RGA Fridays

During this workshop we will paint a series of four small studies of sweets in different stages of being unwrapped. We will use watercolours and either pen or pencil to add line work and details, plus a white pen for highlights. I suggest we work in a small concertina format, but if you prefer to work on four small sheets or paper or one larger piece of paper that’s fine.

What to bring:

• Watercolour paints – pans or tubes.
• Mixing palette or plate.
• Watercolour brushes – small round brushes are ideal, as the paintings will be quite small.
• Watercolour paper if required (see below).
• Water jar.
• Kitchen towel.
• Waterproof fine black pen.
• Pencil and eraser.
• Newspaper/table covering.

The following will be provided:

• Watercolour paper trimmed and folded into a four page concertina, one per person.
• Wrapped sweets to paint (and eat!). If you have your own favourite wrapped sweets please feel free to bring those.
• White POSCA paint pen for highlights. If you have your own please bring it.
• Coloured pencils.
• Coloured paper and fabric for backdrops.
• A hairdryer.

There will be an additional charge of £1 on the day for paper and other materials provided by the tutor.

An evening of activities that aim to help you loosen up in your approach to,  and to re-engage with, your drawing practice in a fun and entertaining manner.

For most of us, drawing is fundamental to our art practice, with ideas being explored, plans made and our surroundings documented.

It is likely that, as a child, our first encounter with making art was through the use of a crayon and scrap of paper. We are, therefore, very familiar with the act of putting pencil to paper.

This evening’s activities aim to make you reconsider your method of making a drawing and also to help us to remember the joy of making that first mark.

What to bring:

• Soft pencils – 5B or 6B would be suitable – or graphite sticks
• Pencil sharpener
• A3 Drawing board or similar to lean on

What will be provided:

• Cartridge paper
• Coloured pastels
• Masking tape
• Other drawing materials

You will be given a short poem to illustrate to explore the art of visual storytelling. Using your imagination and your creativity you will make a series of images and experiment with placing them on the page to tell the story. Some reference images relevant to the poem will be provided.

What to bring:

• Pencil, eraser, pencil sharpener.
• Paper cutting scissors or scalpel if preferred.
• Watercolours or gouache, a palette, brushes, water pot/s.
• Apron/overall
• Table covering [e.g. newspaper]
• Paper for collage if you have any that you would like to use.

A selection of paper, coloured pencils, soft and oil pastels will be provided. As will glue sticks and a selection of stencils and some collage papers

There will be an additional charge of £5 on the day for paper and other materials provided by the tutor.

In this workshop, Mick will introduce a number of techniques to approach drawing a portrait from life. These will include a measured approach and a mass-drawing approach. Whether you are more methodical or regard yourself as expressive, there will be something to enhance your portrait drawing skills.

What to bring:

• Pencils: Graphite and Charcoal
• Putty rubber/eraser
• Fixative (cheap hairspray)
• Cartridge paper – A3 size
• Newspaper/table covering
• Wet wipes

We will be using flat brushes, a smooth board, water-mixable oils and only three colours to explore the potential of a limited palette. This approach not only helps you improve your painting by forcing you to think about colour and how you mix it, it also creates a harmony in your work with paintings feeling balanced and harmonious, with all the colours naturally relating to one another. Hopefully, you will be inspired by your results to try this limited palette approach in your own work.

You will be working from life. Your subject will be an apple (interesting subject when cut in half) or other piece of fruit or vegetable that inspires you. Your painting will fill the smooth gesso board provided.

What to bring:

• A red skinned apple or other fruit or vegetable.
• A few flat synthetic brushes (eg 0, 2, 4), not bristle brushes.
• A palette knife.
• A paper palette and a box to take your work home in.
• A roll of paper towel.
• A jar for water.
• Table covering (e.g. newspaper).

The following will be provided:

• 8″ x 10″ canvas covered board.
• Water-mixable oils.