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*****NOW FULLY BOOKED***** Maximum 8 Students per Tutor. Cost -
£849 including excursion program,
tuition,
flights, transfers etc. |
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Booking Information |
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Free Phone Saga Group on 0800 300 666
Saga Group Sales Ltd. is handling all the booking
- although it is not a Saga Holiday as such. Here are the instructions for booking: Free Phone Saga Group on 0800 300 666 (Mon - Fri, 9-5) - Ask for Ann, who is dealing with it. You make the bookings through her. When you have paid Saga your deposit, please inform Margaret Ellis (at the address, telephone number or email address below) and she will send you the full itinerary, syllabus, list of materials and questionnaire etc. At the same time she will also invoice you for the separate £280 tuition fee, which will be payable to Joe Francis Dowden at the same time as as you send the holiday balance to Saga. N.B. Don't forget to give Ann the details. Tell her you are booking for the Joe Dowden/Margaret Ellis holiday at the Hotel Astarea, Mlini, Croatia, October 10th - 17th, 2007
Margaret Ellis can be contacted
at:
Airports:- Apart from Gatwick, you can also fly from Manchester or
East Midlands at a small supplement (there may also be other airports
possible) and Saga can also arrange transport to the airport of your
choice. |
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The Watercolour Course |
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| A Watercolour Painting Holiday in Croatia, arriving on Sunday October 10th, departing Sunday October 17th 2007. This is your invitation to join us. The price for the holiday is £849. Non-painting partners are welcome at a cost of £569. This includes full board in the Hotel Astarea, and an excursion program, including boat trip. The two and a half hour flight leaves from Gatwick and goes to Dubrovnik on the Adriatic Coast. (Flight times from other airports will vary). We are staying in the village of Mlini, half an hour from the airport. Those of you who have come with Joe before will know that this is simply a beautiful area. This seashore village is situated in one of a group of little bays along the Dalmation Coast, near to the World Heritage site of Dubrovnik. We approach this extraordinary and massively walled medieval citadel both by boat, a truly impressive sight, and also from high up on the Adriatic Highway, from where the view is simply stunning. | |
The September 2004 issue of the Channel 4 magazine, A PLACE IN THE SUN, refers to Croatia as the "Pearl of the Adriatic" and features Cavtat - a local harbour location we will visit - on the front cover. Fontana Travel of Croatia have an intimate knowledge of the area, and together we have been creating ideal combined holidays and courses for painters as well as non painting partners. There are views everywhere, and the itinerary usually includes a flora and fauna talk by environmentalist, historian and lecturer, Igor Kocelj. I can put it no better than the buyers guide article in A PLACE IN THE SUN - "Croatia has risen, phoenix like…to regain her place as one of Europe's most beautiful best kept secrets, with a dazzling coastline, historic old towns and more than a thousand islands. Little wonder holidaymakers are heading there - and property-hunters on the scent of a bargain, too…" With the benefit of an English speaking, locally based travel agency, we have an itinerary combining their knowledge and connections with my experience of running watercolour holidays here. |
Solene |
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The Itinerary |
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On the first morning after our arrival, we will be looked after and
acquainted with the area and all the amenities (many of them free). A
Saga Travel
Representative will be on hand for anything additional you may want. (After you
book you will be sent a list of painting items you might like to bring). We
will make the maximum use of our stay with no time wasted. The holiday is geared for artists, so we get to
enjoy the country in a very real and direct way. Non painting partners
will find plenty to do and enjoy on the excursions, so if you are non
painter, you may feel you have had a better time for coming along on a
painting holiday! A short walk from our seashore hotel takes us to deep
clear water and a perfect painting environment with palm trees, rich
maritime colours, orange tiled roofs, and verdant foliage. This is a
world of ready-made compositions and the strong simple tones of a
Mediterranean climate. There are gardens to walk in and a small river
runs near the hotel and joins the beach after flowing under an old
arched bridge. There is plenty to paint within a few yards of where we
are staying, and we can use the facilities
of the Hotel, such as the indoor Olympic size swimming pool.
Last Years Itinerary below - 2007 Itinerary to follow at a later date.
