About the Art

What can you try?

The different media that are available at Black Shed Studios

Watercolour Painting

Watercolour painting has a direct magic that has a unique light and energy no other medium has, but how do you paint reflections, the sky or shadows, what is dry brush, Ox gall or Pointing?

If you are a beginner then we will start right at the beginning. You will learn watercolour brushes, paint and paper and how to use them. If you are more experienced, we will help you develop your work and introduce new techniques and skills with a focus on your own style.

Sketching, Portfolio and Sketchbooks

Where drawing stops and painting begins is a much-argued point! You will be able to choose whether you learn precision drawing or sketching in a looser almost painterly style.

We will use the many subjects around us from wide heath land

landscapes to a quiet corner of the garden or perhaps a still life arrangement. Using graphite, charcoal, pastel and even paint you will learn some of the tricks that help to make a drawing successful.

Printmaking, block printing and monotype

At Black shed studios we do not have a printing press but there are many

ways of printing on paper, textiles even T-Shirts by hand by using a 'brayer'.

You might like to learn how to cut your own block and print wonderful designs or perhaps try monotype. Laying printing ink on a flat surface and drawing into it can give amazing and powerful results. We use water-based inks that are easy to use, safe and come in every imaginable colour.

Batik painting

Batik is the ancient art of Java in Indonesia. Wax is used as a resist to create designs on cloth.

Using a tiny copper cup and spout called a canting (pronounced chanting) intricate patterns are made in wax onto cloth which is then dyed the resulting textiles are world famous.

You will learn how to use a canting, how to dye your work and how to remove the wax giving you a luminous finished piece of Batik work that can be turned into clothing, furnishing or framed as a fine art piece.

Oil painting

From preparing a canvas to applying ‘finish varnish’ oil painting is a medium of infinite possibilities.

If you have never used oils before you will learn how to make an ‘under-painting’ and gradually build up your picture learning about the different oils and varnishes as you go. If you are more experienced, we will work together on techniques or skills that you feel you would like to improve.