Inspired by the watercolours of J.M.W Turner and William Blake, this six-week unique watercolour course guides participants through different painting techniques to develop new skills and ideas for using watercolour.
Artist Naomi Leake leads the course with highly personalised tutoring enabling beginners to gain experience, confidence and direction. The more experienced student will be challenged to experiment and fine tune. All painters will develop a subject matter of particular significance to them and participants will be allowed special access to Turner's sketchbooks and works by Blake in the Prints and Drawings Rooms. The work created on this course will form a short display in the new Learning Gallery at Tate Britain.
Suitable for all levels, some materials will be provided but please bring your own student quality watercolours and paper.
Week one
Try out new techniques and push your understanding in an experimental session designed to fire up your palette and your eye with a watercolour talk and practical demonstration. Feel free to bring in examples and portfolios of past work for individual tutorials to establish personalised objectives and goals.
Week two
An inspirational session and visit to the Prints and Drawings room. Bring your sketchbooks and a dry medium with which to develop your own ideas in response to the sketchbooks of Turner and Blake and all works on display. This session will be based in the prints and drawing room and spread throughout the gallery. We will wrap up the session with a critical eye and lively discussion.
Weeks three, four and five
Participants get the chance to develop their watercolour painting ideas and techniques in the new Clore Studio at Tate Britain. These practical study sessions will develop skills and knowledge in line with individual direction and aims. Discussion, tutorials, practical demonstrations and contextual talks will puncture the intensity of focus as we go along.
Week six
This session will focus on display and presentation. Participants will be given the opportunity to display work created on the course in the new Learning Gallery at Tate Britain. This session will allow participants to evaluate their achievements and discuss progression goals.
Naomi Leake studied sculpture at Kingston and Middlesex Universities. Her art practice includes sculpture and painting, creating commissioned sculptures for public space’s, she has exhibited extensively in London and throughout the UK. Her sculptures are held in the National Library of Wales, The Glyn Vian and a number of private collections. Naomi works consistently in the medium of watercolour to present ideas and provides the following statement
Watercolours are my secret weapon. I exploit the versatility of this fabulous medium to represent a landscape, create a cartoon, or articulate an atmosphere. Watercolours are the medium I use to think in, to present ideas to others and to create finished works in their own right.
I enjoy teaching watercolours to all levels including Masterclasses for John Cass, West Dene MA students and on French residential courses.
I delight in revealing the wolf in sheep’s clothing hidden behind a tiny pallet of brilliant pigment. Let me fire you with a passion for this magical medium that will last you a lifetime.
