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Portrait Painting Week In France

Highlights

  • Learn oil painting techniques from a skilled tutor to create your own stunning portrait in oils
  • Relax in the majestic scenery of South West France
  • Enjoy authentic French cuisine and experience French culture
From £1500 pp
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6 Nights

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What you'll do

Overview

Discover the South West of France where the Pyrénées meets the sea. Learn to paint in a relaxing environment with an experienced and talented tutor.

2025 Dates:

10th – 16th May

24th – 30th May

14th – 20th June

28th June – 4th July

19th – 25th July

30th August – 5th September

27th September – 3rd October

This portrait painting holiday is a step out of our busy lives and a chance to reset. Kate will show you how she develops ideas and creates her paintings.

Learn how to work from both photographic sources and a life model. Kate will lead you through the stages of oil painting and learn a variety of oil painting techniques, she created her painting holidays so that participants can discover or reconnect with art in a beautiful and serene atmosphere. Physical and mental wellbeing are of utmost importance for creating artistic endeavours and, through your paining holiday she hopes not only will you engage with your own painting but also find that much needed space to relax. Learning new skills and techniques and being part of a group of artists will give you artistic energy and a shared experience, creating lasting memories in the majestic scenery of South-West France.

Your painting holiday includes accommodation in a beautiful local auberge, delicious French meals, painting equipment and three full days of tuition; learning how to paint with a qualified art teacher and professional artist. The local auberge, just a short walk from the studio, offers comfortable private rooms with ensuite bathrooms and the restaurant there is renowned in the area for it’s delicious traditional French cuisine.

Non painters are welcome to accompany a painting partner, there is a reduced price for this and please note that lunches are not included for non- painters.

Painting:

During your stay you will learn the following skills:

Select and take with you a good source photographs for portraiture
Work from a direct subject
Prime and prepare our canvas
Set up an oil painting palette and organise your working space
Mix solutions for oil painting
Mix a range of colours and tones to create realistic flesh tones.
Create an underpainting using principles from the Masters
How to block in tonal areas and understand the planes of the face
Use a range of techniques to add detail, including glazing techniques
Create a portrait to take home

 

Arrival

Arrive at the hotel for a relaxing evening and a welcome meal.

Relax and meet the other members of the group. Your accommodation is in the Auberge/Hotel of the village where each room has ensuite bathroom or shower.

Your art retreat is in a rural area surrounded by beautiful countryside. This really is a relaxing place and you will have a truly French experience.

Introduction to Portrait Painting

8.45am -9.45 am

A continental breakfast awaits you. Transfer to the studio in Laás to start the day.

10 am- 12.30 pm 

We will start with a drawing lesson exploring proportions and planes of the human head. Exploring how to build up tone using one colour. 

12.30pm-1.45pm

Lunch at a local French restaurant

1.45pm-4.45 pm 

Working from photographic reference we will work on a small painting to understand the principals of oil painting. 

We will prepare the canvas and continue to develop the underpainting. 

Looking at how to see tonal ranges in a portrait we explore how to set up a work space and oil palette developing colour mixing and creating flesh tones. 

Students will learn to mix solutions for painting and how to use them. Getting ready for our next day of painting.

5pm- 5:30pm Drinks

7:30 pm- A three course meal for dinner.

Followed by your own relaxation time.

A Day in the Studio

8.45am-9.45 am

A continental breakfast awaits you. 

9.45am -10am 

Transfer to the studio

10am -4.45pm 

Day of painting in the studio in Laás.

Kate will teach you the next steps to successfully create a portrait using layers to build up your piece. This will give you the confidence before we work with a life model.

Lunch 12.30-1.45pm Picnic by the river and opportunity to swim

1:30 – 5:30 pm- Continue painting

7.30pm- Dinner at the hotel

Followed by your own relaxation time.

Portrait Painting and Artist Talk

8.45-9.45 am

A continental breakfast awaits you. 

10am- 12.30pm

Working from a live model. Developing colour studies of the subject, we will explore the narrative in portraiture. 

12.30pm-1.30 pm Buffet style light lunch

1.30-3.30pm

Students continue to develop colour studies from the model. 

3.30pm-4.30pm

You will take a photo of the model and develop your own concept.

5pm Free time- River swim or a lovely walk around the village.

7:30pm Dinner at our house

9pm Drinks and an artist talk. Local artists will come and discuss their work with you.

