Painting from plants and flowers
Time: 10:00 - 13:00
Location: KS - Keeley Street
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City Lit
Course Code: VM024
Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
You will be introduced to a selection of different painting media and techniques to describe and observe plants and flowers. You will be encouraged to take an experimental approach taking inspiration from a variety of exciting contemporary artists.
What will we cover?
We will look at the history and techniques of painting flowers and plants in art working from a wide variety of art traditions including Japanese flower painting,to more contemporary and abstract artists including Ivon Hitchens and Cy Twombly. Each week we will look at a different artist and technique as our inspiration. These images will be used as starting points for discussion and as inspiration for our own personal expressions of the subject matter.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Apply skills in observational study using paint.
- Use colour, tone, and texture, as expressive and descriptive elements
- Show confidence to select and simplify complex forms
- Develop personal compositions and interpretations, using other artists as inspiration.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Beginners are welcome but some experience of drawing or painting is useful.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Group and one to one tuition, demonstrations and looking at images from other artists. The course will be hands on, with a bit of discussion to facilitate the understanding of why we do things in certain ways. The use of a sketchbook to record your thoughts and develop your work will be encouraged, and basic research methods discussed.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Please bring a plant or a bunch of flowers to share with the group.
All basic art materials will be provided.
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When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You can progress onto a variety of observational painting courses such as 'Painting 2' or any of the life painting courses, for example, 'Expressionist life painting' or 'Structured life painting' . Alternatively, you may wish to explore working form the imagination on a course such as 'Painting and the creative imagination.
Joanne trained in art at The Slade School of Fine Art where she achieved a Masters of Fine Art. She then went on to train in illustration at Putney School of Art and Botanical illustration at Edinburgh Botanical Gardens. She now works as a freelance artist and illustrator exhibiting throughout Britain, Germany, Italy and the United States, illustrating books and records for Strange Attractor press, Kumon, Mottomotto and Exgratia among others. Joanne teaches Botanical illustration and Natural History illustration at CityLit and South London Botanical Institute. She says “there is something very enjoyable about teaching people how to slow down and really look at the natural world around them.”
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.
