The aim over the first few months (or one Saturday per month for three months at Lydiate) is for you to use paint in a confident way, to understand the basic principles that will allow you to progress on your own initiative.

This will be achieved in a friendly and relaxed class so that you will learn best by a hands on approach and at your own pace, with me giving a demonstration of what you are asked to do, then allowing you to experiment with the medium under my guidance.

On week one, you will be introduced to the basic drawing skills such as measuring up a subject to achieve the correct proportions. Often, even people who may have been painting for a number of years, have not been taught basic drawing techniques, for example: how to measure and achieve correct proportions. The course will also deal with simple perspective. A good painting cannot sit on a badly drawn composition. Once you are happy with the basics, you will then move on to painting techniques, working from a still-life, set up in the class room. This will allow you to learn at your own pace in order to gain confidence in the acrylic medium and to experiment on personal technique. Initially, you will work in one colour, to gain knowledge of tone, before moving on to more colours. On the following weeks you will be able to work from your own favourite subject under my guidance.You can enrol for further weeks and keep learning; also take part in our regular exhibitions to allow you to display your work and sell.

The cost of the ten week course is £80, depending which venue you attend (please see below). The courses will then be ongoing till next summer.





THE MAIN AREAS COVERED BY THE FIRST TEN WEEKS WILL BE:

· Introduction to materials needed

· Introduction to the medium of drawing & painting

· Compositional skills, including how to transfer a photograph to paper or canvas by use of the grid system · Use of simple perspective and how to measure and achieve accurate proportions

· Introduction of techniques on how to apply paint and how to mix colours

· Exercises on tone, using one colour, then advancing on to more colours

· To produce by the end of the first 10 weeks a body of work that will demonstrate your progress