Learn to paint with watercolours and acrylics - suitable for beginners to advanced!

From 8 £ /h

dennis parker autumn 2023 art classes

Harrow Arts Centre, 171 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, Middx HA5 4EA

9.30 – 11.30 am 10 weekly classes

For all levels from beginners to advanced with a mind open to exploring the wonder of the creative process

For those painting for pleasure as well as those working towards GCSE, A-level, degree or beyond!

A choice of working in any media including pencil, charcoal, pen and wash, watercolour, pastel, acrylic, oil, mixed media, print making etc (students are encouraged to explore all media eventually, especially acrylic, to maximise the scope of their creativity)

A chance to have fun exploring all styles of interpretation from realism to abstraction, with demonstrations in all techniques

Opportunity to develop and gain guidance on your portfolio for art college, degree and postgraduate courses

For all classes, themes are suggested – not obligatory – so if you have other concepts you would prefer to explore you can do so instead, with Dennis’s help and guidance in navigating the creative process.

Having explored essential techniques and styles students are encouraged to create inspiring and original work from their own references, such as observational drawings and photographs, rather than from magazine or internet images.

MONDAY Monday 25 September -- 11 December excluding 23, 30 October

Harvest Fruit & Vegetables

Drawing / Watercolour / Acrylic / Oil

An opportunity to develop your observational drawing and painting skills while exploring pictorial composition

TUESDAY Tuesday 19 September – 5 December excluding 24, 31 October

Autumn Woodland Studies

Acrylic / Pastel

An ideal class for beginners with no previous painting experience. We start with controlled colour mixing via three primary colours, then progress to a variety of exciting colour applications and techniques to develop confidence and produce expressive and atmospheric studies

WEDNESDAY Wednesday 20 September – 6 December excluding 25 October, 1 November

Close-up: Butterflies

Pencil / Pastel / Pen & Wash / Mixed Media

An opportunity to explore drawing and painting these elusive colourful and iridescent visitors from your own photos

THURSDAY Thursday 21 September – 7 December excluding 26 October, 2 November

Atmospheric Autumn Landscapes

Acrylic /Mixed Media

An ideal class for beginners with no previous painting experience. We start with controlled colour mixing via three primary colours, then progress to a variety of exciting colour applications and techniques to develop confidence and produce expressive and atmospheric studies

FRIDAY Friday 22 September – 8 December excluding 27 October, 3 November

Silky Milky Waterfalls

Drawing / Watercolour / Acrylic / Mixed Media

Explore the movement, turbulence and shifting patterns of cascading water. Consider adjusting slowing shutter speed when shooting these to create the desired silky milky effect

Current students have priority until 30 June 2023

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dennis shaping air - photoshoots with photographic model / ballerina

Within a small group, a unique opportunity to have a private photoshoot with an experienced photographic model/ballerina with the added dimension of professional photographic lighting. Artists wishing to explore the aesthetic of classical life poses, the fluidity of dance/movement and more unusual physically demanding short term photographic poses will be guided through the alchemy of photo composition using light, angle and shadow. Studio lighting, in tandem with filters and reflectors, enables us to explore ‘in-camera:’ framing a shot, perspective, subtleties and nuances of colour playing on the human form, plus the impact of angle and degree of light and shadow (chiaroscuro). Essential knowledge of your own camera, whether it is compact, bridge or DSLR, includes how to access: shutter priority, aperture priority, ISO and exposure compensation, to maximise the potential of the shoot.

Location

Use Ctrl + wheel to zoom!

At teacher's location :

Harrow Arts Centre, Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, Middx HA5 4EA

About Me

dennis specialises in life drawing, photographic work including photographic shoots with models and ballerinas, landscapes, seascapes, animals, birds and flowers, in figurative, impressionistic and abstract styles, plus all aspects of calligraphy and illumination. He has had artwork commissioned, published and sold by WH Smith, Athena, Pictura Graphica, Boots, Paperchase, John Lewis, Tearfund, The Booksellers Association, Marks and Spencer, Oxfam, Waterstones, etc

Education

dennis is an artist and lecturer in art with a BA and MA in fine art, printmaking and photography. After art college dennis worked in theatre set design, as a photographic assistant for fashion/beauty/portrait photographers, and in art and design studios. Then he qualified as a teacher and has over twenty years' experience in teaching art in colleges and universities. This includes teaching art at degree and A-level, seminars and demonstrations of both art and photography at The Business Design Centre, London and National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Experience / Qualifications

Prior to going to art college, whilst still at school, dennis worked in his evenings and weekends in the studio of his father who was an artist /musician /composer. Here he helped him with portrait and landscape painting, printmaking, ceramics, photography, music - an enriching, inspiring and invaluable introduction to the creative arts.

Age

Teenagers (13-17 years old)

Adults (18-64 years old)

Seniors (65+ years old)

Student level

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Duration

120 minutes

The class is taught in

English