A Week Painting Course

The course was with a painter from Cornwall who had moved there from Nunhead called Ashley! 

The first day we were asked to try out mixing colours. We chose 2 acrylic tube colours to be mixed together and test the range of colours we could make we were also allowed to use white. Then take another 2 colours and do the same. From our test patches we were meant to pick two colours we thought went together and put them down on on 1 canvas and 1 board in no specific way. I was no keen on one of my colours so mixed and introduced a third colour. From this we carried on building up layers using the colours and different painting techniques.

The second day we were to bring in photos that we could work from. The idea was to pick a photo that suited the marks already down on the canvas and fit the imagery around them. I chose two photos that i had taken around Bergen. I tried to fit the lines of the buildings to the lines already down on the canvas and the circular reflections in the water to the swirls on the board. I started mapping the images out in oil paint.

The final three days I tried to build on the paintings with both colour and texture. I spoke to Ashley the tutor everyday about the relationships between the shapes and the colours. Thursday morning I was not happy with how the water painting was developing. However the building painting i felt confident with. Ashley suggested that as the building painting work so well that i should attempt to apply those shapes to the water painting, I felt that one of the problems with the water painting was that its is a very detailed photo and a very beautiful one and that feeling was difficult to capture. By Friday I had finished the buildings painting but had not quiet finished the water painting however it did look much more successful in the building format, I had two shapes whose colour was not quiet right but using the test colour patches made on the first day I found colours that worked and stuck them on for the time being until I have time to mix them and apply then again. 

I really enjoyed this course, experimenting with paint and learning new techniques and styles. I was very happy with how it went and feel inspired to continue painting. I was also glade to use the photo of the buildings as it is one of my favourites of Bergen. It was a productive week as well as a good opportunity to meet new people for different courses.