Ways into abstract painting
Time: 10:30 - 16:30
Location: Keeley Street
Choose a start date
- Course Code: VM308
- Dates: 08/05/25 - 05/06/25
- Time: 10:30 - 16:30
- Taught: Thu, Daytime
- Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Clare Barton-Harvey
Course Code: VM308
Choose a start date
Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
- Exploring different pathways into making abstract paintings.
- Providing a stimulating atmosphere for personal discovery.
- Encouraging an imaginative, sensitive and individual handling of acrylic paint with the edition of other water-based mixed media and collage.
- Becoming familiar with visual language by looking at a variety of artists' work.
What will we cover?
- Visual language in painting: colour, composition, tone and paint application.
- Different methods of arriving at abstraction: eg. starting from observation, using experimental methods, randomness, conceptual systems and translating different sensory information.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Select the pictorial and material means with which to express a range of ideas, sensations and emotions.
- Use with greater confidence the visual language common to both representation and abstraction.
- Become increasingly confident with your use of colour.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a course for anyone with an open mind and/or some basic drawing or painting skills.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be guided through several processes to produce abstract paintings referring to specific artists or genres. As the course progresses you will develop an individual approach to making abstract paintings. Experimentation will be encouraged.
There will be practical projects, individual guidance and encouragement, group discussion and examination of artists' work.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Basic materials and resources are available as part of this course, including water-based paint, brushes and paper.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You may be able to progress onto courses such as 'Ways into Landscape Painting', 'Draw, Paint, Print',
'Abstract Painting Weekend’, ‘Sketchbooks: observation to abstraction’, ‘Painting 1’ or ‘Painting 2 depending on your
level.
Clare Barton-Harvey is a full time artist and tutor/trainer living in London. In her teaching, she specialises in life drawing, drawing and mindfulness, working with colour, and painting from the imagination. She is an engaging and inspired tutor responsive to individual need and encouraging of individual growth/expression. In 2003, she studied at the Royal Drawing School, where she engaged in life drawing and the study of contemporary and historic artist’s drawings as part of the Drawing Year. In 2017 she engaged in post-graduate study with Bob and Roberta Smith (RA) and has exhibited solo and in a variety of group shows throughout the UK. You can see her work at www.cbarton-harvey.co.uk. Clare has been a practicing artist & mindfulness practitioner for over 25 years, and has taught drawing and painting for over 18 years, in a variety of locations currently including the National Gallery, British Museum, British Library, Pallant House and Hampton Court Palace. She is also co-founder of LIMINA collective (www.liminacollective.com) who specialise in mindful engagement with art in galleries and museums.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.