Daytime MEET AIRSIDE AT GATWICK - GET AQUAINTED WITH ARTIST. Two and a half hour flight to Dubrovnik. Sit on right side to see Venice, left side to see Dubrovnik. At Dubrovnik the representative and driver pick us up, look after us and oversee until we are booked into hotel.
Day in Mlini
WATERCOLOUR WASHES. Plus composition and layout. 09.00 am. To the studio - a large room on the seafront of the hotel.
Crop it -
Tone it - Colour it
Brief talk - Overcoming fear of white paper- Laying a wash. Colour. Simple way of sorting out composition. Composition solutions which can be applied to all painting.
Decide on 1) where to crop the edges of the composition and where to place the focal point. Then decide on 2) tonal balance - using tonal sketches. Then 3) choose your colours and mix them. Limited palette for ease of use, but lively colour. Brevity of expression for speed and beauty. Mix most of your colour before starting.
We will be located in one area and I will explain on how to get started and paint what we see, followed by one to one tuition for each individual in turn before we break for coffee, possibly in one of the sea front cafes or on the shore verandah of the Hotel Mlini. We will then have another session before lunch, possibly starting with a demonstration thumbnail sketch lasting no more than ten minutes. I will then give more one to one tuition to each in turn prior to lunch.
13:30 pm Painting on the shore. Getting life and lucidity into your work with economy and ease. 18.30pm Finish in studio 19.00 pm - 20.30 pm. Dinner. Suggested time 7.15 pm finishing 7.45 pm 20.00 pm - 21.00 pm. (Optional) Demo in studio - requests, troubleshooting, or demonstration painting of something we tackled during the day).
TUESDAY Morning. 07.00-09.00 Breakfast 09.00 Meet in the Studio for briefing, then proceed to harbour for boat trip to the beautiful port of Cavtat, where we will paint on the harbour front.
Mid Morning Brief open air talk and demonstration. DETAIL ON TONAL WASHES - MIXING GREYS (Building blocks), Cadmium Orange/Cerulean Blue. Ultramarine Blue/Indian Red. Cobalt Blue/Burnt Sienna. Tonal sketching - building blocks - washes. Having prepared the ground for composition we see how we can put information down rapidly with a light detail drawing leaving out all but essentials. A loose tonally based sketch in pencil becomes the key to composition and tone. Next are the building blocks - beautiful greys. Discover these and how to use them. Build strength and maturity into your watercolour with finely judged greys. These provide the foil for brighter spectrum colours.
13.00 A table is booked at the Kolona Restaurant (lunch not included in price).
Afternoon. Brief open air talk and demonstration. Simplified boats - brush stroke reflections. 14.15 Harbour front. Building on what we have learned we will cover a little extra ground to enable us to paint what we see in this beautiful Adriatic harbour, by using simple wash placement brush it on in a block - leave it. Draw a boat by drawing a box. Let the tip of the brush speak for you when you paint reflections. Use bold masses of undefined colour, blocks of grey, to contrast lights of buildings on hillsides. Place blue on the paper for water and leave it alone. When its dry use the tip of the brush for reflections. On the harbour front we look out to the hills on the other side and see the deep Adriatic Blue, small boats and reflections, and the town on the hillside. As usual, I endeavour to see each individual on the course for about five minutes of one to one tuition.
I may do a rapid 15 minute sketch with all gathered round. Then we carry on painting while I endeavour to see each person one more time. 17.30 Return to the hotel. 18.00 Arrive at hotel 19.00 - 20.30 Dinner 20.50 - 21.50 Studio - (optional) Recap on days work with demonstration painting to solve problems of drawing, water, and boats.
WEDNESDAY 07.00- 09.00 Breakfast Morning 09.00 After briefing in Studio, to the harbour to go by boat for full day’s painting in Dubrovnik.
09.30 pm Boat to Dubrovnik. 40 minute boat trip along the coast from the local harbour 3 minutes on foot from the hotel. After arriving at Dubrovnik, we step off onto the marble clad pavements and commence with a brief talk and drawing demonstration. Street perspective is flattened off, building perspective lines rise progressively steeper. Brief perspective tutorial with helpful principles.
Reveals principles of perspective - and how to handle it if we have difficulty in this area. There is additional info on mixing convincing colour - two part greys - and preparation for the afternoons scene.