A Day to Relax and Explore

8.15am-9am

An early breakfast

9.30-11am

Visit to the morning market in Salies de Béarn. 

Taking a break from painting we will explore the thermal town and it’s traditional French market. 

11.30am-12.30 pm 

Return to the studio.

Prepare your canvas for our final painting. 

12.30pm-1.45pm -Lunch at a local restaurant 

1.45pm-5:30pm

Sketching out your painting and underpainting.

5:45- 7pm Visit a walled village and local art galleries

8pm Dinner at the restaurant

Finishing Touches

8.45am-9.45am 

Breakfast at the hotel 

9.45 am Transfer to the studio 

10am-12.30pm

Continuing to work on our final painting we will begin to build up layers adding glazes. 

Students will develop their own art piece exploring the narrative in portraiture. 

12.30pm-1.45pm Lunch at a local restaurant.

1.45pm-4.45pm 

We will discuss glazing and how to explore further techniques in your painting.

5pm transfer back to hotel 

7pm Beautiful three course meal to celebrate the end of the course and your fabulous creations.

Departure

Enjoy your last breakfast and say your goodbyes!

What's included

Included

  • 5 full days of painting tuition from Kate Sparrow. Learn how to paint the portrait in oils
  • Half day working from a life model
  • All art materials
  • 6 night's accommodation with breakfast in the local Auberge with ensuite bathroom
  • Lunch each day for painters, this will be buffet style/picnic
  • Dinner each day is a delicious 3 course meal
  • Visit to a local walled village and the local art galleries
  • Drinks and an artist talk. Local artists will come and discuss their work with you.

Accommodation

Auberge de la Fontaine

Located in the heart of the village of Laàs, between the city of Navarrenx and the medieval city of Sauveterre-de-Béarn, the Auberge de la Fontaine is the very expression of hospitality and rural friendliness.  All rooms have an ensuite bathrooms with shower. There is a bar and restaurant and a lovely garden to relax in.

Your local host

Kate

I am a professional artist who has exhibited in both London and Hong Kong. I have my own art studio and gallery in South West France. I am a fully trained art teacher with a BA in illustration and a PGCE in art teaching. I am so happy to share my love of art with others and show you techniques for developing your own oil and acrylic paintings.

I am a professional artist who has exhibited in both London and Hong Kong. I have my own art studio and gallery in South West France. I am a fully trained art teacher with a BA in illustration and a PGCE in art teaching. I am so happy to share my love of art with others and show you techniques for developing your own oil and acrylic paintings.

Kate image

Location

Running Dates  2024 : 20th – 26th July;  14-20th September

You will be staying in a beautiful and idyllic rural french village, Laas. It is situated in the valley of the Gave d’Oloron, to the southeast of Sauveterre-de-Béarn and north-west of Navarrenx, in an area called the Béarn des Gaves.

Getting there:

Transfers from Biarritz, Pau or Orthez can be arranged for an extra charge.

We are situated in a rural area with limited public transport and so there is also the option of car hire if you wish.

 

 

 

What our travellers are saying...

Kate is fantastic. I went on her course a beginner, I had never painted with oils before and I have come away with a portrait I am very proud of. Kate is a warm, generous and patient teacher. You get thorough one to one tuition and laughs on this course - it is a perfect balance. In addition to painting Kate provides sight seeing, wild swimming, trips to neighbouring villages, cocktail bars and of course lots of cheese and wine. Accomodation is s

Beth 2023

Kate is very organised and made the logistical aspect feel very smooth and efficient. I stayed in the little guest house and the accommodation was comfortable and clean. On the first day I learnt how to treat my canvas and map out the portrait that I chose to paint. It was really clearly explained. Lunch and dinner were always really big with so many delicious courses including delicious desserts.Kate is an excellent teacher and provided really

Finn 2023

FAQs

Are there transfers?

Transfers are not included but if required our host can help arrange pickups.

If other guests are arriving at the same time the host will try to limit the cost of the transfer by arranging shared transportation.
An estimate of costs are as follows:
A private taxi from/to Biarritz airport is around €120. From Orthez station the transfer cost will be €70 one way and from Pau station €175 one way.
An arranged shared taxi will be around €25 euros each way.

Please let us know at time of booking if you would like us to arrange these transfers for you.

What meals are included?

6 x Breakfast, 5 x Lunch, 6 x Evening Meal (except for non painters when 5 x lunches are not included.)

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