Yardley Arts

Yardley Arts tutor Cordell Garfield is back with his popular workshop ‘Portrait Painting in Oils’ which is an ideal introduction to portrait painting in oils. This is a one day workshop based on a step by step process to create a portrait from a photographic reference.

The workshop is designed to help both beginners and more experienced artists. Students will be able to create a realistic portrait.\

The process will cover:

• Using oil paints
• The typical proportions of the face
• Measuring and mapping out key features from the photograph
• The use of line, tone, and value to create the portrait

Cordell will provide painting demonstrations throughout the day, and supporting handouts as part of the workshop, to explain the techniques and approach involved. You will create a portrait painting that you will be able to take away with you at the end of the workshop.

“I loved it! I know it’s a process, and understanding the process with Cordell’s regular check-ins and advice, I stuck with it to learn lots.” — Kim

What to bring
· An apron, or wear old clothes
· Reference photograph minimum size 10 x 8 inches/A4*
· Oil paints and brushes*
· Pre-coloured paper/board/canvas (size from 16 x 12 inches to 16 x 20 inches)*
· Palettes for mixing paint*
· Low odour solvent*
· Cloth/kitchen roll to clean brushes
· Packed lunch (optional)
* Items included if the inclusive price is paid when booking. Cordell can provide further advice on materials and photographic reference.

What is included

• Tea / coffee
• Items asterisked in the above list if the inclusive price is paid when booking

Cost
£65 per person if bringing own materials
£75 per person with materials supplied
Suitable for adults (16+), beginners and improvers, limited to 10 places

Date & Time
Saturday 21 February, 10am – 4pm

Watercolour is the perfect medium to paint vibrant spring florals that burst with joy from the page.

Nicky shows you the stages of creating this artwork in informative demonstrations so you can create your own bold & beautiful floral painting alongside her during this workshop.

You will learn traditional watercolour methods, both wet on dry and wet into wet techniques executed with an expressive style to help you loosen up your painting style.

There will be lots of helpful tricks and tips offered to help you improve your colour mixing and create the form of the florals and foliage shapes effectively to give both depth and clarity to your artwork, giving your paintings the WOW factor we all strive to achieve when working with the challenging yet magical medium of watercolour.

The workshops aim to help students improve their painting skills and grow their creative flair in a productive and enthusiastic friendly environment.
Through attending regular workshops you will surely see improvement in your artwork.Whilst enjoying creating the painting you will learn good watercolour practice and tried and tested methods and techniques to improve your painting skills and loosen up your style to lift your work with an expressive feel. You can transfer the tips, tricks and knowledge Nicky offers to many subject matters in watercolour.

“Nicky is an inspirational watercolour tutor. She guides us through each step she uses to produce one of her beautiful watercolours, so her classes are suitable for all levels. I’ve always felt very comfortable and relaxed in her classes.” — MARGARET

Who is this workshop for?
18+ years
Mixed level - although some experience even if just a little is helpful as the tutor covers lots of technique but does not cover very basic knowledge during a general workshop so it would not be appropriate for an absolute beginner with no drawing or painting experience.
Contact tutor direct via the contact details below to discuss if the level is suitable for beginner options.

“I have been attending Nicky’s watercolour classes for a number of years and can highly recommend them to anyone wishing to improve. With interesting subject matter such as flowers, birds, animals and landscapes she guides you through the processes from the initial drawing, mixing paint colours and consistency, to building up paint layers to a completed painting. I’ve learnt so much from Nicky and look forward to learning more in the future.” — SHIRLEY JUKES

What you need to bring
· Old clothes or an apron
· Pencil & rubber
· Watercolour paint – tube paints are preferable (any brand but try to avoid academy or student quality). Colours Nicky uses regularly are as follows: Burnt Umber, Ultramarine Blue, Lemon Yellow, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Permanent Rose, Cerulean Blue, Windsor Red (or similar primary red)
· Watercolour brushes – various sizes, a small and medium pointed round synthetic brush and medium and large mop brush are preferred.
· Palette, kitchen roll and small spray bottle (if you have one)
· One sheet of watercolour paper (rough or not texture, ¼ imperial or A3 size)
· Spare pieces of watercolour paper to test colours and do experiments

What is included
· Boards and water pots are available at Yardley Arts but please bring your own watercolour kit (see above)
· Inspiration and reference material such as photos
· Tea, coffee and biscuits

Cost
£49 per person

Date & time
Monday 23 February, 1-5pm

Booking
Booking is direct with Nicky Hunter, artist & tutor.
Advance booking by email to nickyred@gmail.com is required and advance payment by cheque or bacs transfer required to confirm booking (booking is non-transferable or refundable once payment is made)
Spaces are limited to a maximum of 13 people

Learn how to work with air-drying clay and how to build up layers to create a relief form. Demonstrations will be provided on applying various techniques for shaping, texturing and refining a relief.

This course is ideal for both beginners and improvers who would like to explore the art of relief sculpting in a friendly and creative environment.

Throughout the course, students will use images or sketches of their chosen subject to create a relief artwork. Examples of reliefs created by the artist will be available for inspiration. Participants will paint their image in clay, refine the form with shaping tools and sandpaper, and explore a variety of texturing techniques to enhance the surface and details of their work.

Course Schedule
· Week 1: Introduction to air-drying clay, discussion of ideas, and creating sketches for relief designs.
· Week 2: Beginning to paint relief shapes.
· Week 3: Continuing to paint and refine the relief.
· Week 4: Adding surface texture and completing the background.
· Week 5: Painting the relief and finishing details.

Yardley Arts tutor Cordell Garfield is back with his popular workshop Landscape painting in oils. This is a one day workshop based on a step by step process to create a landscape from a photographic reference. The workshop is designed to help both beginners and more experienced artists create a landscape painting with attention to perspective, tonal values, colour mixing and application of colours. The process will cover:

• Using oil paints
• Measuring and mapping out key features from the photograph with reference to perspective
• The importance of tonal value, hue and chroma in creating landscapes
• Organisation of a colour palette and approach to painting

Cordell will provide painting demonstrations during the day, and supporting handouts as part of the workshop to explain the techniques and approach involved. Suitable for beginners and improvers, you will create a landscape painting that you will be able to take away with you at the end of the workshop.

“Cordell’s workshop was enjoyable with a methodical explanation of the painting process and with clear steps involved” — RAY

What to bring
· An apron, or wear old clothes
· Reference photograph, minimum size 10 x 8 inches/A4*
· Oil paints and brushes*
· Pre-coloured paper/board/canvas (size from 10 x 8 inches)*
· Palettes for mixing paint*
· Low odour solvent*
· Cloth/kitchen roll to clean brushes
· Packed lunch (optional)
* Items included if the inclusive price is paid when booking

What is included
Items asterisked in the above list if the inclusive price is paid when booking.

Cost
£65 per person if bringing own materials
£75 per person with materials supplied
Suitable for adults (16+), beginners and improvers, limited to 10 places

Dates and Times
21 March 2026,
10am – 4pm

Cost
£65 per person if bringing own materials
£75 per person with materials supplied
Suitable for adults (16+), beginners and intermediates, limited to 10 places
How to book