19th & 20th September 2024
Methods, Materials and a dash of Colour
Tutor: Toby Wiggins RP
£350
click here to book this workshop
Methods, Materials and a dash of Colour
Cennino Cennini wrote “Il Libro dell’ Arte” (the Artists/Craftmans Handbook) in the 1390s in Florence. It is still referred to today and although a few things have happened since then, the basic preparation of materials for making a painting are virtually unchanged.
In this course we will learn how to build a stretcher and stretch a canvas properly and to prepare a wooden panel. We'll use glue size and mix our own gesso, priming these supports in various ways to ready them for painting. We will see what differences there are compared to shop bought products and how you can customize the materials and the techniques to suit your own preferences.
You will then learn how to make oil paint from raw pigment and linseed oil and using your new paint, you will explore colour by producing one of many colour exercise charts, which will not only show the excellence of your paint, but is great practice in mixing, controlling and understanding colour.
All levels of experience and total beginners are welcome.
Toby Wiggins
Toby graduated from the Royal Academy Schools in 1999. He recently won the Ondaatje Prize for portraiture 2023. He has also won the Prince of Wales Drawing Award in 2005 and 2013, the Lynn Painter Stainers Prize for Figurative Painting in 2009 and has exhibited regularly at the RA summer show, BP Portrait Award (NPG) and with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, becoming a member in 2006 in which year he also won the BP Portrait Travel Award.
Toby continues his practice in portraiture, undertaking a variety of commissions alongside excursions into landscape painting and a variety of teaching roles.
1999 RA Post Graduate MA -‘Diploma in Painting’, Royal Academy Schools
1994 BA Hons Fine Art (1st), Falmouth College of Art and Design
AWARDS
2023 The Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture
2013 Prince of Wales Drawing Prize (RP)
2009 First Prize - The Lynn Painter Stainer Prize (Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers)
2007 University of Wales Purchase Prize (Print Originals, Mall Galleries)
2006 Elected member Royal Society Portrait Painters
2006 BP Travel Award (NPG)
2006 Changing Faces Prize (RP)
2005 Prince of Wales Drawing Prize (RP)
EXHIBITIONS
Royal Academy Summer Show, BP Portrait Award, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Holburne Portrait Prize, Royal West of England Academy, NEAC, Discerning Eye, Jerwood Drawing Prize.
COLLECTIONS
Fine Art Society, University of Wales, Falmouth Art College, Bournemouth University, Somerset County Council, Dorset County Museum, Alleyns School Dulwich, Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers, Girton College Cambridge, Imperial College London