Beautiful Bullfinch
Day Course
On 16th January
£80 £65pp Early Bird Price ends 16th December
High-quality materials included
Templates provided, giving you a ‘no free-hand drawing’ option.
What You Will Do
In the morn caroline will run through all the professinal drawing and pating equpistmnet that you wil be usuing throughout the day. We will disguss which are the best materials. Caroline will duguss and show examples for what makes for sucessful compostion and the kinds of stylisation which can result in you finding your own unique creative voice. Create your own comp either usuing free-hand drawing or tamplates provided and by lunchtime, you will have transferred your own comp onto the professional stadard wc paper ready to get painting in afternoon. in afternoon, we will start by disgussing colour matching and colour mixing as well as several key wc paining technuqes, so that by the end of the course, you will ahve addded beuatfuil painted textures to your bullfinch composition.
You will gte vidoe after course and you have handouts, repatet exrrsies or finish off.
You will begin by getting familiar with your equipment, following along with Caroline’s demonstrations of fun, dynamic watercolour techniques, colour mixing and mark-making methods.
You will fill up a studio sketchbook (which we will provide) for dedicated, mindful, and non-judgmental experimentation.
We will also take a range of watercolour brushes out for a spin, to discover how they can be used to create interesting textures and painting effects.
You will be letting the paint take charge while we explore happy accidents and a useful library of techniques.
In the afternoon, we will create an abstract composition using collage and a final artwork inspired by loose floral drawings.
You will also discover how framing helps to create an abstract outcome.
You can choose to create your own sketches or borrow Caroline’s from the handouts for a drawing-free painting experience!
No Experience Necessary
This course is suitable for all levels of art experience, whether you are new to watercolour painting or are experienced and just want to hone your skills or exeprinemt with stylised compsotion.
Caroline will walk you through her process, composition methodology and painting techniques.
Caroline and Emma will be on hand throughout the day to offer support and advice, including while you create the final artwork in the afternoon.
You will be given handouts to bring home, allowing you to revisit what you learned during the course. The handouts will guide you through the step-by-step process.
if you’re nervouse about drawing caroline will offer a range of stylised flowers and levaes that can be incourpated into this comp and beyond. These are a usuful refenrce for fture art porjcets. there will also be tamplstes to trace around, to make processe even easier.
You will also have access to our online Abstract Florals course for a limited time, after the day cousre, so that you can download demonstration videos for you to keep forever!
Having experimneted with your own comp in the mroning, if you prefer you are still wleocme to tarce off carolines exmaple, to paint for the rest of teh day.
Creative Processes
Creating your own comp, using templates or freehand.
Caroline will disguss what makes a good composition
complieyour own comp, this can be either drawn free-hsand, refferancing a menue of carolines drawings for you to encourapet into your own work in your own hand. Or using templates that you can trace around.
if you prefer, you can simply trace over carolines existing composition, which will be included in the handouts. Have a go at compsotions, carolines is a fall back.
Learn how to transfer image of your drwain compsotion onto your wc paper ready for paintung.
list all tcehniuews.
Caroline will take you through the process of creating useful experimentation and visual research in preparation for painting your abstract floral final artwork.
All materials are provided, including a slim sketchbook for you to let loose in and get creative while you try out the techniques that Caroline will be demonstrating and describing. You will have lots of fun playing with colour and mark-making.
You will select from your experiments for the final artwork. You will take your booklet away with you to act as a reference for your ongoing artistic development when you get home.
Caroline will be sharing her collage and frame composition process for more play with texture and shape.
You can choose to create your own sketches or borrow Caroline’s from the handouts if you prefer a drawing-free painting experience!
Our colour palette inspiration will come from Emma’s garden photos, and we’ll also be taking inspiration from moodbaords of tropical leaves.
FAQs
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Caroline will demonstrate several traditional watercolour, colour mixing and mark making techniques for you to try out during the course.
In the morning you will get familiar withy our materials and build up a sketch book full of playful exploration.
Our palette comes form nature and is matched to Emma’s foliage photos from the garden.
You will use collage to create a composition and then loosely sketch out your design onto your finished sheet ready for painting.
You will be painting your final abstract artwork in the afternoon harnessing the techniques learnt in the morning.
Materials for the day are included and are for studio use only. There will be a full equipment list, for you to be able to source the materials for yourself should finishing off at home be necessary.
The handouts will remind you of the process and we will also offer you free access to the online version of this course for a limited time period, for you to download and keep forever.
There will be a welcome tea or coffee and internet access.
Free parking is available.
Your provided materials includes 1 sheet of best quality watercolour paper. If you require more sheets, you can buy them from us for an additional £2.00 each.
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Lunch is not provided, please bring a packed lunch with you.
Extra paper is not included in the course cost.
You will be provided with 1 sheet of paper. If you require more sheets, you can buy them from us for £2.00 each.
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Your tutor will be Caroline Tatham, a qualified lecturer who has a lifetime of experience teaching creativity and is a professional watercolour artist.
Your teaching assistant will be Emma Tatham, who will offer lots of encouragement and practical support.
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Not at all. We specialise in supporting and encouraging those with no previous experience. You just need a ‘can-do’ attitude!
If you do already have painting experince our exercises will help you to loosen up.
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Materials are included in the course cost, including top-quality paints, a personal sketchbook, and the highest-quality watercolour paper.
You’re welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
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Do not worry! We are all creative and Caroline specialises in connecting people to their inner creative voice.
You just need to be willing to give it a go. Absolute beginners are most welcome.
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What you will achieve:
You will create a unique abstract watercolour artwork.
You will also create a useful menu of expressive mark-making, watercolour techniques in a reference sketchbook to bring home.
You will also experience a new way of thinking about composition using collage and framing.
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Yes! You are very welcome to join our free online community ‘Creative Space’ where Caroline offers encouragement and feedback to posting members. In this free group.
In this free group, there is a bank of free archived resources, such as weekly botanical art prompt sheets, designed to inspire your artwork (#CreativeSpaceNatureSpark). As well as reference photos, reference images, sketches and equipment lists, from our archived Fun-Sized Art School FREE art initiative.
There is also the chance to win prizes in the group challenges.
Please see the button below.
You will also have free access to the online version of this course for a limited time period, which you can download and keep forever!
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This course is suitable for all levels of art experience, whether you are new to watercolour and gouache painting or are experienced and just want to hone your skills.
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Saturday 26th September 2026, 10:00 - 16:00.
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The course cost is £80.
Including art materials to be used in our studio.
The early bird price is £65 until 26th August 2026
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Doors open at 10am where tea and coffee will be available.
The course finishes at 4pm.
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In the unlikely event that a course is cancelled, please review our Terms and Conditions.
About Your Tutor
Caroline Tatham is a passionate artist who loves helping people to discover their own innate creativity.
She studied at the Royal College of Art and has taught at a range of colleges and art schools, including Central Saint Martins School of Art in London.
Caroline is a qualified lecturer and has loved running the Cotswold Gardening School since 2010. She specialises in teaching creative design to a professional standard for those with no previous experience, helping them achieve results they never imagined possible. She is proud to have 30+ years of teaching experience under her belt.
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Join our community Creative Space and meet other like minded creatives and see some of the techniques from our courses in action.
