Pleinair Painting in Oban and the Western Isles

In this 5 day course students will learn the technique and practice of painting directly from life outdoors—En Plein Air—in one of Scotland’s most beautiful and iconic regions: the Western Isles.

       GAFA principle instructor, Lee Craigmile, will use the quaint seaside town of Oban as a jumping off point to take students on a painting tour of the Western Isles of Scotland. Locations will include: Oban, the Isle of Kerrera and the Isle of Mull. Lee will guide students through every step of the pleinair painting process; he will show them how to organise their outdoor painting set-up and demonstrate his own approach to the painting process on location. Lee’s process is based on the academic method of landscape painting, which dates back to the 17th century and was originally employed by such artists as Corot, Constable and Turner.

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. 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 thereafter.

Class will meet in the main town of Oban every day at 11.00 am., where instructions and/or transport to that day’s painting location will be waiting. Students must arrange for their own travel to and from Oban, along with their accommodation in Oban (or nearby). You can find out more about travel and accommodation in the designated section below.

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

-How to organise an outdoor painting setup

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

-Alla prima painting technique

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

-How to create a successful, dynamic composition 

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***

·      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 OBAN.

Oban 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. We would recommend the following:

Perle Oban Hotel

Oban Bay Hotel

The Scot

The Ranald Hotel

Best Western Oban

Premier inn

Traveling to Oban

There is a train from Glasgow Queen Street Station to Oban 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, and 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 in front of the Oban Ferry Terminal in the heart of town and travel to the first painting location from there together. Most painting locations will require a ferry ride (between 20 minutes and one hour in length) and then some moderate hiking. Please send us an email if you have concerns about the hiking and whether this workshop will be suited to your needs. Ferry fees/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

Oban 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 one of the local shops before the start of each day, so you can pack snacks and water for your time at the various painting locations.