A rare opportunity to participate in a dedicated course using this superb paint medium! Learn the art of gouache with Jeremy Ford as your guide. Gouache is a wonderfully adaptable, water-soluble, opaque paint which can be applied thinly like watercolour, but can also be used more thickly to cover previous layers. Perfectly mixable with watercolours. 

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There will be a mixture of outdoor and studio work and the course is for people of all abilities.
No experience of working with gouache is necessary, although some knowledge of painting in water-based media is an advantage. If you’ve never tried gouache, now is the time!
We will find our reference outside and work on site wherever possible. We can develop sketches and ideas in the studio as well as work from people’s tablets and photographs.
There will be step-by-step demonstrations throughout as well as particular focus on matching colours to those we see in nature, with lots of opportunity to experiment.

About the Tutor

Jeremy Ford

Jeremy Ford is a versatile artist who works in all paint media. With over forty years of teaching experience he is well qualified to help you to learn and enjoy painting in a friendly, informal atmosphere. He is a former president of the SAA and was Senior Tutor and demonstrator at the Michael Wilcox School of Colour, having contributed to many of their publications. Jeremy is a popular author and demonstrator who regularly tutors painting holidays in the U.K. and abroad. He regularly demonstrates for the SAA at popular art events.
www.jeremyford.co.uk  and: https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.ford.10

Explore our range of watercolour courses hosted by our engaging tutors and learn from their expertise and skills. Our art courses are a chance to meet like-minded people and to unwind from everyday life. They are a great opportunity to experience the UK’s glorious countryside surrounding our field centres.

Example Timetable

Resident participants are requested to arrive for registration by 17.00 on arrival day.

The course will begin after supper on arrival day.

Breakfast, for resident participants, will be from 8:00am.

On the final day please vacate your room by 9:00am, storage is provided for your luggage

Non-residents can arrive 10/15 mins before course start time.

There will be an introductory talk at 17.00. Supper is usually at 18:30. A non-resident booking also includes dinner during your course as teaching does progress into the evening.

The course will end on Monday at 15.00. On the final day please vacate your room by 9:00am, storage is provided for your luggage

What's Included

  • Expert Tuition
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Full Board Accommodation
  • Hot and Cold Drinks
  • In Course Transport
  • Picnic Lunch

Full board accommodation and picnic lunch are for resident bookings only.

Before You Attend

What to Bring

I don't insist that people use the same colours as me so please bring the colours you are familiar with. If you are considering buying artists quality colours then I recommend the following tubes:

  • Ultramarine, (sometimes called French Ultramarine)
  • Intense Blue or Phthalo Blue. Prussian Blue.
  • Cadmium Red, or Vermillion. Cadmium Red, which is slightly darker would do.
  • Permanent Rose, (Quinacridone Violet is the same, as is Quinacridone Rose) Alizarin Crimson will do but like Rose Madder and Carmine it is darker and duller.
  • Cadmium Yellow or Cadmium Yellow Light, or Cadmium Yellow Pale.
  • Lemon Yellow.
  • Burnt Sienna. Quinacridone Gold and/or Raw Sienna and/or Yellow Ochre. (Not essential but useful)
  • Phthalocyanine Green (sometimes abbreviated to Phthalo Green. Winsor & Newton call it Winsor Green. Viridian or Emerald Green would do.
  • Any White gouache.
  • A B and/or 2B pencil
  • An eraser
  • Water containers
  • Plastic water bottle.
  • Watercolour sketchbook
  • Cartridge sketchbook; whatever size you like working. I work mostly on A3, A4 and slightly smaller.
  • Bulldog clips
  • Elastic bands or Masking tape to hold corners down. If you prefer to work on prepared stretched paper with gum-strip and a board be prepared, otherwise stick to sketchbooks which is my preference for outdoor work.
  • Palette with several mixing wells.
  • An assortment of brushes, I suggest 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, bigger if required. Perhaps a small rigger or linerwriter. (I have brushes and paper for sale if necessary).
  • An easel and a portable lightweight chair are useful if working outdoors, although some people are happy working on their knee without the use of an easel.

Opportunities to attend this course

This course is not currently available to book. Dates will follow soon.

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