I’ve compiled a list of FAQs and useful information about what to expect from my Landscape Painting Workshops. This page should hopefully answer any questions you have before you get here.
If I’ve missed something, do contact me and I’ll do my best to help you.
The workshops run from 10am to 4.30pm each day, with a break for lunch.
Please arrive at the Sculpture Lounge classroom around 9.30am, to make sure we’re all ready to start at 10am.
This is especially important on the second day, when we’ll be spending the morning session outside in the landscape. We’ll be setting off walking at 10am prompt.
If you have your own painting or drawing kit, you’re welcome to bring it - however drawing materials, a full selection of acrylic paints and brushes will be provided, and you might find it exciting to experiment with something new!
You can bring oil paints if you really want to, but please bear in mind you are very limited for drying time.
Everyone gets an easel, drawing board and paper, and a work table with stool. You’ll also be set up with a palette and water pot each.
A selection of brushes, palette knives and mark-making tools are available for you to use, but you’re welcome to bring your own if you already have them.
No - everything you need will be provided.
You’ll get a sketchbook to use out on location and fill full of ideas, sketches, notes and inspiration over the 4 days. This is yours to take home and (hopefully) continue using – or just have as a lasting reminder of the workshop. If you want to book another workshop later in the year or on next year’s calendar – bring it with you to continue using!
You'll also gets 2 stretched canvases (roughly 20" x 24") to make your paintings and take home with you.
If you wish to bring more with you, you’re very welcome, but bear in mind the time limitations of the workshop.
I usually also have a selection of larger canvases if you’re feeling bold and would like to tackle a bigger canvas. These are available to purchase at cost from me during the workshop.
By their nature, my Landscape Painting Workshops involve being outdoors in the glorious Yorkshire scenery and some walking is involved.
I have several different locations around Holmbridge we can use, depending on weather etc, and all are around a 20-minute walk from the Sculpture Lounge Studios involving mostly tarmac'd country lanes, paths and tracks.
I’ve tried to select locations that are easy to access, but please bear in mind that the local area is hilly, and sometimes there may be uneven or muddy ground underfoot.
I try to make my workshops as inclusive as possible, but please be aware that by their design, some walking is usually involved and it may not always be on stable or even ground. Please bear this in mind before booking.
The location we visit will be accessible by car if necessary, but you will need to be able to carry your sketching equipment.
The nearest toilet facilities will be back at the Sculpture Lounge.
You will need to be able to carry a small amount of materials/sketching equipment with you (don’t worry, I’m not expecting you to hulk easels and boards around with you, and I’ll be carrying some with me too), so a large, comfortable bag/satchel, or a small rucksack or daypack would be useful to bring along (especially if you want to bring a drink, snack, and your waterproofs as well).
Please check the weather forecast before your visit, and pack appropriate clothing, waterproofs and study footwear so you’re comfortable working outside over the morning. If it’s (hopefully) lovely and sunny, you might want to wear a hat to shield your eyes while you’re working.
The British weather is notoriously fickle, but dramatic weather can make some excellent dramatic paintings, so unless it’s extreme or unsafe, we’ll be spending some time outside.
There’s an old saying – “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes”.
Part of my own painting process includes taking snapshot photos with my smartphone of the landscape I’m making work about. It’s a useful tool which captures a different kind of information to that of drawing (e.g. haphazard light effects) and it can complement the sketchbook process very successfully.
I absolutely welcome you to do the same and recommend you bring a smartphone, tablet or other digital photo device where you can take and then view your photos on-screen afterwards. Otherwise, I have limited printing facilities if you need to arrange for me to print (up to 3) images off.
Yes, of course!
If you’d like to bring your own landscape photos to use, please do and we can work with those - perhaps as well as some of the location sketches/photos you've made during the workshop.
Yes, and possibly even cake. And plenty of coffee and various teas to keep you going throughout the day.