Loosen up your Practice

WITH MARIA-DAVINA BRATES

This course is ideal for artists with regular art practice and those who are confident with drawing and painting methods. It’s all about loosening up your style and exploring a more free and expressive approach to art. Be ready to step out of your comfort zone and experiment! We will work mostly in the studio with a couple of sessions in the landscape.

We’ll focus on contemporary Australian landscape painters who use semi-abstract techniques. Expect two outdoor plein air sessions where you’ll create sketches or even complete pieces inspired by your surroundings, which we’ll bring back to the studio to develop further.

Sometimes, the creative process might feel messy, but that’s part of the journey to capturing the essence of the landscape. Embrace the adventure and bring a courageous spirit as we dive into mark-making, movement, and abstraction.

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Tutored 8 week term
Starting Tuesday October 8th and finishing November 26th, 2024.

Tuesday afternoons 2 - 4pm
$360 per term
Contact Maria-Davina Brates 0439 484 833

The class is full for now.

Please contact Maria if you would like to go on the waiting list for Term One 2025

Course Highlights

Weekly discussions on contemporary Australian landscape artists such as Ann Thomson, Elisabeth Cummings, Luke Sciberras, John Olsen, Catherine Cassidy and Idris Murphy, among others.

Sessions are adaptable to your interests and abilities.

Week 1: Imaginary Landscapes

• Create a semi-abstract landscape using dry pastels and layering techniques.

• Introduce yourself and discuss your art practice with the group.

• Explore artists’ styles and techniques as inspiration.

Week 2: Letting Go

• Practice continuous line drawing using charcoal, pastels, and ink.

• Focus on loosening up and capturing the flow of the landscape.

Week 3: Plein Air (Part 1)

• Collect mark-making ideas and sensory information from the landscape.

• Discuss capturing the essence of a place using gesture, color, and movement.

Week 4: Playful Landscapes

• Work on a semi-abstract landscape using limited colors and mark-making techniques.

• Incorporate sketches from previous sessions to build your piece.

Week 5: Interior Landscapes

• Create expressive sketches of your surroundings and respond to landscape artists’ styles.

Week 6: Plein Air (Part 2)

• Simplify the landscape into planes and symbols, using bold and unexpected colors.

Week 7: Connecting to Your Place

• Reflect on a place that holds personal meaning and capture its emotional essence in your work.

Week 8: Recap and Reflect

• Share your work with the group, reflect on your progress, and continue developing your art.

Materials List:

Sketch book or pad of paper

A1 300gsm paper sheets

Dry pastels and eraser

Ink of any colour

Workable Fixative spray

Brushes a range of sizes make sure at least one large size

Acrylic paint: Cadmium red, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow, Black, white, Burnt Umber, Paynes Grey and then any other colours that you like to use

Water pot 

Rags

Photos or images on your phone of landscapes that are meaningful to you (will discuss this in class no rush to bring these)

Optional: other drawing and painting materials you like to use such as watercolours and suitable paper and gouache

(Note: Materials are subject to change based on class activities and instructor recommendations.)

If you are at all unwell do not attend sessions at HAS. If you have tested positive, or feel you may have COVID-19, do not come to the studio until a week after you have recovered.

Under our COVID-safe plan, places are currently limited. Contact class convenors to make sure there is a place for you.