Botanical drawing – late summer fruit and vegetables with Ann Swan

Ref: S3D35658

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About this course

Learn to give lustre, brilliance and depth to late summer fruit and vegetables using coloured pencils.

Course Description

You will study techniques to create the colours for late summer fruit and vegetables. You will produce some studies and then plan and start a small, seasonal composition.

On the first evening, your tutor will give you a short presentation to illustrate some of the techniques and rich colour blends you will be tackling during the course, with updates about new materials and a short discussion of your expectations. You need to have a basic knowledge of working with coloured pencils or to have attended one of the tutor’s beginner courses.

Using some of the tutor’s colour mixing templates, you will learn how to merge colours and create convincing shadows to create a range of rich autumn colours. The tutor will demonstrate her techniques throughout the workshop for your study pieces and guide you through creating an eye-catching composition for your final piece.

This course is about having a go and trying out the techniques which, when mastered, will add depth, realism and interest to your finished colour pencil work and help you attract an audience to your pictures. You will leave with a page or two of studies, some colour templates and lots of notes, plus the start of a finished project, which you will be able to complete at home with the knowledge you have acquired.

Course Materials

Included

Fruit and vegetables from West Dean Gardens will be provided. Please bring along fruit and vegetables of your choice if you prefer.

What students need to bring

  • Layout paper – thin paper used like tracing paper
  • Good quality, hot pressed watercolour paper 300gsm – good makes are Fabriano Classico 5, Winsor & Newton Aquarelle 100% cotton, Strathmore Bristol Vellum 300 and 400 series, Bockingford watercolour paper, Arches watercolour paper
  • A range of graphite pencils: B, HB, or H, plus 9H if possible
  • A blender pencil - good makes are Lyra Splender Blender, Prismacolor and Caran D’Ache
  • Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils are a good selection for all improvers classes; these are the basics: 168 Earth Green Yellowish, 174 Chromium Green Opaque, 278 Chrome Green Oxide, 170 May Green, 172 Earth Green, 274 Warm Grey V, 230 Cold Grey 1, 139 Light Violet (discontinued but very useful if you have one or similar), 103 Ivory, 102 Cream, 101 White, 194 Red Violet, 193 Burnt Carmine, 135 Light Red Violet
  • Plus a selection of oranges, yellow, red and browns Prismacolor Orange, Poppy Red, Scarlet Lake, Carmine Red, Lime Peel, Black Cherry (Ann will endeavour to have some of these available for purchase on the day or from her website prior to the course.) Other good makes: Caran D’Ache Luminance, Derwent Lightfast (Forest, Foliage), Caran D’Ache Pablo, Tombow Irojiten (good for fine details, not so lightfast) (Sea Fog, Mulberry, Eggshell)
  • Pencil Sharpener, preferably with a spiral metal sharpening core
  • Eraser – battery and kneadable (soft) Pergamano 0.5 embossing tool or similar fine embossing tool
  • Magnifying Glass The following are not essential but are very useful and inexpensive to buy online:
  • A small UV LED Torch (Blue light)
  • A small LED torch

Colour swatches – blanks can be downloaded from my website: www.annswan.co.uk, you will find them in the members area under ‘Tips and Tricks’ and they can be coloured in with your selection of colours. These are really useful for colour matching and building up your colour mixes.

Most of the above equipment is available on the tutor’s website: www.annswan.co.uk so if you email your order, she will bring it along on the day to save postage costs.

Available to buy

Available from shop: The shop holds a range of general purpose art materials, including pencils, sketchbooks, erasers, layout paper and good quality watercolour paper.

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).

Timetable

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

General Information

Tutors

Ann Swan

Ann is one of this country's leading botanical artists and teachers working primarily in coloured pencil and graphite. She has been awarded four RHS Gold Medals and her work is in the prestigious Shirley Sherwood Collection and the RHS Lindley Library. Ann is an enthusiastic and nurturing teacher with over twenty five years' experience and now teaches around the world. Her book 'Botanical Painting with Colour Pencils' is a leader in the field.

Accommodation

Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.

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Further study options

Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study. 

Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.