As we reach the end of our season of creative holidays here at the Watermill (somewhat curtailed this year, but it’s great to be back in the swing of running our weekly courses here), we are looking forward to repeating our online sessions, running through the Autumn and Winter, before the ‘real thing’ opens up again next spring
And who better to give us an autumnal makeover than our old friend and Watermill tutor, Mike Willdridge, with whom our online sessions began when the Covid restrictions began to bite way back when.
Mike says: “Last year, and throughout the UK lockdowns, I ran 36 separate classes to hundreds of people from around the world.†With great success, I might add, bringing painting adventure to people’s Covid-constrained lives and creating the camaraderie of a truly international online painting community.
And what finer symbol of regeneration than Mike’s pictorial attack on the fine old barn below? It has seen better days and it’s set in a rather flat scene.
Mike says: “One of the aims of this first online session is to show how to give more life to a source image; in this case I’m giving the barn an ’Autumn/Fall’ makeover together with other changes such as adding a figure.” (See the picture at the top.)
Unlike many online painting tutors, Mike will not expect you to ‘look over his shoulder’ for a long demonstration, and perhaps be allowed to ask the odd question or two. No, you will be painting along at more or less the same time, trying out the watercolour techniques that Mike has shown you, step-by-step. He will demonstrate some basic techniques for only a few minutes before you start painting the same subject at home. Then, after you have had your turn, Mike will move onto the next part of the process. Lois Breckon from The Watermill at Posara will be on hand during the session to feed your questions. The session will last two to three hours.
Mike’s live, interactive, online session is on Thursday 11 November 2021 at 3:30 pm Italian time. (2:30 pm UK time). We know that may be quite early in the morning in the United States and Canada, and in the middle of the night in Australia and New Zealand! But, even if you can’t make the live session, you can still register and receive an edited video of the demonstration to paint along in your own time. See below.) Registration for this exciting online, interactive session is through the Eventbrite platform and you can join up by clicking here.
When you register for the session, you will be asked for a donation. Some people ask how much this should be. It is up to you, but we do suggest a minimum donation of £20 GBP (English pounds). Our Zoom painting demonstrations do take quite a bit of time in preparation and administration and your support is very much appreciated. With your generosity we can plan and run further sessions and, more importantly, provide a regular meeting place for creativity, camaraderie and fun. We hope that you enjoy the international, online painting community that we have created.
When you register you will be provided with two links. The first is the Zoom link for you to join the session. The second link is where you will find a copy of the photograph that you will paint, Mike’s practice painting to show you where you are heading, a list of equipment and colours for your palette.
After the event, you are invited to add your painting to the gallery. In addition, we will send you a link to a video that will enable to you revisit Mike’s step-by-step teaching.
When you have painted with Mike online, why not join him for real at the Watermill in Tuscany Italy next summer? We would love to welcome you to the Watermill. You can find more details of Mike’s week-long which will run from, Saturday 3 September to Saturday 10 September 2022 by clicking here.
For more about everything at the Watermill, please click here.
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