Six-Day Courses

We will provide all basic materials for your course. More specialist items you can bring or can be purchased locally.

We supply all the necessary equipment you will need but you are welcome to bring your own favourite items, eg brushes, portable easel, palette, if you prefer. It would be useful to have your own digital camera and if possible a portfolio to keep your work together.

Drawing and painting techniques

This course focuses on the core elements of line, tone and texture in a variety of different drawing and painting media.

See how combining materials gives your work added interest.

This course combines drawing on location (when the weather is fine) and studio work, including a day working from a life model.

Learn to gather information in a sketchbook and use it effectively back in the studio.

Basic techniques in watercolour, gouache, acrylic and oil are covered as well as discussion on how artists use colour effectively.

Exploring colour

A course for those keen to try out different colour media.

Work in conte or pastel over painted washes or experiment with acrylic or oil.

Try combining simple prints over paint or work on different types of paper.

The course includes instruction on how to use colour effectively whether bold and colourful or dark and moody.

Mixed Media

This course combines time working on location and in the studio. You will need a digital camera in the latter part of the week.

We start with an introductory day of drawing in the studio using a variety of different drawing materials.

The next day is spent drawing at one of our local sites.

Then a day painting on location. You can use either acrylic or oils or try using watercolour.

The next day will be spent taking photographs either on Bodmin Moor or at the coast.

The last two days can either be spent painting in the studio using the information gathered during the week or trying out some photographic silk screen printing techniques from the photographs you have taken on the course.

This is a week full of different but interrelating activities. A taster week that has something for everyone.

Photographic silk screen printing

This course combines the skills of photography and printing to give some stunning results.

Transform your photos into a unique series of individual prints. For this course you will need to bring your own digital camera or a selection of your favourite photographs on disc.

On the first day we will take you to one of Cornwall’s great sites which are inspirational and very photogenic.

Back in the studio the next day we will teach you how to convert your photographs into high contrast black and white images printed onto clear acetate. These are then fixed onto a silk screen in our darkroom.

The next few days will be spent printing in a variety of different ways. We will show you how to print onto many different surfaces, using subtle changes of tone or bright colourful contrasts. You can experiment with torn surfaces giving an interesting texture or print onto an opaque surface to soften the effect. Experience comes through experimentation and the excitement of discovering different methods.

You’ll be surprised at the wonderful results this process will give.