An introduction for all painters to the building blocks that underpin the expressive possibilities of abstract painting, including form, colour, painted paper collage, line, composition, space and narrative.
Understand the building blocks that make up the expressive possibilities that abstract painting can take on this stimulating and thought provoking hands-on course.
Through a series of demonstrations and directed exercises based on contextual and historical examples from artists including Piet Mondrian, Henri Matisse, Richard Diebenkorn, Robert Motherwell, Elsworth Kelly, Sandra Blow and Chris Martin, you will learn how choice determines outcome in abstract painting.
You will explore form, colour, painted paper collage, line, composition, space and narrative. There will be an opportunity for individual tutorials, which can help you to reflect on how this understanding can develop your painting practice further.
By the end of the course, you will have gained an insight into understanding how all painting is ultimately made up from abstract elements. You will have completed various expressive possibilities using acrylic paint and charcoal/graphite pencil on paper to achieve different outcomes. You will also have gained confidence in your ability to make choices in your painting process.
Included
Some lining paper and paint for one of the exercises
What students need to bring
- Acrylic paints (minimum of 59ml tube) in the following colours: Cadmium Red Hue, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue Hue, Cadmium Yellow Hue, Lemon Yellow, Black, Titanium White and a green of your choice, plus any other colours you would like to bring
- A selection of brushes - round and flat head - quality of your choosing
- One flat head brush, 2 inches wide
- Palette, A3 sketchpad
- Water pots – jam jars/yogurt pots (some pots are available from the College)
- Suitable clothing for working with acrylic paint
Available to buy
Available from shop:
A good variety of art materials, such as acrylic paint in a good range of colours, including Cadmium Red Hue, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue Hue, Cadmium Yellow Hue, Lemon Yellow, Black, Titanium White and Green, pencils, a good selection of brushes - round and flat, 2 inch wide flat brushes, palettes, paper in various weights and sizes, A3 sketchpads, canvases, etc.
Available from tutor:
Tutor will supply paper
Additional information
Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio. This includes stout covered footwear, i.e. no open-toes or sandals.
Arrival day
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration
6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included)
8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential
Daily timetable
Course teaching 9.15am - 5pm (lunch included)
Dinner: from 6.30pm (included for residential students)
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed
Departure day
Course teaching: 9.15am - 3pm (lunch included)
Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am
Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required