Mixing - Details - Textures SIMPLIFY & LOOSEN UP. FOREGROUNDS. Use a broad brush and get the basic massed of tone blocked in.
Paint Stradun - the main street. We all stay in the same location. Learn how to deal with swathes of open pavement - develop the confidence to leave large areas unpainted and let your painting tell the viewer what you haven’t actually said - very useful. We will also look at ways of rendering windows, doors, chimneys, roofs, tables and chairs. umbrellas and people. Mix plenty of colour at the start. Work out a few simple distinct mixes. If you feel unsure, come and ask me, you will learn faster by trying a prescribed mix on site than by months of experimenting, so take advantage of the opportunity. Once you start painting, at about 10:30, I will endeavour to get around each individual for some one to one tuition. 11.00 am. Coffee at a café near the pillars in Stradun. 11.30 am. Demonstration. 15 minute demo sketch in colour to show how little can make so much. This also shows how surprisingly untidy a painting of this type can, and perhaps should be top really sing. Put the colour down once and leave it. Then carry on with your painting in the same location. (Remember - you really are welcome to wander around and enjoy the labyrinth of streets, or paint another location, but if you do you will not get the benefit of my teaching or the support of the group)
13:00 Lunch in one of Dubrovnik's back street restaurants (lunch not included in price)
Afternoon 14.10 pm Short talk and thumbnail demonstration on the city walls. Decoding - Colour - Value COLOUR & VALUE explored with a ROOFSCAPE We will be paying a small entrance fee and climbing the long stairway onto the North Wall and painting the magnificent roofs cape. This is a classic medieval city-scape and provides a real opportunity to learn the artists craft - to interpret and simplify - to decode the mass of information into something manageable. Identify types of shapes and produce a semi abstract work. Pull it together with darks at the end, with hints on details of architecture - windows, chimneys, spires and domes. Build this scene with initial washes of grey for the sky and the subtle shade of orange red of the roofs. Try light red and a little Burnt sienna, or Indian red with cadmium orange. Keep the colour moderate and avoid primary red. The roofs look bright by they are still an oxide earth colour. The trick is a bold single application of a moderate red/orange saving, lights. Contrasting tones bring it together.
17.30 pm. Boat to Mlini.
19.00-21.00 Dinner. Enjoy the evening. Socialise in the studio or go for a wander.
THURSDAY
09.00 am Studio. Brief talk. Looking at landscape - Creating Landscape LANDSCAPE PAINTING. Combining the elements, going over what we’ve learned. Painting Day with tutor in Mlini. You may decide to go and explore the region, go on a boat trip, get on a bus or go for a walk. Fontana will give you all the assistance and advice you need to explore the locality. 09.20. To the sea shore. On site small demo sketch - 15 minutes. This where it all comes together. I will be painting around the gorgeous little bays and coves of Mlini. There are remote locations as well as beautiful places below terraced cafes with groves of Adriatic Pine trees lining the shore. Awe inspiringly beautiful. Further information on mixing credible greens. Painting sea. Mixing those difficult colours. All who wish to remain in the same location will benefit from some one to one tuition as I get around the group.
11.20 - 11.30 am. Further tuition with thumbnail drawings or paintings - under five minutes each. 13.00 pm. Lunch
Afternoon 14.00 pm Back to the field. Put colour down - leave it. Learn to trust your materials to work for you. If you put a strong wash down, it will look beautiful if you leave it - don’t tidy it up.
With improving
light, the chosen view that will suit the advancing sun. We may paint
the white light of sun on rock, or dark rocks contre jour - into the
sun. After a brief discussion on how to handle it we will start.
Note : - Morning and afternoon light is opposed. We are painting light,
so it is almost pointless to carry on a painting you started in the
morning. It is best to take this factor into account and not start
something you can’t finish by lunch. Don’t forget the beauty of
unfinished work. Remember the biggest lesson of beauty in the field is
brevity. As always, I will endeavour to see each member of the party for
one to one tuition. 15.30 pm Break. Now we will have a chance to relax and review what we have painted. When we start again, I may do another rapid demonstration painting lasting only minutes, and give advice on the changing colour. You may want to start afresh with a simple painting expressing the absolute minimum - the bold blocks of colour, and a few brush strokes when dry. 17.00 pm Back to the hotel. 19.00 pm Dinner
20.15 Meet in Hotel Mlini Reception for departure by coach to concert by Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. Returning approximately 23.00. This is a superb local but absolutely world class orchestra, not to be missed. The descent into Dubrovnik by night is awesome.
