This two day course will focus on how you can use a range of techniques to build up a surface in both sketchbook and final piece. You will be using a range of techniques from mark-making, printing, collage, stencilling etc. you will then look at elements of composition to guide the development of a final piece or two.

You will be required to do some preparation work before the course starts – see requirements list.

Day One

You will be making your own concertina sketch books to experiment in. You will explore a range of techniques to create interesting surfaces including gesso, collage, wax, ink, mono printing and rubbings onto tissue paper. These surfaces will then be drawn back into using the information you have previously gathered through sketches and photography.

Day Two

Using the same techniques as the concertina sketchbook day you will:work towards developing a finished piece (or two), looking at composition, colour, tone and line. The finished pieces can be in a textile or painted form. You will look at how to select and move towards abstraction through collage, mark-making building up the surface and taking away.

Requirements List

You will be working from a subject of your choice and will need to have a body of research. This should be in the form of your own sketches and photographs. Choose one of the subjects below (or one of your choice) and produce at least 10 sketches / photographs around the topic. You should look at details and close ups as well as wider horizons.

Suggested Subjects:

• Landscape / seascapes, beaches and cliffs, stone walls, field patterns, rock formations pebbles
• Townscapes and buildings – arches, doorways, windows, rooftops
• Allotments and gardens–sheds, beansticks, veg and flowers, fencing, stacks of pots etc.
• Harbours and boats – ropes, buoys, fishing nets, writing, peeling paint etc.

If possible collect;

• a bag of collage paper – old magazines, not pictures but big areas of colour or large lettering
• things to take rubbings from ie corrugated card, textured wall paper
• Anything for mark-making such as small twigs, cocktail sticks
• If you have a gelliplate please bring

In addition you will need;

• Drawing board, if possible adjustable tabletop or free standing easel
• Plastic sheeting/ bin bag to cover the tables
• + apron or old shirt + latex gloves if they want to keep your hands clean
• J cloths, paper towels, wipes etc.
• Scissors for paper / fabric
• Range of brushes / water pot / palette
• Drawing equipment – graphite pencil, felt pens (water soluble or permanent), rubber
• Spray bottle (if you have one)
• Crayons, wax crayons or craypas
• Black ink – Indian/Quink
• any inks/or dyes (I like Koh-in-Nor but try to get the dyes rather than the watercolours)
• Any acrylic paints that you already have
• Assortment of sponges, brushes

Don’t go to any expense as I will also bring some of the above to fill in the gaps. I will also provide all paper/ card etc needed for both days.

Materials Cost - £10