This one-day session is all about capturing light and atmosphere in a painting, inspired by the work of Claude Monet. Monet was fascinated by how light changed throughout the day and how it affected colour and form. His expressive brushwork and use of warm and cool colours created a sense of movement and life in his paintings.
Join artist and tutor, Eve Dawson, to learn more about Monet, his techniques and how to capture light, movement and atmosphere in your own artwork. This course is suitable for those new to painting, as well as those with experience looking to expand their skills and explore new techniques.
This session is designed to be relaxed and welcoming, encouraging you to engage with the landscape in a personal and expressive way.
During this workshop, we will explore how to paint light using soft, layered brushstrokes and colour contrasts. We’ll look at how Monet used warm and cool tones to create depth, as well as how reflections and shadows bring a painting to life. There will be short, simple exercises to help you loosen up before working on a more developed piece.
Participants should bring a printout of a Monet painting of their choice for reference. This will help in understanding his brushwork, composition, and colour choices. You will then have the opportunity to create your own piece in the style of Monet, using personal images for inspiration. These could be holiday snapshots, photos of landscapes, gardens, water reflections, or any other scene that interests you. If you don’t have a suitable image, you can use one from another source, such as a magazine or book.
No experience required - this workshop is open to anyone with an interest in art and artistic technique.
Acrylic paints are recommended, but watercolours can also be used. A mix of brushes will be useful, including larger ones for expressive marks and smaller ones for detail. Sponges, palette knives, and any other tools you like working with can also be helpful.
You can work on paper, in a sketchbook, or on canvas. Brown paper can add an interesting texture to your work.
Other materials that may be useful include graphite, ink, charcoal, and soft pastels for layering and mark-making. There will be no collage work in this session—everything will focus on painting and drawing techniques.
If you're unsure about what to bring, don’t worry—just bring what you already have at home. The tutor will have some materials available to share, so there’s no need to buy anything specific unless you want to.
You may consider joining another art workshop, or one of our longer drawing and painting courses.