Portrait workshops @ Mike Skidmore

Beginners in oils

Location: Lechlade upon Thames in the Cotswolds
Maximum workshop number: 7
Medium: Oils using traditional techniques
Accommodation: List of local venues available
Duration: 2 consecutive days
Cost: £150 per person including lunches
Suitability: If you see yourself as a novice to painting with oils, and would like to try working with portraiture or equestrian / animal subjects, this workshop is just right for you.

Oil painting isn’t scary or impossibly difficult if you have the support and guidance to help you see through the myths. I will happily take you through anything and everything that you may need, during the course of the workshop. From priming a canvas, drawing, colour mixing, mediums, thinning paint, brushes, paint application and varnishing to choosing a subject and developing your own processes and techniques.
I demonstrate a number of different techniques to show what can be achieved to help you learn the basics of working with glazing – using thin transparent colours – and impasto – thicker paint and texture – to create artworks with depth and drama. We also look at a number of classical artists to learn how they approached their work and apply what is learned.
All sessions are facilitated in a relaxed and informal way to bring out the natural ability of students, and I work closely with each person to make the experience enjoyable and liberating. I believe it is as important to work on someone’s confidence as it is their painting skills in order to give them the self belief and know-how to grow as an artist, and this drives the supportive and positive way in which I teach

YOU CAN BOOK ONLINE FOR THIS WORKSHOP, ITS EASY: for Beginners in oils workshop go to: www.beginners.eventbrite.co.uk

Standard Portrait Workshop

Location: Lechlade upon Thames in the Cotswolds
Maximum workshop number: 7
Medium: Oils using traditional techniques
Accommodation: List of local venues available
Duration: 3 consecutive days
Cost: £180 per person including lunches
Suitability: Anyone who has a basic understanding to comprehensive experience of painting or drawing, and who wishes to learn traditional oil painting techniques with portraiture.

This course covers the traditional oil painting techniques of the Old Masters, and is suitable for all levels. We explore glazing – using thin transparent colours – and impasto – thicker paint and texture – to create artworks with depth and drama. We look at artists such as Vermeer, Rembrandt and Eakins to learn how they approached their work and I demonstrate the various techniques we discuss.
I’ll then guide you through the whole process from drawing to completion, whilst exploring the techniques shown. The results are always stunning, with students amazed at how effective these methods can be and how adaptable they are to individual approaches.
Throughout the workshop I’ll encourage you to tailor what you learn to your natural style, as I do not believe in forcing students down the ‘lookalike’ route. All sessions are facilitated in an informal way, with plenty of one to one time due to small group sizes. I believe it is as important to work on someone’s self belief, as it is their painting skills. I always do my best to help my students to grow in confidence as artists.

BOOK ONLINE, IT’S SIMPLE: for Portraits in oils workshop go to: www.portraitworkshop.eventbrite.co.uk

Advanced Portrait Workshop

Location: Lechlade upon Thames in the Cotswolds
Maximum workshop number: 7
Medium: Oils using traditional techniques
Accommodation: List of local venues available
Duration: 2 consecutive days
Suitable for: Those who are interested in working directly from a model
Cost: £180 per person including lunches and a model - Book direct

This is a stand-alone life painting workshop that also follows-on from the Standard Portraits in Oils workshop. Here we take classical glaze and impasto techniques, and apply them to painting from life. The course is packed with helpful tips and some new techniques, such as painting / drawing directly with oils onto a board that is wet with medium, to create a tonal picture.
We explore ways of getting the composition and features right, brush techniques, colour and paint application, as well as working with challenges such as a changing light source.
I help students to tailor what they learn to their natural style, and work closely with each student to make the life painting experience enjoyable and liberating.
I believe it is as important to work on someone’s confidence as it is their painting skills, in order to give them the self belief and know-how to grow as an artist. This drives every aspect of the way in which I teach.

SORRY BUT THIS WORKSHOP MUST BE BOOKED DIRECT

Small Groups

SORRY BUT THIS WORKSHOP MUST BE BOOKED DIRECT

All courses, except the advanced course, can be tailored to smaller groups, from the same art society for example, and content can be designed to meet specific needs. Please call to discuss.

SOME KIND WORDS FROM STUDENTS

“Just a quickie to say how much I enjoyed last weekend. I don’t go on many courses that take me away from the family but the three days I spent with you was truly wonderful. I had a sense when we were painting, each in our own worlds, that I was at peace with myself and doing what I was meant to be doing.

Cathy, you provide the framework within which Mike is enabled to do his thing. His thing is to encourage and to enable. I feel both encouraged and enabled.

You both also made a disparate group of souls feel like old friends. That is a gift”. Wilma

“I wanted to say a huge thank you for the wonderful 3 days I spent in your company and for all your kindness, and brilliant tuition. I haven’t enjoyed myself quite so much for a while and can’t wait to start my next painting. I’m so inspired I feel I could tackle almost anything at the moment, but doubtless my feet will touch the ground pretty soon, particularly now I’m back behind my desk! Diana

“I attended a recent Portrait workshop and found the experience thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking, which was down to the teaching and attitude of Mike.
I know I learnt a considerable amount, not only about oil portraits (my first attempt at both!), but also about myself!”
Roger Smith