Pleinair painting in Fort William and Glencoe

with Lee Craigmile

In this 5 day course students will learn the technique of pleinair painting—painting the landscape from life, outside—in one of Scotlands most beautiful and iconic areas: Glencoe and Fort William.

       GAFA principle instructor, Lee Craigmile, will guide students through every step of the process, from how to organise their outdoor painting set-up to how to approach the painting process. Lee’s process is based on the academic method of landscape painting, which dates back to the 17th century and was employed by such artists as Corot, Constable and Sargent. In this course students will use sight-size technique to approach the landscape from a visual perspective, whilst also emphasising value-relationships and the handling of a limited palette of colours. 

       In this 5-day course Lee will take you to various epic locations around the western Highlands, with Fort William as your base-camp and jumping off point each day. You will first learn how to scout for painting locations and what to consider in selecting both a stunning view and a practical location to paint from. He will then teach you alla prima painting technique: how to work up a painting in a single session, aiming immediately for direct colour-values as observed in nature. He will discuss how to approach colour, composition, proportion/drawing, and dealing with an ever-changing light effect due to whether and time of day.

Students will receive instruction in the form of a group lecture and demonstration at the beginning of each day, and then through individually tailored critiques.

During this course, you will gain an understanding of the following key concepts:

-How to organise an outdoor painting setup and select a painting spot en pleinair

- How to make observations directly from nature using sight-size technique

-Colour mixing and palette organisation

-How to create a successful, dynamic composition 

-How to break down a complex scene into a simple series of colour-values

-How to resolve a painting in a single session, alla prima style

Materials List

Most materials can be purchased on either Jacksonsart.com or Cassart.co.uk unless stated otherwise, and we have provided links in gold lettering the the specific products/ranges.

Materials:

·      Metal tri-pod field easel:

I would recommend the Loxley Devon Metal Sketching Easel available at: www.artdiscount.co.uk

·      1x Metal palette cup with lid OR small glass jar with lid

·      Cold pressed linseed oil

Chelsea Classical Studios is the best

·      1x Palette Knife

· Palette box

To go with metal tri-pod easel. You can purchase one HERE

·      Panels:

Jacksons’ handmade boards

OR

Raymar Panels L64C

I recommend students buy two 20 x 30 cm. panels, three 24 x 30cm. panels, and one 30 x 40cm. for their pleinair studies.

· Oil Paints:

(Michael Harding is recommended, unless stated otherwise):

Titanium White

Ivory Black

Yellow Ochre

Naples Yellow Light (if you cannot get this pigment, then cadmium yellow light is an alternative, though it will perform VERY differently)

Cerulean Blue

Ultramarine Blue

Vermillion Extra (Old Holland)

Raw Umber

·      Odourless Mineral Spirits:

Gamsol odourless mineral spirit 500ml

***For those traveling by plane to the UK, Gamsol will be provided for you as you***

·      Brushes:

Hog hair filbert sizes 1,2,4,6,8. Ideally, two of each.

Sable round size 2. (www.cornelissen.com or www.rosemaryandco.com)

·      Brush case

·      Brush cleaning tin with air-tight lid

· Brush soap

·      Masking tape

· Paper towels/kitchen roll

ACCOMMODATION and Travel details

Accommodation in Fort William.

Fort William is a small town, which is easy to navigate. As it’s a hub for international tourism, there are plenty of hotels, hostels and B&B’s at a range of prices. Please book as early as possible, as the workshop takes place during peak season. We would recommend the following hotels and B&B’s:

Ashburn House

Glentower Lower Observatory

Cruachan Hotel

MacLean Guest House

Whinburn Guest House

Lochview House

Premier Inn

Traveling to Fort William

There is a train from Glasgow Queen Street Station to Fort William every day which takes just under 4 hours—and it is a truly stunning journey with views that will be sure to whet your appetite for pleinair painting! Though there isn’t a direct train from Edinburgh or London, there are frequent trains from both of these destinations to Glasgow, but the trains to Glasgow are frequent. Train tickets can be purchased online at www.scotrail.com .

Everyday Travel to Painting locations

On the first day of the workshop we will all meet at Fort William Train station and travel to the first painting location from there on foot (it will be about a 15 minute hike). There are a few painting locations such as Glen Nevis and Glen Etive that we will be taking the bus or train to, and we will give you all the details for these on your first day at the workshop. Many of the locations are within walking distance of Fort William, but will require some moderate hiking to arrive at. Please send us an email if you have concerns about the hiking and whether this workshop will be suited to your needs. Public transport costs are not included in the tuition fee.

Packing

As the weather in Scotland is highly unpredictable, and can be very chilly and wet even in the summer, we recommend that you pack for your trip as if you were camping. You will want to dress in layers to prepare for any weather, and be sure to bring good, sturdy walking shoes/hiking boots and a waterproof jacket with a hood.

Food and Drink

Fort William has an array of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs. Some days we may all decide to break for lunch and go to a restaurant or cafe, but we would still suggest that you go shopping at the local superstore (Morrison’s) before each day, so you can pack snacks and water for your time at the various painting locations.