FRIDAY
07.00-08.00 am Breakfast Morning 8.30am Depart from Harbour for boat trip to the beautiful Island of Lopud Perfect painting in a pristine environment. Seafront restaurants and cafes. Beautiful sights inland with a 20 minute walk to the other side of the Island.
Placement - Statement - Emphasis WORKING OUT THE IMAGE. Setting the emphasis and focal point. 11.15 am. Brief on site talk followed by painting in situ. Work out the position and placement of the features you want to paint. What is going to be large. What will be offset. What is in the middle. Where is the focal point. Which colours are warm or cool. Where are the lights and darks. How will you need to alter them. Create a composition with a series of light and dark contrasts, warm and cool tones, and focal point - all decided by you. Remember - you didn’t design the view but you decide where to crop it.
13.00 pm Lunch.
Afternoon 15.00 pm Painting in situ. Texture - Colour - Light TEXTURES. Many different tricks and techniques for producing the fabric of nature with texture. I will demonstrate “sample textures”. These are special effects created by techniques which simulate any number of different things - foliage, water, stone or rock, trees, clouds, sea, ground. We will then explore more colour mixes and how to capture light before starting on our next project. A brief look at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary colours in their three ranks, how they can be arrived at with watercolour pigments, and the use of the oxide earth pigments in arriving at colours. A little on mixing greens. Once again - I will endeavour to give individual tuition to everyone I can get around to seeing in the following hour .
17.00 pm Return by boat to the Hotel Mlini. 18.00 - 19.00 pm Arrive at hotel
19.00 - 21.00 pm Dinner.
21.00 pm Meet briefly in Studio for discussion of days work - constructive help for all.
SATURDAY Day in Mlini
07.00- 09.00 am Breakfast
Morning Choosing - Interpreting - Planning 09.00 am Studio - Preparation for morning of painting in Mlini.
09.20 am Painting on the sea front. Brief talk.
CHOOSING what you want to paint, then PLANNING the COMPOSITION will give your creativity a chance to get going. By holding back from starting until you have carefully thought it out, you can make it spontaneous. Think carefully about the subject. Plan the contrasts. Work out where the light is coming from. Which the lightest part of the image is. Save those whites at the start. One method is to decide on the whitest whites in the image and paint everything else a very light grey. Muster point established for two or three group meetings. Roam around and find your favourite pitch. I will endeavour to see as many individuals as possible, and those within a defined radius will get my attention first. When you start painting, work loosely. Keep important lines correct - the horizon for example, but don’t worry overly about everything being neat and straight. After doing some thumbnail sketches, I will endeavour to give each individual some personal tuition before lunch.
11.00 am Coffee. In a seafront bar. 11.30 am Demonstration painting - 10 minutes. Followed by personal tuition for all.
13.00 pm Critique of mornings work followed by Lunch in a local restaurant. Afternoon
14.00 pm Back
to a new seafront location
- possibly the
old bridge, or pines along the shore path. Bringing the elements together. Brief talk in situ. We start a painting which we can complete in the time allotted. Bold washes and strong light. Work small enough to bring the image to completion. 15.45 pm Break for coffee while we wait for Igor Kocelj. 16.00 pm Flora & fauna walk. About one hour. Bring a camera, and a note pad. Igor Kocelj will give insights on the local plant life and a few botanical hints to take home. Have a pencil at the ready to sketch some of the plants and make notes. This part of Croatia is an open air Kew Garden for plant life. 15.30 pm To the hotel (We are right outside). CRITIQUE, and display of paintings in the studio.
19.00 - 12.00 pm An evening out for the group to enjoy a last night out and a meal together in Dubrovnik.
SUNDAY 07.00- 09.00 am Breakfast
Morning 09.00 am Studio* for a last constructive critique of the paintings.
Then pack bags.
Assemble on the sea front terrace in front of the hotel and paint at our leisure until the coach arrives to take us to the airport.
Have cameras at the ready for the lovely journey to the airport.
