Join Colin and Toby for a fun and invigorating weekend of sketching both indoors and en plein air in the amazing Lower Slaughter, near Cheltenham in the Cotswolds. An exact schedule will be released around 2 weeks prior to the event by email, but a typical outline is viewable below, including an optional Friday meet up, and activities all day Saturday and Sunday! We can’t wait to sketch with you!
Location - Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire
We will be based in the village hall and will be able to leave bags (at owner's risk) in the hall whilst we are out and about sketching.
For accommodation, there are options in Lower Slaughter, a short walk away in Bourton on the Water, and also a short drive away in both Stow and Cheltenham.
Typical Schedule:
Friday:
Optional pub meet in the evening
Saturday:
0830 - Optional meet for coffee!
09:30 - Introduction and ice breaker exercises, followed by a couple of exercises looking at the fascinating scenes and complexities of urban life in Belfast
12:30-13:30 - Lunch break
13:30 - 16:00 - En plein air sketching, weather permitting. With some 'cool down' exercises at the end of the day to relax and have fun.
17:00 onwards - Colin and I will head out for some more sketching and drinks with any who wish to join!
Sunday:
08:00 - Optional coffee meet, before heading to the centre
09:30 - 12:30 - Sketching in and around the gallery, with a focus on building on the challenges and techniques encountered the day before.
12:30-13:30 - Lunch break
13:30-16:00 - More inside-outside sketching, depending on weather. Here we will encourage more independent ideas, and capturing of scenes that you've had your eye on as we've wondered around on the other days.
Suggested Supplies
Whilst we will have some emergency supplies with us for a nominal fee, we strongly recommend bringing your preferred sketching materials with you.
We suggest the following, the outlines are deliberately loose as neither Colin nor myself believe that ink and watercolour painting and sketching is improved by highly specific materials!
Ink pens with waterproof ink - this could be a couple of fineliners, or a fountain pen with waterproof ink (e.g. SketchINK, or Platinum Carbon Black ink)
Watercolours in a portable tin/palette
Brushes - whatever you are most comfortable with, we will be using a range of round, mop and flat brushes in our style
Paper - watercolour paper of 300gsm or higher strongly advised (we will be able to sell you sheets of paper for a nominal fee if you wish to try our preferred brands), as well as a good quality watercolour sketchbook.
If you wish to bring watercolour pencils, posca pens, wax, and other mixed media then you are more than welcome to do so.
IMPORTANT SUPPLIES TO BRING BEYOND THE ABOVE
A sketching/drawing board and clips to hold your paper down - there are many many solutions to sketching outside, one of them is a drawing board. There are equally many many different drawing boards at a huge range of prices. The lightest and cheapest option is a foam core drawing board, great for sitting outside and sketching and keeping your supplies self contained - you can purchase A3 foam core boards for a couple of pounds in many art shops, if you have any questions about this please just ask. Again, we may be able to provide a simple sketching board for a nominal fee if required.
A water container for painting outside.
Meals and Accommodation
To keep things simple, flexible and affordable on an individual basis, meals and accommodation are not included outside of teas, coffees and light snacks during the indoor workshops.
Colin and I will, however, be inviting you to join us for morning coffees, evening drinks and lunch and dinner at some pre-arranged venues at your individual expense - but you also have the opportunity to do your own thing and have your own headspace in between the creative times.
Terms and Conditions
Your purchase is fully refunded within 14 days of booking your place. After 14 days a 75% refund may be provided if we are able to fill your place. Bookings six weeks prior to the event will not be refundable.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Included in your payment is hire of a venue for the weekend for all indoor sketching, tuition from Colin and Toby for all timetabled activities. We will also provide plenty of water for sketching with whilst indoors, and pots for your water.
Excluded are accommodation, meals, drinks and sketching materials. More details about these are above.
We have decided not to provide these as part of the course fees to ensure that the weekend is as accessible and affordable as you would like it to be, allowing you to book the accommodation that you feel most comfortable with, and to join us for a meal if you wish, or to have a break from the busyness if you prefer.
Accessibility
If you have accessibility requirements please contact us for more information. All sketching activities will be fully inclusive.