Spithurst Road, Barcombe, East Sussex, BN8 5EB, UK. Tel: 01273 400606
2 day Abstract Painting course
with Emma Burnett - £270
2020 Course dates
Wednesday and Thursday - May 6th and 7th
Saturday and Sunday - May 16th and 17th
Wednesday and Thursday - August 26th and 27th
For general course dates please click here for diary page
The course includes coffee and home made cake, lunch
Meet at 9.30am for coffee ready for a 10am start.
The aim of this course is to cover many aspects of painting abstracts in order to give you knowledge, inspiration and techniques to help you to create your own work. Playing with paint, experimenting and learning how to create effects are more important than going home with a finished canvas.
I will demonstrate and you will paint. I like to encourage you to develop your own style rather than follow a prescriptive style.
It is intended to be fun and to experiment and to learn rather than to produce a perfect, considered picture. Anything that remains unfinished you will be able to continue at home. If you are unhappy with your work, the great thing about oils and acrylics is that you can go over previous work and start again, using the same board, paper or canvas so that they are not wasted. This can release tension in the nervous.
Theory and discussion and inspiration
Discuss the working qualities of different paints
Discuss paper, board and canvas and how it affects the painting techniques and drying times
The difference in drying times between oils and acrylics
How to keep acrylics damp to extend the time in which you can use them.
Incorporating a colour in several subtle and obvious places throughout the picture
Subtle differences of tone and colour to add interest; Bonnard’s 7 colours
Small subtle bits of colour to introduce zing colour.
Keeping tonal values consistent or inconsistent
How to prime a board with oil or acrylic primer
Uplifting shapes. The effect of heavy colours at the bottom or top
Creating dots with flat knife.
Emma's paintings featured in 25 Beautiful Homes magazine June 2016
Follow up Abstract Painting sessions
These are for people who have done my 2 day course. Each one will stand alone or you can come to however many you would like to. The idea is to support and encourage you on your creative journey. To explore further techniques such as colour mixing, layering, underpainting and composition. You will bring your own materials and work and I will be there to help and guide you, answer practical questions and discuss blocks and problems. We will look at the different techniques, styles and working practises of famous artists and discuss current exhibitions to visit.
Coffee and cake are included but bring your own lunch.
£75 per day or £60 per day if you book 5 or more. Max of 6 students.
Materials for you to bring
You need to bring a canvas to work on.
I do have brushes and paints here and if you use mine, I make an at cost charge for paint, so do not stress. It is ideal to have your own brushes (see below)
Please bring any materials that you have; acrylic paints plus anything else you wish to work with, e.g. pastels, wax crayons and inks. You need brushes, rags, an apron or mucky clothes.
If you do not have materials then I sugest that you buy brushes. For brushes I recommend Series A Hog - Filbert shape. Ideally in sizes 4,6,8 and 12 or just 6 and12.
We work basically in acrylic paints and I suggest Golden as a make.
If you wish to paint a picture for a particular space then please bring photos and colour swatches.
If you have any questions on purchasing materials, do phone me.
Follow up session dates for 2020
Tuesday March 3rd
Tuesday March 31st
Tuesday May 5th
Tuesday May 26th
Tuesday June 30th
Tuesday September 1st
Tuesday October 20th