Departure from Hotel Mlini Reception - See Departure Notice *Departure time permitting. For exact arrival and departure times await information from the Booking agency - Lee’s Travel Club. Airline is British Airways at time of going to press.
The curriculum is designed to enable me to get the most out of the available time so you can relax and enjoy the course. Much of what you learn is visual so you will have no trouble remembering it. You can use this curriculum afterwards to enable you to recall so much more, so if it looks daunting don’t worry. By the end of the holiday you will easily remember the places we painted, and how we went about them. By all means, make a few notes of your own on the curriculum. This is the course structure but it does not limit the teaching to this subject matter. It will be peppered with insights into the art of landscape and seascape painting in watercolour. Many different aspects, subjects, tricks of the trade, etc can be covered. I will endeavour to answer any questions, or cover any subjects you would like to explore. The earlier in the course you ask them, the more chance I have of expounding upon them in full.
I sincerely
hope that you enjoy the Watercolour course and the holiday. |
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 Zupa |
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About the Area |
Mlini. Literally 'Mill', the village straddles a small river which drops from the 2000 foot mountains behind and into the sea. It is one of a cluster of villages, in a series of little bays, with pleasant seafront walks, palms, pines and a giant Asiatic Plane tree next to a small Romanesque bridge. Seafront cafes and bars provide an ideal environment from which to paint. Boats ply their trade from the local harbour and with many destinations available, Mlini is an ideal base both to paint, enjoy and work from.
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 Mlini |
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Dubrovnik. |
Cavtat. Cavtat is a historic port with French style cafes along the waterfront, clear water with many small boats, and a backdrop of mountains. Two harbours for the price of one, it sits across an isthmus - two bays and a town jumbled into the gap between. We will be visiting Cavtat - (pronounced "Tsaftat") - twice, once by coach after a trip to an inland mill and mountain top, and once by boat for the day. |
 Cavtat |
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Lopud. |
A little more about Croatia. Croatia has a long coastal belt separated from the interior by mountains. It extends down most of the Adriatic from top to bottom, being bordered on the coastal North by Slovenia, and in the South by Montenegro. The mountains along the Dubrovnik coast slope down to the sea, clad with palm, cypress, and pine trees. Shore-line footpaths wend through the trees linking the harbour we will use, with rocky bays along the coast. The climate is Mediterranean, with warm, largely dry weather from the end of April. If you want to swim, come with your own towels as the hotel doesn't like theirs leaving the premises. As with most climates, there is no guarantee against fluctuations. I recommend some items of warm clothing, just in case. As a rule, by the first week in May the weather is warm, dry and sunny. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are 70 and 58 degrees fahrenheit respectively, but this is only a guide. There is no guarantee that it will not rain, and it can still get cold in the evenings, so bear this in mind. The country is clean and orderly. The currency is stable and the exchange rate is very approximately 10Kn (Kunas) to the £1. The water is clear and in sunshine the sea is a deep blue. There is a vast diversity of plant life, because of the equable climate, and also because in times past ships returned with many plants from distant regions. |
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Other attractions. These include the Konavle valley, and Konavaski Dvori, where we see a traditional mill operating. Set in a laurel forest with tracts of water running through, the mill site provides good prospects for painting. Next we are driven to a mountain top for the fantastic view back over Caftat, then to a village farmhouse for a traditional Croatian lunch which is included in our excursion price. We are also booked to see the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. This world renowned string orchestra plays in residence at the summer palace. Despite its auspicious name, the building reflects the modesty and charm of Dubrovnik. Seating 200, it gives us the opportunity to see Dubrovnik at night. |
What will we help you to achieve? We will do the following… |
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Joe Francis Dowden - A little about myself. I am a watercolour painter who turned professional about 23 years ago. I have sold paintings for my whole working life. I have a lifetime of painting and drawing experience, much of it in situ, out of doors, and that is what I value most. I exhibit and sell my watercolour paintings and my books and articles are published world-wide. I have presented both television and DVD/video, and have "appeared" on radio. I have exhibited at the RI, the RSMA, The Singer & Friedlander/Sunday Times Competition, and many others. I have advised manufacturers, and written extensively on art and materials. I have written for the art press and others, and given demonstrations and seminars to many different bodies. Margaret Ellis - A.T.D. / dip. R.S.A. Margaret was born in Sheffield and now lives in the Ecclesall area. She trained at Sheffield College of Art and Craft and at Sheffield College of Education. She taught art at grammar, secondary and middle schools in Dronfield and Sheffield and later became an advisory teacher. Since taking early retirement in 1997, she has used her lifetime experience and skill as a qualified art teacher to tutor adults in small group classes, where she is able to give each student plenty of individual attention and help, especially in the basic techniques of drawing and painting. She also holds demonstrations and day workshops in drawing and watercolour for art clubs and groups, and runs short painting holidays. Margaret is a very
versatile artist. She paints and draws landscapes, seascapes and
townscapes as well as animals and birds, people and portraits, street
scenes, flowers, gardens, interiors and still life. Her style is mainly
realistic but she also does some impressionistic and semi-abstract work.
