Course Information

When speaking about painting, James Elkins said that “substances occupy the mind”. The arresting aspect of a painting is the unique ineffable sensation that is particular to it. Oil paint engages the mind and the artist’s manipulation of it expresses abstract feelings. When working wet-on-wet with oils, the act of painting – accidents, gestures, moods – become embedded in the substance. During this experimental course, participants will immerse themselves in the process of working with wet-on-wet oil paint while in nature observing the dramatically beautiful landscape around Ullapool. Different mediums will be used to vary the viscosity of the paint such as linseed oil, stand oil, cold wax, liquin, and marble dust. This will be an intensive but fun course with clear teaching and demonstrations included where necessary. There will be power point presentations of relevant artists’ works such as Frans Hals, late Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Sorolla, Robert Henri, George Bellows, early Hopper, Chaim Soutine, Winifred Nicholson, Elaine De Kooning, Joan Eardley, and Cecily Brown amongst others.