and have such an urge now to go and try it all out.

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.

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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