Multimedia art instruction at Akrotiri Villas, Crete

Colours of Crete is a week of multimedia art instruction for all levels of ability during the first two weeks of May. The price for the course is £290 per person, not including flights or accommodation. There are two courses running consecutive weeks: 1 May to 8 May, and 8 May to 15 May 2012.

Overview

We offer the opportunity to explore your creative side - whether you are a complete beginner or a painter looking to explore new ideas. Best of all, the tuition will take place in a beautiful and relaxed setting. You will spend a week at Artemis Apartments as guests of Reg and Daphne Fairfoot, whose warmth and hospitality is legendary. The course is suitable for all levels, from the complete beginner to more experienced artists looking to develop their talents.

Objectives

Firstly, the key objective is to have fun and learn some new skills. This is your holiday and the most important thing to remember is that you can work at your own pace and take breaks when it suits you. If you already paint you will have the opportunity to try new materials and techniques. We hope that you will return home with a sketchbook full of ideas and inspiration but also completely relaxed and feeling that you have had a complete break. Best of all, if your partner is not a painter, they can enjoy a totally relaxing holiday and share the fun.

Your Tutor

Trisha Scott studied at the Canterbury College of Art in 1979 and then completed a BA in Fine Art at Ravensbourne College. Trisha continued her training at Goldsmiths College, the Institute of Group Analysis and Brunel University. She has considerable experience with adult learners having taught landscape painting and life drawing at the South Greenwich Institute. She has exhibited at the Royal Academy, London Mall Galleries and Atlantis Gallery in the UK as well as in Crete. She currently lives and works in Crete.

Itinerary

Tuesday: Arrival at Artemis Apartments for a 7-night stay.

• Time to relax and settle in before meeting Trisha for a welcome meeting and introductions.

Wednesday: 10am

Meet by the pool. We will aim for this start time each day as it will give you time for a leisurely breakfast and a swim.

• Using a sketchbook/journal, making colour notes, how to record impressions and ideas.
• Fun and games with colour and mark making.
• Lunch. We will aim to break between 12.30 and 13.00 for at least an hour.
• Colour theory, the colour sphere and colour mixing techniques.
• Paint en-plein-air at the beach or in the gardens.

Thursday: meet by the pool

• Composition - the devil is in the detail.
• Using a viewfinder, working swiftly, unconventional approaches, thinking and painting outside the box.
• Lunch
• After lunch free time to relax or try some of the techniques we have learned this morning.
• 17.30 meet at the pool. The evening colours of Stavros - we will take a short walk to the beach in order to catch the setting sun and record our impressions of the fading light.

Friday: meet by the pool

• Trip to Chania for sightseeing and sketching. This is your chance to try out sketching techniques, working swiftly and unobtrusively. We will explore the Venetian harbour area and make a series of preparatory sketches and take reference photographs.
• Lunch
• Practice makes perfect. We will continue gathering reference material for our paintings.

Saturday: meet by the pool

• Today we will be using our reference material.
• Colour and collage - the motif abstracted.
• Lunch
• Painting at your leisure.

Sunday: free day

Monday: meet by the pool

• Trip to see the mountains - a new challenge. We will visit the villages of Vamos and Kaina.
• Lunch
• A review of the work produced during the week.

Tuesday: departure day

The exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and at tutors discretion.

Materials

All you need to bring with you is an A4 sketchbook and a camera. Optionally, you can bring water soluble pencils and crayons and water brushes (these have a fibre tip and water reservoir, and are used with the water soluble pencils)

Other Resources

Small backpack/rucksack, sunhat with a wide brim, comfortable shoes or boots, sunscreen, insect spray.

Included

Use of a portable easel, use of drawing board, painting materials, an apron to protect your clothes, transport when required.

Not included

Meals, holiday insurance, flights and accommodation.

Contact us at Akrotiri Villas