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Joe Francis Dowden ring (01903) 237096 or email via the contact page of
this website. Margaret can be contacted as shown above. Happy painting! Our best regards Joe Francis Dowden &
Margaret Ellis |
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Joe's Materials List |
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You don’t have to get everything on the list - much of this is just as a helpful reminder or for your information, but do bring the recommended basics if you can. There is advice on paper, brushes and paint, and money saving suppliers are mentioned.
PAPER Best brand is Whatman 200lb not (cold pressed) if you can get it, phone Daler Rowney 01344 424621.
You could
paint on site with pad, block, on paper stretched on board, or paper
simply stuck down. If you are not stretching paper a minimum weight is
ideally 200lb - this even applies to block. Your paper or pad should be
portable. Size is up to you but I will be encouraging working small,
with 12” across as a maximum for field work. Langton 200lb not (cold
pressed) pad is ideal. Bockingford is another option but there are many
alternative brands - Waterford, Arches. Always use “not” (cold pressed),
or possibly rough. If in doubt and Whatman is unavailable - Buy Bockingford or Langton 200lb ‘not’ (cold pressed) watercolour pad 10”x 14”.
Board & Gummed Tape You could also bring a thin plywood board and gummed tape to stick paper down. Bring enough pad paper to keep you going with spare paper and paper to practice on.
Drawing paper Cartridge paper drawing pad. Bring a pencil sketch pad to do rough or detailed sketches and the all important tonal sketches prior to painting. Tracing paper can also be useful. If you bring some along I can use it to demonstrate changes to your painting by overlaying it - an invaluable help sometimes.
Most paper can be purchased less expensively by getting it from catalogues such as:-
- Great Art www.greatart.co.uk Phone 0845 601 5772. - Jacksons www.jacksonart.com Phone 0870 241 1849 - The SAA www.saa.co.uk Phone 0800 414 444.
PENCILS 6B, 4B, 2B, B. The B is my basic sketching tool, but the others are useful for tonal studies. Bring a small craft knife for sharpening but keep it out of your cabin baggage. (Pencil sharpeners seem to break leads). You could also bring --- Black pens - fine liners and the like for line and wash work if you fancy trying some. Rubber Useful certainly, but don’t rub out on watercolour paper - it can ruin the surface for when you come to paint.
BRUSHES Please make sure you have at least two really good large new brushes, such as a number 6 or 8 sable, and a 10 or 12, and a small brush which points well - a number 2 or 3. Brushes can be purchased inexpensively from - Rosemary & Co www.rosemaryandco.com Phone: 01535 60090
Large brush for putting on water - a hake or goat hair brush or squirrel, (perhaps a 16 - 20 or a large flat brush). Sable round brushes (Rosemary & Co series 33) Rosemary & co make the least expensive top quality brushes. One brush from size 2 to 4 One brush from size 6 to 8 One brush from size 10 to 12. French mop brushes Large and small. These are made of squirrel fibre and are inexpensive.
Other Brushes Very small flat brushes - great for painting windows and doors - synthetic is fine for these. Also you could have a large flat brush about 1“ - ideally Hake. Old brushes for mixing. Small craft knife for scratching or “Sgrafito”. Important note for artists. Brushes deteriorate imperceptibly until they are almost useless. You may be surprised how much you benefit from replacing and old friend with a new one. Make sure you get the most from this course by bringing decent brushes of the best quality you can afford. Pigment will not wash out of synthetic brushes easily, one reason why sable is vastly superior especially for working on site. Any other brushes you bring may be useful, fan blenders, small flat brushes, all have a purpose, but the above list is a suggested minimum.
