The Wave

Oil / Landscape

Book Selected Date

Course details

How to convey that fleeting moment when a wave crashes on the shore, its drama, energy and movement? Learn the secrets to capturing this dramatic moment in oils.

You can watch the teaching session live or later. We record it so you can revisit to refresh your memory and watch on demand as many times as you like, for up to six months along with the instructional videos we send you.

You will need to gather your own materials for the course and have access to the internet. You will receive a handbook on setting up ready for the course covering equipment and materials.

As part of artist Gary Long’s Sea Meets Land series, this course focuses on the particular challenge of capturing the life and soul of the moving wave. Use an expressive approach in oils to capture the dramatic moment when the power of the sea transforms itself into rolling surf.

Wherever you are in the world transport yourself to the dramatic coastline around St Ives working from a recording made especially for the course, followed up by a live teaching session with Gary.

A week before the live session, in your own time follow our beautiful instructional videos. Learn how to work with gouache to make annotations on colour and weather. You will gain confidence in using a limited palette and work with a palette knife to capture drama and movement. Work over the weekend and/or during the week ready to join Gary live for three hours of translating sketches and colour notes into a finished oil painting. You can then use these skills to respond to whatever landscape inspires you, not just the coast.

Teaching will be through both pre-recorded video demonstrations that transport you to our studio here in St Ives as well as a live tutored session. Gary works on his own piece during this so students can observe the process of development.

You will see Gary as he works along with you. You won’t be seen or heard in the session but you can ask questions using the chat function. Share your work live with others on social media using the #schoolofpainting

Day to day plan

This is a 2 week course and will work best for those that can commit time over the two weekends to watch the videos, do the tasks and attend the live session . However you will have six months to go through all the learning materials in your own time. There is a combination of a live, interactive session with Gary lasting three hours as well as pre recorded videos to watch.

Week 1 – One week before the live broadcast

Preparing the Ground

In this first week you will work through a series of tasks, at your leisure, to get ready for painting in the second week. We will send you a specially produced recording to work from along with a set of instructional videos. The more you experiment the more this will become second nature. Cover how to make annotations, tonal studies in charcoal moving into colour studies in gouache. Armed with lots of studies you will be ready to move into oils the following week.

Week 2 – Live broadcast- Saturday 28th August

Moving Into Oils

In this second week of study we move into painting with oils. Teaching is through a live session with the artist.

Gary starts the session demonstrating his own approach to working in oils starting with mixing your palette and showing examples of work. If you have an easel either desk or standing have this set up ready, otherwise work on the table. Gary will talk you through your materials, set up and how to start to put your drawing down on to the canvas. Learn to select and crop your colour study.

Gary will show you how to start your painting working with thin washes and then build up. Explore a range of mark making styles and tools to create a confident painting with movement and energy.

What you will get out of this course

  1. An understanding of the properties of oil paint so you can have more control of the paint and get the effect you want.
  2. Confidence in colour mixing so you can develop your own personal palette that you can recreate rather than rely on guesswork.
  3. The skills to develop paintings from drawing studies.
  4. Confidence in using a variety of tools and techniques to get a range of marks and effects. This will help you create paintings that are interesting and striking.
  5. Insight into the particular challenge of capturing in oils a moving wave

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. If you love painting landscape but feel stuck, this course gives useful tools for loosening up and animating your paintings.

The Wave

Oil / Landscape

Book Selected Date

Taught by

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 to Bring

You will receive a handbook on setting up ready for the course covering equipment and materials. We will guide you on how best to set up in your own home environment whatever that might be from the kitchen to the studio.

You will need to use oil paint and either low odour white spirit or Zest It, if you are sensitive to solvents.

IT Equipment

You will need a laptop or tablet with audio and camera enabled so you can have a screen near where you are working. A phone is not ideal as you will struggle to see enough. You will also need reasonable broadband connection and speed.

Timings and Breaks

On week beforehand – instructional videos are sent to you to start practicising.

Receive your recording to work from and your series of pre-recorded videos. Work through this process over the weekend and during the week in your own time.

Friday July 2nd or Saturday August 28th – Live broadcast 10am – 1pm

Live session with Gary Long

How does this online course work?

One week before the course starts we will email you links to the instructional videos and our recording of the scenes to work from. At your leisure work through the tasks ready to join the live session with Gary a week later.

The day beforehand you will be sent a link to join the live session with Gary. Ideally you will set up your space to paint alongside Gary in this session. But if you can’t make it, you can watch later using the recording we send you afterwards.

You can put questions to the tutor at this session using the online chat function. As we record the sessions you can watch on demand, as often as you like, for up to six months after the course finishes. You will also be invited to join our Facebook Alumni group so you can share your discoveries with fellow students from around the world.

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 [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

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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