Style of Teaching
My analysis and research into the relevant subjects – as well as teaching them – over the years will give you easily accessible but essential and concentrated knowledge of your subject, a basic understanding that will give you a valuable foundation to work from for a long time.

The approach to constructive teaching of a subject for me is not merely to correct mistakes. It is to show why something was wrong and the underlying causes, so that learning can take place with understanding and direction: gaining experience with structured guidance rather than blind trial and error with mere finger-pointing at errors and mildly helpful demonstrations.

The course is structured and taught on professional art college level, with very thorough theory and practical basics and / or advanced programmes. I take you seriously and like to treat you as artists whether your interest lies in the more traditional or the contemporary and experimental approach. Rather than going for little hobby water colours as in many courses, you can work up to any format and with any medium.

There seems to be little else around offering life / figure work in full-time holiday courses, so this is an excellent opportunity to broaden your ability in what has been the best foundation of all artistic training for centuries. The figure comprises all elements nature has to offer at once. Learning to draw this "animated landscape" enables you to draw or paint anything in nature - or abstraction.

Partners or friends
Participants can bring their partner or friend even if they don't take part in the course.

Although it is intended as an intensive course, it is yet up to the individual student how many hours of studio work are done, as some want a "holiday-holiday" as well, especially when they come with a partner. If progress and results are your main concern, the best option might be to do the course intensively and add another week of holiday after the course. We usually start at 9 or 10 am (depending on people's preference) and finish at 5 or 6pm, with breaks in-between.

Most students get so enthusiastic and stuck-in that they don't want to stop after two weeks of course work!


Language
I am fluent in English and German (sign language for other nationalities!)

One or two weeks?
The duration of the Summer Courses will be 1 or 2 weeks, depending on group size and availability times of the applicants and/or venues. We will work for a minimum of 6 hours a day during intensive courses, excluding breaks. Holiday courses at other venues or countries might be more flexible depending on the nature of the group, especially if you are coming with a non-participating partner or friend.
Some courses will be suitable for a two-centre holiday as they run consecutively.

Register your interest without obligation
Please decide which course you are interested in (listed above) and send me a Summer Course enquiry form. To have early enquiries and applications enable me to book the extraordinary venues I have discovered as they are sometimes booked out a year in advance!

Summer Courses have set dates but generally, for other courses and workshops during the year, I prefer to organise my courses according to individual interest and availability times, so by registering your interest, I can write new, exciting course programmes and combine students with similar interests and availability times into suitable groups.

Where?
I am running my local studio courses in East Grinstead, an old English town in the beautiful West Sussex countryside. We are not far from London, with all its attractions and for the artist, museums and exhibitions. We are also not far from the coast and Brighton with its pebble beaches for swimming in that area. The wild, white cliffs of Eastbourne are only about 50 minutes away. A bit more than an hour's drive away you can visit Rye, a beautiful old town by the sea - and there are long sandy beaches if you want to go for a swim in summer. Well worth a holiday while soaking up comprehensive knowledge on painting / drawing to arrive back home with greatly improved skill and confidence!

For a detailed map click here
For a country location map click here

Where can I stay?
For West Sussex courses you can click the link on the form after you have filled in your enquiry form or click here for a list of links of places to stay, ranging from B&Bs, hotels, and cottages to rent of all price ranges. Depending on course and venue, I can advise you specifically which ones are the most appropriate.

Other Locations
Courses abroad and painting / sculpture / drawing holidays will be organised in different exciting locations. I have located unusual and wonderful places in Cornwall, Spain and on the Canary Island Gomera, France, Greece and Italy. New courses will be advertised for these locations as early as possible, as some of them are booked out a year beforehand – so I need your EARLY REGISTRATION. Please see information above list of courses and venues.

Painting and/or Drawing
As you know, painting basically is drawing with a brush and many basic principles are true for both, so the two easily combine into one course. Whether you come to paint or draw, you receive utmost individual attention for your subject and two separate theory packs for painting or drawing accompanying the course will be provided.

How much?
The prices for an intensive group course in the UK range between £ 300 to £ 400 per week (excluding accommodation, including basic materials except canvasses, which can be ordered), depending on groups size, materials used, and whether it is full-time or part-time. Model fees for work from life are shared in the group ( around £ 35.- per week for a small group of 5, half that for 10). Course prices in other countries are all-inclusive but without flights. Please see course-specific information on above course links.

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S U M M E R  C O U R S E  S U M M A R Y (view full course programme)

The practical projects are flexible according to the inclinations of the group.

An interesting range of techniques and theory subjects will be covered alongside the practical project.

The programme embraces a comprehensive range of important aspects to painting or drawing. These will be covered during the course mostly during the practical work, but in-between we will also deal with some theory aspects. Sizeable theory packs are included.

The practical work suggested is:

F i g u r e P a i n t i n g
In the studio

S t i l l L i f e P a i n t i n g
In the studio

L a n d s c a p e P a i n t i n g
In the country side (weather permitting)

The emphasis of the course will be around your individual interests and personal development and certain subject or theory areas can be selected as your personal focus.

Practical theory subjects will be accompanied by specific exercises in drawing and painting as required, to develop the particular skills involved and to break down global skills into separate steps and aspects of a subject.

All subjects will be specifically related to the practical project:

PAINTING / DRAWING PRACTICAL AND THEORY BASICS
Oil painting / drawing basics and materials
Comprehensive Painting / drawing techniques
Colour

THE ELEMENTS OF PAINTING / DRAWING
Formal Visual Elements (understanding line, shape, tone, texture, colour)
Organising the Elements: Design / Composition

HOW TO BUILD A PAINTING / DRAWING
The creative process of painting / drawing
What makes a good painting?
How to bring life to a painting / composition
Problems in painting/drawing

GENERAL THEORY
Figure, anatomy, proportions
Still life / Landscape basics
Perspective

Click here to view the full Summer Course programme
Click here for the Summer Course enquiry form