ArtBirds
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Here's something I put together last year. It should cover most things, but please get in touch via the contact form if you have any questions.
The point of it all……
- Aim is to develop and nurture confidence and skills in a new subject area for most of you.
- To learn about the work of other artists when relevant to topic.
- To develop drawing and painting skills
- To experience a range of new techniques and media which will allow you to explore your own ideas at a later point in the course.
- Over a period of time you will draw with a range of media, pencil, charcoal, dry pastel, oil pastel, ink, use new techniques such as sticks pens , rubbers, and pens.
- Acrylic and watercolour techniques on paper and canvas
- Printmaking by hand- Lino, card, foil tape, card etchings.
- Textiles- creating new surfaces using layering techniques, adding in fabric, stitch etc.
- Working outside –sketching and simple colour work, framing and composition.
- Visits to local exhibitions and artist’s studios during Open Studios.
- To have fun!
- Most sessions will be held in my studio/conservatory/garden though there will be visits to local woodland/parks in order to put your skills into practice.
- All sessions start promptly at 10.00, before that I am probably be setting up though 9.55 is fine!
- Initially when we start up the new sessions in September. I will provide basic materials which you will be using included in the price up until half term. However as you progress I will suggest paints and brushes to purchase but at the moment you don’t need to invest in anything!
- After Half term we will be spending time on building a rich and gorgeous sketchpad and I will suggest the best one to purchase.
- To get the most out of this course it will be helpful to have a mobile phone to take photos which will be of use in developing your work. I will also set up a WhatsApp group which I have found to be enormously useful in sharing information efficiently and effectively. I do need to be able to communicate with everyone in one fell swoop. Help will be on hand if you need setting up!!!
- To help me arrange teaching materials I will need to know if you are attending your session, so please let me know if you are off on a cruise or won’t be with us on a particular date. I will be aiming to use my diary and take note of above so that others may possibly use your space. Although most people get hooked and work round the sessions sometimes it’s inevitable that you miss the occasional one. If so don’t worry there are ways round it…
- I like to have a maximum of 6 people or less in the group so that everyone has enough space and gets the attention they need.
- The ideal working atmosphere is one of peace and quiet though this certainly doesn’t apply to the much needed coffee break …featuring decent coffee.
- As we will be covering a wide range of techniques and subject matter you will need to have a can do approach and give it your best shot- you may surprise yourself about what you can achieve!!
- Some of the techniques and skills might seem a little surprising and unheard of but all contribute to the main aim of developing your art skills- so go with the flow…
- As I have been conditioned by the academic school year for most of my life at the moment I will be running my classes to fit in with this so each half term will be approx. 6 weeks.
- SO IF all goes to plan we would start on Mon 13th September run through to half term week beginning Mon 19th October. Then start again Mon 1st November and finish Fri 11th Dec. However I am prone to holding ad hoc sessions in addition to this if there is interest- for example we had a fun drawing time at Reading museum looking at a great exhibition on Animal Art over the Christmas break.
- Cost- at present it is £25 per session on the day, however it is cheaper to buy a buy a half term 5% discount (6 consecutive weeks) at a time £142.50 as opposed to £150 ) In 2022 half terms are 5wks long so discounted price =£118.75 as opposed to £125
- Most of my work is about nature, plants, landscape and these are my specialisms so there will be a bias to this sort of thing, although other topics such as boats and harbours, birds, portraits and still life are on the agenda.