Paint the coast with award winning artist Jenny Aitken.
Two Day Course Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23th April
Through the ages the depiction of coastal themes has always been popular with both artists and the buying public alike.
This weekend course with Jenny, a highly versatile painter and experienced tutor, will take you to the heart of what makes these subjects so appealing – light. Jenny will be demonstrating in oils, however, whether your chosen medium is oil or acrylic, the fundamentals of how to produce a successful painting are the same.
Working in our light, airy studio, Jenny will emphasise the importance of tonal accuracy and colour use, as well as giving helpful advise on how to get the best results with the paint you are using. She will demonstrate how to design strong composition, mix colours, use energetic brushwork and contrast textures to make powerful seascapes, full of depth, light and magic. Each day will begin with a full painting demo, followed by individual tuition throughout the day.
The first day will be spent looking at waves and the movement of the sea, the second at sparkly light on the water. The aim throughout will be to achieve atmospheric lighting and a convincing sense of place.
You will have the benefit of Jenny’s demonstrations and one to one tuition as you produce at least two paintings from photographic reference and your own sketches.
Includes homemade lunch and refreshments both days
About the Artist
Jenny lives in Derbyshire, not far from the beautiful Peak District. She has strong family roots and connections to Cornwall and the Channel Islands, and a love for the sea.
Since graduation in Art & Art History from seaside university Aberstwyth in 1998, she has exhibited all over the UK and won several awards, most recently the Artist Exhibition prize and the Claire Fontaine award in AOTY 2020. She first exhibited with the RSMA in 2019 and became an associate member in 2021, was highly commended in The Artist 2019 and festival choice in the 2019 Buxton Spa prize.
She is currently represented by several galleries, including The Harbour Gallery in Cornwall and Peter Barker Gallery in Rutland.
Jenny is a regular contributor to The Artist Magazine,
“Teaching painting is an absolute passion – my main aim is for students to be encouraged, informed and creatively enthused.”
What you will need to bring
Paint: bring what you have, primary colours both warm and cool will cover most of what you need, if painting in acrylics Jenny’s suggested palette is: Titanium white (plenty), Lemon yellow, cadmium red, ultramarine
Pthalo blue, pthalo green/viridian, sap green, dioxazine purple
(black/paynes grey for tonal sketch)
Brushes: a selection of flats, rounds and at least one rigger
Surface: Gessoed or canvas board, bring a choice of sizes
Palette or tear off palettes
Table easel if you have one (studio and table easels available to borrow)
Kitchen roll or baby wipes
Reference photos and sketches if you have them (Jenny will also have reference material)
Source photographs ideally need an off-centre point of interest for the eye to move around – birds, boats, a
bigger wave, a piece of land, an interesting sky. You need something to attract the eye, even if it’s just a bit more
detail in one area.