Catherine Beale

Meadow Light in Watercolours

Light up your watercolours and embrace running pigment using the Blackdowns Retreat’s stunning meadows as your subject. At the heart of the session are Catherine’s loose “gravity painting” techniques which will help free your painting style and create atmosphere. Contrast loose washes with the deep tones of solid tube paint and white paper to create dramatic meadow paintings that are dotted with flowers and grasses and criss-crossed by footpaths. 

Saturday will begin gently with a look at Catherine’s paintings before she demonstrates her approach. Then head out to explore the landscape with her and gather inspiration using sketch books, pens and cameras (weather permitting). Watch demonstration of how to make a visual record ‘en plein air’ and experience the joy (and logistical challenges) of working outdoors before returning to the studio to paint along demos and ideas on colour choices and composition. 

On Sunday plan a larger composition that excites you and paint confidently with one-to-one advice from Catherine along the way. The weekend will close with an explanation of how to review your paintings, trouble-shooting strategies and a final look at the group’s wonderful body of work.

A detailed list of suggested materials will be given before this course in watercolours.