About This Workshop

Learn to paint folds and reflective surfaces with confidence

This workshop covers cloth and metal together in three different subject of increasing difficulty.

Both silver and cloth can appear to be very tricky subjects to paint. But this workshop will take you through a step by step process that will help you demystify the subjects and gain confidence with them.

We'll also be producing a master copy as part of the workshop, of a rather special subject including white cloth and silver by English artist William Nicholson. I'll be supplying some additional videos through the workshop showing me working through this piece in detail.

Buy $190.00

What You'll Learn

  • HOW TO USE VALUES TO MAKE OBJECTS SHINE

    The main thing you have to get right to make silver look silver is the value balance. You'll learn how to control the values so that the highlights really pop out and shine

  • GET THE COLOURS RIGHT

    The colours of silver (all metallic) objects are a mixture of the colours surrounding the object, affected by the local colour of the object itself - I'll show you how to handle this properly

  • CONTROL YOUR EDGES

    This is supremely important for both silver and cloth. I'll show you how edges will define your objects and bring them to life, making your folds in cloth look real

  • HANDLE LOW CHROMA WITH EASE

    When you're painting low chroma objects like white cloth and silver, it's imperative that you can control the chroma very carefully. Munsell lets us do this like no other approach to colour

What are my workshops like?


Watch this short video to find out more about how these workshops are delivered - and what people think of them!

Course curriculum

  • 1
    Welcome to the course!
    • Welcome to the Folds and Reflections Workshop!
    • Materials List
  • 2
    Session One - Value Balance
    • What We'll be Doing
    • Mixing an accurate five step Munsell value scale
    • Mixing a simple five step value scale (if you don't have the Munsell scale!)
    • The Session
    • Edge Handling and Blending Exercise
    • Brush Handling Exercise
    • Reference Photos
  • 3
    Session Two: The Anatomy of Folds
    • What We'll be Doing
    • The Session
    • Reference Photos
    • How to add Munsell value numbers to an image in Photoshop
    • How to add a grid to a reference photo on Photoshop
  • 4
    Session Three: Moving Into Colour
    • What We'll Be Doing
    • The Session
    • Drawing (Eyeballing) Practice exercises
  • 5
    Session Four: Adding the Silver Jug
    • What we'll be doing
    • The Session
  • 6
    Session Five - Adding the Lemon and Completing the Painting
    • What we'll be doing
    • The Session
  • 7
    Session Six - The Brass Pot
    • Finding the Local Colour of the Pot
    • What we'll be Doing
    • The Session
  • 8
    Session Seven: Finishing the Brass Pot
    • What we’ll be doing
    • The Session
  • 9
    William Nicholson Master Copy - Lustre Bowl and Peas
    • Lustre Bowl and Peas by William Nicholson
    • Reference photo, with a grid
    • Preparing the Panel
    • The Value Balance
    • Using Munsell and the Print to find the Colours
    • Mixing the Toning Colour
    • Painting on the Toner
    • Wiping Back the Toner

Diane's Workshop Experience