Paint Italy Course 2

This course is designed for those who enjoy sketching or scribbling in a notebook; who like to collect lots of visual notes to use for a larger pieces of work; or who would like to create a sketch book for its own sake.

Many of the great artists – Leonardo, Turner, Constable, Cezanne kept sketch books crammed with ideas and drawings of everything that interested them, - a colour note of a landscape, a head of a man, a group of flowers, an idea for a machine….. Many of them filled their sketch books on the famous grand tour of Italy. This was the bread and butter of their work, the source that fed their paintings. At the same time the sketch books are beautiful objects in their own right.

A sketch book gives you complete freedom to record your information in whatever way you want – unencumbered with the requirements of a painting. Sometimes you may be recording accurate detail of a part of a building or a tree, but you can also work unrestrained not necessarily worrying about accuracy but just getting down the gist of something. It allows you to work faster and not be afraid to make mistakes. That said it is always surprising when you look back at a sketch book and see that your work is more impressive than you thought at the time. An artist’s sketch book is a diary.

If these thoughts appeal to you why not come and spend 4 days wandering around the hills and medieval towns in northern Italy collecting information and notes that you can draw from at a later date to make paintings, drawings, sculpture, ceramics, needlework. Or you may not use the sketches for anything else but they will have developed your thinking and free up your drawing techniques.

We will do all our sketching outside. Although the idea is to fill the sketch book with your own interests and thoughts, there will be exercises to do to push your boundaries. For example completing a certain number a sketches in a certain time; sketching something from four different viewpoints; sketching subjects that you normally shy away from - on this course you will be asked to have a go at everything I guarantee you will end up being happily surprised with the results.

Sketch books and drawing tools – pencils, pens, inks, charcoal, small watercolour sets will be provided. But if you want to bring your own sketch book or materials feel free. However keep the sketch book reasonably small – no larger than A4, preferably hard-backed. The standard one we use is spiral bound 18 x 18 cms. Don’t forget you can complete a sketch across two pages. The idea is to be able to sketch easily - walking, standing or perched on a rock – although stools will be available. We don’t want to be encumbered by too many materials, too big a pad and too may choices to make. Sketching is about doing, thinking and exploring all at the same time. Stools, drawing boards and sketching easels are also available if required

This course runs from Thursday – day of arrival, to Tuesday – day of departure, a stay of 5 nights with Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday dedicated to working. Groups are kept to a maximum of 6 people.

Dates for 2012 course 2 :

10^th – 15^th May

5^th– 10^th July

19^th – 24 ^th July fully booked

30^th August – 4^th September

“Thanks to Joy’s great encouragement, enthusiasm and tuition I am going home with a sketchbook of work that I never thought I’d achieve. From a nervous 2 minute sketch in Cocconato to sitting by a field doing a watercolour of a distant view, I have been on a steep learning curve.” Francis

“A sketchbook to take home that I never dreamed that I’d have.” Chloe

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*Course 2 - An Italian Sketch Book* Follow in the footsteps of the great artists on a four day sketching holiday in the hills of northern Italy

	This course is designed for those who enjoy sketching or scribbling in a notebook; who like to collect lots of visual notes to use for a larger pieces of work; or who would like to create a sketch book for its own sake. Many of the great artists – Leonardo, Turner, Constable, Cezanne kept sketch books crammed with ideas and drawings of everything that interested them, - a colour note of a landscape, a head of a man, a group of flowers, an idea for a machine….. Many of them filled their sketch books on the famous grand tour of Italy. This was the bread and butter of their work, the source that fed their paintings. At the same time the sketch books are beautiful objects in their own right. A sketch book gives you complete freedom to record your information in whatever way you want – unencumbered with the requirements of a painting. Sometimes you may be recording accurate detail of a part of a building or a tree, but you can also work unrestrained not necessarily worrying about accuracy but just getting down the gist of something. It allows you to work faster and not be afraid to make mistakes. That said it is always surprising when you look back at a sketch book and see that your work is more impressive than you thought at the time. An artist’s sketch book is a diary. If these thoughts appeal to you why not come and spend 4 days wandering around the hills and medieval towns in northern Italy collecting information and notes that you can draw from at a later date to make paintings, drawings, sculpture, ceramics, needlework. Or you may not use the sketches for anything else but they will have developed your thinking and free up your drawing techniques. We will do all our sketching outside. Although the idea is to fill the sketch book with your own interests and thoughts, there will be exercises to do to push your boundaries. For example completing a certain number a sketches in a certain time; sketching something from four different viewpoints; sketching subjects that you normally shy away from - on this course you will be asked to have a go at everything I guarantee you will end up being happily surprised with the results. Sketch books and drawing tools – pencils, pens, inks, charcoal, small watercolour sets will be provided. But if you want to bring your own sketch book or materials feel free. However keep the sketch book reasonably small – no larger than A4, preferably hard-backed. The standard one we use is spiral bound 18 x 18 cms. Don’t forget you can complete a sketch across two pages. The idea is to be able to sketch easily - walking, standing or perched on a rock – although stools will be available. We don’t want to be encumbered by too many materials, too big a pad and too may choices to make. Sketching is about doing, thinking and exploring all at the same time. Stools, drawing boards and sketching easels are also available if required This course runs from Thursday – day of arrival, to Tuesday – day of departure, a stay of 5 nights with Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday dedicated to working. Groups are kept to a maximum of 6 people. Dates for 2012 course 2 : 10^th – 15^th May 5^th– 10^th July 19^th – 24 ^th July fully booked 30^th August – 4^th September “Thanks to Joy’s great encouragement, enthusiasm and tuition I am going home with a sketchbook of work that I never thought I’d achieve. From a nervous 2 minute sketch in Cocconato to sitting by a field doing a watercolour of a distant view, I have been on a steep learning curve.” Francis “A sketchbook to take home that I never dreamed that I’d have.” Chloe Click here to go back to course page