Class details
Tuesday 7 July – 11 August
2 – 4pm
Course Fee: £120 – Adults (£90 – concessions)
Limited to 10 people
Master the art of watercolour is a 6 week course inspired by the work and techniques of David Hockney.
This class is for anyone who
- loves to paint
- wants to improve their technique
- wants to build a portfolio of work
- wants to get together with other enthusiasts
- wants to develop a personal style
We cover the following topics during the course:
Weeks 1 & 2 History and Process – Research and explore the work, themes and techniques of artist David Hockney. and start a personal watercolour journal.
Weeks 3 & 4 Colour Mixing – Watch demonstrations on colour theory and do exercises. Create an original painting that incorporates the colour mixing techniques we have learned.
Weeks 5 & 6 Improving Techniques – Explore ways to maintain a clean and fresh approach, using watercolour pencils for improved composition. We learn about brush care and selection and the best practice for storing, developing and presenting work.
To complete the course, “Master the art of watercolour” there will be individual and group reflection sessions and instruction on how to mount paintings.
Materials Needed: you will need to provide your own materials for this course. Suppliers are listed below.
- Watercolour paints ( 24 colour solid pans )
- Watercolour pencil
- Brushes (various shapes round/flat/mop and sizes ranging from 4, 6, 8,10 and 12)
- Watercolour paper
- Watercolour sketchbook
- 1 x Palette
- 2 x Water Jars
- 1 x Apron
Optional Materials: watercolour paints in tubes, artists masking frog tape, masking fluid, sponges.
Suppliers: www.cassart.co.uk ; www.jacksonsart.com (read the review of their own brand of paints at the bottom of the watercolour page) ; www.pullingers.com ; Hobbycraft
About the Tutor
Gail Astbury has a B.A. (Hons) Fine Art Painting from Wimbledon UAL and has recently gained an MA in Contemporary Arts Practice from Goldsmiths University and Tate Galleries 2014. Her work has featured in many prominent locations such as London’s Trafalgar Square, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Academy and she has works held in the collection of the MMSU Museum of Modern Art in Croatia.
Gail makes series of paintings and watercolours in her studios in London and La Péruse, southwest France. Her work starts with her immediate surroundings, taking photos, sketching and amassing a picture library to draw reference from. She then plays with the imagery, using scale, colour, edits and zoom to select and highlight interesting focal points. She uses a range of techniques from renaissance lighting and brushwork to the colour and decorative compositions of 20th century modernism through to contemporary mass media image making and production. The resulting paintings are celebratory, they tell visual tales and proclaim societal hopes and fears. http://www.gailastbury.com
