Outdoor Colour Sketching Workshop

In-Person Plein Air Workshop

"A Day at the Beach Sketching Workshop"

5 Hours of Outdoors Colour Sketching (11:00-4:00)

Location: Port Stanley (meet up at 'Little Beach' parking lot ,if raining we will hold the workshop inside at Art Emporium located beside little beach.

Spend the day at the beach enjoying a lakeside view in Port Stanley!! You'll learn to sketch with colour to capture the feeling of the water and beach using mixed media.

This workshop is ideal if you've tried drawing or painting and would like to explore sketching outdoors. We'll work through the process step by step, so you can focus on enjoying the experience and learning to capture the landscape in a colour sketch.

This workshop will show you how to break down a scene so you can have a process for creating colour sketches of landscape views.

By the end of the workshop, you will have:

Discovered how to choose and simplify a landscape view.
Created a colour sketches inspired by the beach and lake.
Learned a process you can repeat on your own outings.
Discovered how to use a compact, portable art kit outdoors.
Created small colour sketches of the location.

Each time I create a sketch or painting on-site I learn something new, I think that's why it continues to be so fun and challenging. In this workshop I want you to find out for yourself just how enjoyable it is to immerse yourself in capturing the views around you.

Location details...

We'll meet up in the parking lot at 'Little Beach' here in Port Stanley (free parking Oct-May)

Link to GOGGLE MAP showing the workshop location at 'Little Beach'.
Public washrooms available at visitor centre

A few cafes (with links) that are in walking distance of Little Beach:

Littles Midnight Bakery (Main Street, in Telegraph house)
Edible Journey - (Main Street)
Art & Soul Cafe (Bridge Street ( I currently have some plein air sketches on display here))
Harbour Merchant (Bridge Street)

Agenda for the day...

Workshop flow for the day...

11:00 - Welcome - Workshop intro
11:30 - Demo 1 - Gear setup, view-finder, composition & shape sketching
1:00 - Break -Washroom, Snack Break
1:30 - Demo 2 - Tonal values & colour
3:30 - Wrap-up - Review of work

Cancellation Policy:
• If you cancel... at least 2 days prior to workshop, a full refund is given.
• If the workshop is cancelled... due to weather, low enrollment, or other reasons, I'll contact you the day before the scheduled workshop, and you'll have the choice of a refund, or taking part on a different day if available.
• If you don't show up... to the workshop, no refunds are given.

Download the Workshop PDF Guide!

DOWNLOAD THE PDF EBOOK GUIDE

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

Plein Air Workshop Guide PDF Ebook

A little preparation makes the day even more enjoyable... download the workshop sketching guide by clicking the red button below and saving to your device.

This 20 page ebook guide will introduce you to the colour-sketching approach we'll explore together.

Please read through it so you'll arrive ready to get started.

CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE EBOOK GUIDE!!

DOWNLOAD THE PDF GUIDE

Materials & Gear suggestions...

You don’t need to have the exact same gear as I show, but you should have some gear to successfully take part in the workshop. If you’re just starting out I wouldn’t spend too much,...some things pencils, markers, pencil cases etc. you can even get at the dollar store.

I included links with some items just so you could see what I was talking about, you can also find these items on Amazon, to get them quickly and save the trip to london.

The basic art gear is..

Folding chair/stool
Clipboard, or tripod setup
Watercolour or gouache paints, ones you already have or (note: Windsor Newton has a nice selection at good prices) 10-12 colours can get you started (ex. watercolour tube set, gouache tube set, watercolour set prefilled )
A portable folding palette (purchase filled, or fill yourself with tubes of paint) empty palette)
Paintbrushes, water cup & bottle, rags etc.
Watercolour pencils (optional)
Pencil crayons (optional)
Pencils (mechanical + regular) erasers, sharpeners
Fine tip black pens/markers
Pencil case to hold all the pencils
Watercolour and/or mixed media paper - Size 5.5"x8.5"(14x21.6cm) up to 7"x10"(17.8x25.4cm) 98lb-140lb(160g-300g) weight... the brand doesn't matter
A selection of binder & spring clips to hold down your gear
Your phone or tablet to take photos (make sure it’s charged)

If you’ve done plein air sketching before, feel free to bring any gear you’ve found useful.

ART STORES - A list below of some shops that ship from within Canada, many have a free shipping options with minimum purchase.

The shop names below are clickable links...

Locally in London... Bijans, Michaels (2 locations)

Online at ... Amazon, Deserres, Wallacks, Gwartzmans

Useful phone apps .....( Drawing Grid -android grid maker) (Drawing Grid -iphone grid maker), (Snapseed -android photo editor) (Snapseed -iphone photo editor)

Dress for the weather! (layers are best)

The weather is a consideration this time of year, so dressing for the cold will be important!!

Bring: coat, scarf, hat (with visor to block sun in your eyes), gloves, ... you can leave extras in your car so you have options!

If its raining, we will move the class indoors to the Art Emporium located beside Little Beach.

Plein air sketching kit & gear

Simple plein air gear setup...
Above is a basic gear setup plus please bring a portable stool/chair. This is the minimum art gear you'll need to bring for the workshop.
Extras to bring....
Some extras will be needed to make sure you have a successful day. Dress for the weather. Bring your own snacks/beverages. Washroom facilities & cafes are also close by.

Example of my on-site sketching process....

Find a suitable location, Start with pencil sketch capturing the main elements.
I like to use pen or ink to establish the lines I want to keep and do some shading.
Adding colour brings it to life. Watercolour, pencil crayon, other paints etc. can really finish it off.

About...

Cathy Horvath Buchanan is a Port Stanley painter known for her vibrant and whimsical landscape, beach and floral paintings.

Her work often features bold colors and playful compositions that evoke a sense of joy and wonder. Drawing inspiration from nature and folk art traditions, her paintings are characterized by their expressive style and imaginative themes.

Cathy’s paintings are collected worldwide, and licensed globally for products.