Immerse yourself in this 3 day course learning to paint a still life in oils, using traditional techniques and materials and based in a lovely light fine art studio on our beautiful Falmouth campus.
Working on a gesso panel, you will first draw your composition onto the panel, as we explore the history of, and symbolic meaning historically imbued within, still-life painting.
After an introduction to oil painting techniques and the history of the limited palette, we will focus on practical and technical skills, gradually building layers of paint and learning to create depth of colour, texture and light effect.
Through a series of practical exercises, you’ll experiment with wet into wet painting, scraping back, glazes and impasto as methods for creating a beautifully observed oil painting from life which you will take home at the end of the course.
This course is taught by Emily Roberts, an artist and teacher whose work is held in private collections across Europe and North America. Emily teaches this course in an accessible method where traditional techniques are built up step by step. There will be time to develop and explore techniques as you work through each day.
Course outline
Day one:
After a discussion on composition and symbolism we will begin to create our still live set up. Once the composition has been finalised we will begin with some charcoal drawing directly on to the panel. Then, following a demonstration of the materials and limited pallet, we will begin the lay-in, the first layer of oil paint.
Day two:
We will continue to apply thin layers of oil paint to the surface, creating depth of colour and finalising the shapes. We will discuss texture, reflection and capturing the light effect.
Day three:
We will further discuss finishing texture with use of glazes to add depth and build colour and impasto to create highlights. Final emphasis will be on the dark accents and highlights, finding soft and hard edges within the composition and creating a sense of atmosphere in the painting.
When
21st - 23rd July from 9.30am - 5pm
Each day will have the following timings:
9.30: Arrival and welcome, tea and coffee then straight into our morning session.
1pm – 2pm: Lunch break (please bring a packed lunch or visit a nearby cafe)
2pm – 5pm: Afternoon session
5pm – 9pm: The art studio will remain open until 9pm on days 1-2 for you to continue working on your own, if you wish to do so.
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for creative people with all levels of experience, whether you are a beginner wishing to explore oil painting or whether you have existing experience of life drawing or portraiture and wish to develop your technique further.
What's included?
All materials and equipment you’ll need are provided, using professional-quality art supplies. However if you have favourite brushes you wish to use please bring them with you.
Where
This course is taught in person and based in a lovely art studio on our Falmouth campus.
For campus maps and information on visiting us, please visit our How to Find Us | Falmouth University