PAINT Use tubes. Recommended basic list Cobalt Blue Cerulean Blue Phthalo Blue French Ultramarine Burnt Umber Burnt sienna Light Red Yellow Ochre Naples Yellow Phthalo Green Cadmium Lemon Cadmium Red Crimson Alizarin or Quinacridone Magenta - a very pure slightly more violet crimson. Paynes grey, neutral tint, or another dark
Raw Sienna Cadmium Orange Indian Red
White - (Chinese, Titanium, Gouache), Sap Green New Gamboge Hookers Green Cobalt Turquoise Light (Winsor & Newton only, or Schmincke Cobalt Turquoise)
Among the best available deals are those on offer from TN Lawrence - www.lawrence.co.uk - phone 0845 644 3232. Where names don’t match get similar. They sell the following makes charging postage : - Inexpensive but good quality Da Vinci Paint, (DVP) - Warning - Burnt Sienna completely different. Superb quality Lukas watercolours, (Van Gogh used their oils), M V Graham honey based watercolours - very rich pigments, fantastic strength.
I also like
Schmincke which like Lukas has very brilliant pigments, (non
granulating). Available from Jackson’s catalogue. Another budget priced
paint is the SAA range, good value, even better if you are a member -
SAA
www.saa.co.uk Phone 0800 414
444. Beware of cheap paint sets in bargain basement stores and even mainstream retail outlets.
Masking Fluid Winsor & Newton is best. I will be using very little masking fluid but I may demonstrate its use for special techniques. Colour shaper for applying masking fluid - do not use a good brush.
Toothbrush - simple medium or stiff bristle head - for use with masking fluid.
Kitchen Roll, Hairdryer, scissors,
Mixing palette or palettes - I use a lightweight plastic one with little rectangular cups along the edges for the paint.
Plastic water bottle. Water jars.
Arrange lightweight mobile equipment in a portable bag. Make sure that whatever equipment you bring along, you have light weight portable painting things for use in the field.
Lightweight folding easel and/or portable stool. Best Easel : - David Potter Easel, available from the SAA www.saa.co.uk Phone 0800 414 444.
I carry a plastic mirror, useful for checking your work, and especially spotting perspective problems early on. I also carry a Claude mirror in the form of a shiny piece of black Perspex. This helps sort tone out - look at the view in it and you will notice how effective it is at exaggerating the tonal pattern, especially in clouds.
Another
supplier for all art materials is Ken Bromley
art catalogue, good for traditional supplies. e-mail: sales@artsupplies.co.uk
In summary… Best paper - 200lb Langton or Bockingford, Whatman if you can get it.
Brushes - As a minimum, make sure you have at least two good brushes - a size 3, and a size 8 to 12 - pointed round sable.
Paints - I do on the whole recommend you use tubes rather than pans.
You will need water jar and bottle, B grade pencils and sharpening knife, a board for sheet paper if you want it, mixing palettes, and some kitchen roll. If you can’t get exactly the right materials, don’t worry too much, you can usually substitute other colours or mix them from colours you already have. If you already have a collection of tube colours you will be well on the way. If you have any more queries - just give me a ring. You should be OK with your usual painting kit that you are used to using.
Make sure
you have the basics and they are portable. |
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| Booking Information | ||||
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Free Phone Saga Group on 0800 300 666
Saga Group Sales Ltd. is handling all the booking
- although it is not a Saga Holiday as such. Here are the instructions for booking: Free Phone Saga Group on 0800 300 666 (Mon - Fri, 9-5) - Ask for Ann, who is dealing with it. You make the bookings through her. When you have paid Saga your deposit, please inform Margaret Ellis (at the address, telephone number or email address below) and she will send you the full itinerary, syllabus, list of materials and questionnaire etc. At the same time she will also invoice you for the separate £280 tuition fee, which will be payable to Joe Francis Dowden at the same time as as you send the holiday balance to Saga. N.B. Don't forget to give Ann the details. Tell her you are booking for the Joe Dowden/Margaret Ellis holiday at the Hotel Astarea, Mlini, Croatia, October 10th - 17th, 2007
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