Join practising artist, Victoria Gillow, in this playful exploration of building history and narratives into paintings, through the use of coloured grounds and under painting.

The ‘well grounded’ webinar aims to enable artists to playfully identify and work with ideas around a painter’s choice of ground and how this can then inform how an artist starts to layer and build a painting, as well as how it can influence the way a painting is created and subsequently read/viewed, interacted with and enjoyed. 

Every layer of colour, texture and mark adds to the history and narrative in a painting. Coloured grounds and under painting can be literal with a colour taken from the place observed or remembered. The choice of ground can also be an emotional one, informed by a true and deep connection with place – so it can work on two levels. We will look at different ways we can play with these ideas.  

Taking inspiration from artists such as John Constable, Peter Lanyon and March Rothko, amongst others, Victoria will guide you on how to find balance, patterns and rhythms of colour and on how colours works with or against each other.

Working from your chosen images or from direct observation, Victoria will be showing you how to create paintings from the ground up. Learn about building grounds with colour and the possibilities of impasto, textured, and collaged grounds. Take the time to consider the way you apply the paint and how to create the energy in a brush stroke. You will be encouraged to ‘find your own voice’ through mark making and layers, paint and texture; to create a series of artwork.

The workshop promises to be playful and fun, with layers informing the reading of the paintings and artworks we produce.  Everyone will have their own connection with a place, perhaps an immediate emotive response or maybe layers of memory and reflection.   

Who is this course for?

This course would suit artists with experience and beginners a like.  There will be something for everyone with the emphasis on accessing creativity a well as freeing up and enabling reverie in process based practice. 

An interest in landscape/seascape painting would be useful. 

What will I learn?

• How to bring new life and energy to a painting
• Explore how a painting can work from the ground up
• How layers work in paintings
• How a narrative and feeling can be built layer by layer
• Basic colour mixing
• Build confidence in using acrylic paints and mediums

How does an online session work?

We record the sessions so you can watch on demand, as often as you like, for up to 60 days after purchase. This way you can pause a scene, rewind and finish your painting. You can watch on a PC, laptop or tablet and if you have chromecast or miracast you could even cast to your SmartTV from your phone.

You will be invited to join our Facebook Alumni group so you can share your discoveries with fellow students from around the world. You can also share your work live with others on social media using the #schoolofpainting and tagging us @stives painting.

What to Bring

A list of materials will be available to see in your account upon booking the course. You will need access to the internet and ideally a PC, laptop or a tablet with audio.

You can revisit as often as you like for up to 60 days after the start of the course via the same links as the live events.