Ref: SLW35681
This course will focus on bright, vibrant summer colour, providing you with an excellent opportunity to spend time exploring watercolour, with application to a flamboyant flower from the cutting garden at West Dean. Techniques and tips will be demonstrated to help you understand and simplify the complexity of plant structure, as well as accurately mix and match watercolour paint.
During the course, exercises will be undertaken to explore highlights and lowlights and the application of various colour theories. You will learn how to develop a good sense of structure and form to your painting, using pure and modified colour, so that the resulting flower will look as if it could be plucked from the page.
This course is suitable for any level, as individual attention will be given to all, including group discussions. Therefore, beginners, as well as those with experience, are welcome to join this course.
As the course draws to a close, you will leave with a worksheet or sketchbook containing your notes and colour exercises. These will be a useful reference tool for all future work, demonstrating techniques you have learned, in addition to the course notes provided as an aide-memoire. You will take with you a painting of your chosen flower, which you may or may not finish, and have gained increased confidence and pleasure in painting flowers.
On this course the College will supply some of the materials, including two sheets of A3 hot-pressed watercolour paper, one A4 sheet of tracing paper, two A4 sheets of smooth cartridge paper, one no. 3 watercolour paintbrush per student, plus three tubes of watercolour paint (French ultramarine, Permanent Rose and Lemon Yellow) to be shared by the group. For any materials you need to purchase from the shop, we suggest you do so during the first morning of your course, after having discussed the materials needed with your tutor.
The following will be useful, but not essential: Any watercolours you may already have - useful colours to have includes: Dioxazine Violet, Phthalo Green, Phthalo Blue, Quinacridone Pink/Rose or Red, Opera Rose, Transparent Yellow, Transparent Orange, Scarlet Lake, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Viridian, Sepia
Available from shop: Smooth cartridge paper, hot-pressed watercolour paper, 300 gsm/140lbs Bockingford, Fabriano or Arches, tracing paper, artist quality watercolour paints, 2H and HB Pencils, wooden, clutch and mechanical pencils, pencil sharpener, erasers - plastic and putty, ruler, watercolour paintbrushes - ideally, size 3 and 5 (miniature if you can find them), sketchbook
Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).
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
Mariella Baldwin studied botanical illustration at the English Gardening School, London and received an MA in Visual Arts from Sussex University. Her paintings are held in collections both in the UK and USA. She is a painting member of Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society. Her book 'Botanical Painting' was published in 2011.
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.
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.
