Class details
Join Gail for a new 6 week watercolour painting course. We return to glorious colour, seen through the eyes of several international painters on their voyage of discovery over the last 125 years. The study of colour, is unique in that it straddles, science, philosophy, and art. We will revisit the visual dimensions of colour and investigate some of its more hidden cultural signifiers. There are 3 important questions to ask yourself when looking at any colour painting. Most will have a combination of all three with some being more prominent than others.
- What Impression do we get? i.e., what can we see with our eyes?
- What Symbolisms do we understand? i.e., what meanings or significance do we ascribe to a picture?
- What Expression do we feel? i.e., what emotion do we get whilst looking at the painting?
Tuesdays
14 January – 11 February
2 – 4.30pm
Course Fee : £125
Pay As You Go : £23 per session
Course Outline
25 Feb & 4 March
Influenced by the current exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery : Goya to Impressionism
We will look deeper into the science of colour, illustrated by the Impressionists and Post Impressionists. Colour has roughly 4 dimensions. In week 1 we’ll cover Hue – Colour purity and Value – Light/Dark and in week 2
Intensity – Saturation, pigment and Temperature – Warm/Cool
11 & 18 March
Drawing from masterpieces in the Royal Academy’s current exhibition, Brasil, Brasil! The Birth of Modernism
For these middle sessions we look at how the Symbolism of colour might alter when there is ethnic and cultural diversity. In week 3 we explore what meanings we give to colours and in week four it’s all about Colour in Composition. We will explore how colour repetition creates rhythm and harmonies, and how to emphasise with colour by using scale and imbalance.
25 March & 1 April
Using contemporary artist Christina Kimeze as a source of influence
Contemporary artist Christina Kimeze is currently showing a selection of her new works called, Between Wood and Wheel at the South London Gallery. For these last sessions we look at how the Expressionism of colour features strongly in her works.
In week 5 we cover what it means to paint what’s in the minds eye.
Hopefully by week 6 your colour muscles are flexing and whilst your feet are firmly on the ground, your soul will fly.
We look forward to seeing you for this short watercolour painting course.
