Introductory Art Courses

Led by Diana Hoare

Diana draws inspiration from the wild landscape which surrounds St Davids.

The sea cliffs plunging to the foaming waves. The horizon line between the sea and the sky stretching out, at the limit of our sight, dividing the elements of air and water.

These Artist Inspirational Holidays look at the environment and history of this sacred peninsular and the connection between earth sea and sky.

This is a land of crystal rock steeped in memories, and, at times, it's almost as if the steps of the saints who trod these pathways is imprinted on the land itself.

Introductory Art Courses normally run over two whole days. They begin at 10.00 am with two hours in the studio with lunch at 12.00

The afternoon session runs from 2.00 until 4.00. This can be adjusted if the participants would rather walk in the afternoon and then we can work an evening session from 6.00 to 8.00 pm when we can look at the inspirations which have been collected. The cost of the course is £100 per day.

There is time for participants to practice skills learned with Diana in their own time.

Combining discussion, resources and walking in the landscape itself, Diana seeks to support participants to draw inspiration to feed their own artistic expression.

The walks are of varying lengths and are carefully explained so that people can follow them themselves.

Participants are encouraged to document their walks with photographs, drawn or painted sketches, and words.

Courses are offered in Calligraphy, Drawn Lettering, Watercolour Washes, Stone Carving, Tapestry and Illumination with Gold Leaf.

Accommodation can be offered if available in the flat above the studio gallery.

Introductory Art Courses

Intro to Calligraphy

Hand Drawn Lettering

Water Colour Washes

Hand Printing Linocut

Gold Leaf

Stone Carving

Diana lives in St Davids, Pembrokeshire surrounded by the Irish sea on the south west tip of Wales.

She is inspired by the land and seascapes that surround her.

The Sparkle of light on the water.

The line where the sea meets the sky.

From rolling country side, hidden valleys and sea cliffs; to golden beaches, secluded coves, and abundant wildlife; Diana loves to facilitate others to enjoy, and draw inspiration from the southwest Wales land & sea sky scapes.

Diana invites artists & students to come and work with her for three days.

Accommodation is available on a first come first served basis in the flat above the gallery in St Davids.

Calligraphy

This course will explore the tool of the broad edged pen. By beginning with exercises in pattern we will learn the basics of how the pen operates. We will look at a foundational alphabet and discuss the principles of good pen lettering. We will consider the beginnings of a little calligraphic project for the student to finish at home.

More advanced students are welcome to bring a project to develop during the course.

Calligraphy is the production of hand lettering by use of a pen.

Diana's introduction to calligraphy course for those who have little or no experience in Calligraphy.

We talk about the basic shapes on which different styles of lettering can be based.

We look at a broad edged pen and how this is used. We look at how to load the pen with ink or paint.

We look at how to use it with a consistent angle in the creation of calligraphic letter forms.

More advanced students can bring their own their own work for analysis and discussion.

We can discuss a project to start with the inspirational resources of the workshop and the landscapes which surround us in this wild part of the world.

Advanced Calligraphy Techniques

"Useful and attractive calligraphy book. A really useful book of professional projects and how they were visioned and designed and executed. Lovely gallery of work by other calligraphers and how they developed their projects"

Anon, Amazon Review

"Bought this book because I saw a similar one in my class.

Had a couple of ideas I wanted to try out. It suits me."

S. R. Rees

Watercolour Washes

Diana's use of water colour washes is often to provide a coloured background to incorporate into a painting or to provide an interesting and colourful background texture for a piece of lettering.

The course looks at how pigments can be mixed to produce different effects.

Stain pigments can be mixed into a graded colour wash from dark to light by adding more water to thin the colour down. This is then laid with a flat brush in a wavy motion.

Earth pigments can be mixed in such a way that they separate out on the paper.

The heavier pigments precipitate first and settle in the declivities of the paper while the lighter pigments settle on top.

This produces an almost three dimensional effect.

This short course looks at :

Mixing of pigments.

Laying of mixed washes.

The variety of different washes which are possible.

We will complete some washes to provide the student with coloured papers to take home to begin their own lettering and painting projects.

Drawn Lettering

Drawing letters is an important skill for those wanting to carve or paint letters.

As with drawing anything it is a skill of looking carefully and producing lines which relate to the subject

observed.

Capital letters based on the fine Roman example of Trajans column provide us with a basis for the course.

We then move on to explore how these basic shapes can be modified and adjusted to produce more contemporary lettering forms.

The design of good lettering must follow certain rules if they are to be satisfactory and effective.

These rules underpin all that we do on this course.

Linocut Printing

This is an opportunity for beginners to think about designing themes suitable for cutting in Lino.

This is a very basic course and opportunity for students to try something with the help of an artist.

We will aim to print our finished carving & prints by the end of the course.

Tapestry

Diana does not pretend to be an expert in tapestry or needlework.

However throughout her career the colours and textures of woollen threads have inspired her.

From a community project which is still displayed in Leominster Priory Herefordshire, to the current work on cushions and hangings, Diana has been inspired to work in the medium of sewn threads.

There is a long tradition of artists who found an outlet in tapestry design and Diana is keen to share inspirations and ideas about the design and execution of wool tapestry.