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About the Course & Tutor
Tom is a very interesting artist, having gotten a lot of early exposure being in the final of PAOTY 2019. He was only 20 and in the midst of studying a BA in Fine Art. Since then his practice has evolved into creating dioramas, and developing acrylic paintings from them. You can find out more about Tom here.
The aim of the course is to enable us to develop narrative focused paintings in acrylic paint. We will work from self created still life set ups using Tom’s signature ‘cardboard’ apprach. Ideal for beginners and advanced painters looking to bring more personality and imagination to compositions, as well as improving traditional painting skills.
Students will be encouraged to develop compositions that explore narratives, and turn them into miniature sets that will be painted, either from life or photographs. A creative course with many possible routes, with emphasis on composition, tonal values, still life and portraiture.
In order to create our own scenes we will be providing cardboard, plasticine, glue guns, magazines, print stick, however feel free to bring photos or prints of photos, toys, found objects, material, wallpaper…….anything you think you might want to use in creating your diorama. But you will be fine using only cardboard.
Previous students of Tom's course may choose to bring in photographs of pre built sets to work from, and/or any prebuilt dioramas to take photos from and/or any work produced painting from dioramas since the first course.
It is anticipated that by the end of the course we will all have thel confidence to create still life set ups that we feel inspired by and have the skills to choose interesting and relevant compositions to create personal or conceptual narrative paintings in acrylic paint. Or at least utilise some aspects of the processes we have gone through into our practice.
As with all taught sessions, this course is more about learning that can be integrated into practice rather than on getting results and showing that which we can already do. It's more about succumbing to being a student and being open to discourse, intervention, and learning, so we can then make informed choices about what is useful to us and incorporate into regular practice.
What is provided?
For this course with Tom we provide a range of Liquitex acrylic paints:acrylic paints : burnt umber, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue,naphthol crimson, cadmium red medium, cadmium yellow, yellow light, black, titanium white, raw umber, raw sienna,
Also paper in case there us need for sketching, pencils, erasers, bulldog clips.
We provide plinths at the right height for making and working from dioramas, easels, drawing boards, side tables to put equipment on,
For making the dioramas we provide cardboard, pva glue, masking tape, pritt sticks glue guns, staple gun, scalpel knives, scissors, plasticine and cley, clingfilm, and some national geographic magazines..
Plus a selection of teas and fresh coffee, organic milk and plant based milk, plus some treats will be available.
Materials list for what to bring with you:
You will be expected to bring with the following:
acrylic paint brushes : a selection of sizes of flat synthetic acrylic brushes
2 gesso boards (Tom uses Ampersand) or canvases to paint on, Tom recommends size of 16 by 20 or 24 by 30 inches.
Small sketchbook.
Print outs of any photos of people if you wish to use in your diorama, and also any toys or other things like wallpaper or other found objects you might want to add to your diorama but none of these are essential.
Packed lunch of some description, or head to the Tinners Arms for a pub lunch.
Terms & Conditions
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Course & Workshop Terms & Conditions
