When I'm surrounded by gorgeous scenery at rural caravan sites, I've often thought how lovely it would be to capture my surroundings on canvas. But to be honest, I've always been a bit embarrassed about what my fellow caravanners would think of my efforts. My mother, who has a neglected talent for art, used to sketch happily away on family caravanning holidays. But until recently, the best thing I could say about my abilities was that I just about knew one end of
a paintbrush for another.
So when a friend mentioned a watercolour painting course in Shepperton, my first thought was "I fancy that". But my second thought was that I happened to know of a very nice caravan site just around the corner. Could this be the way to combine the hobby I've always loved with the hobby I'd love to be good at? There was only one way to find out.
Having booked my place on Wendy Clouse's one-day watercolour course and a pitch at the pretty Walton-on-Thames Camping and Caravanning Club site nearby, I felt both excited and nervous. Nervous because I was worried that my fellow pupils would all be Monets in the making, but excited because
I hoped that by learning the basic techniques I'd have the skills in place to produce paintings
I wasn't ashamed of.
When Friday night arrived, I packed the car and caravan with all my usual gear and also threw in my rather dusty set of watercolours before towing the Coachman Pastiche 530/4 to Walton-on-Thames. The Caravan Club Site here sits inside London's M25, yet looks and feels as if it's in the middle of the countryside. On arrival, site manager Keith was happy to meet my request for "the prettiest pitch". and offered me a spot next to the river. The water was carpeted in lilies with bright blue dragonflies darting across its surface, and chirpy wagtails perched in the surrounding trees. It was an inspirational setting for me to try out the painting techniques I would hopefully be picking up over the next couple of days.
I slept soundly in the Pastiche, without a noise to disturb
me, then set off on a pleasant ten-minute drive to the town of Shepperton the next morning. Without the dramatic landscapes and rolling hills that inspired many of the great artists, Shepperton might seem like an unlikely place to learn to paint. But when you see Wendy's beautiful lakeside studio at Shepperton's marina, you'll soon change your mind.
Wendy welcomed me into her home and studio, where her striking canvasses line the walls. I was thrilled, but secretly a little intimidated, at the prospect of being taught by someone who could produce such
beautiful and accomplished works of art. And when Wendy asked "Have you painted before?" it was on the tip of my tongue to reply "only to redecorate my flat." Instead I shook my head
and murmured a sheepish "not really." Wendy immediately put me at ease by announcing "Great!
I adore beginners."
Wendy told me that she enjoys working with all levels of ability – from total beginners to very capable artists. And there was
a good mix of abilities on the course I attended. Naomi had attended Wendy's classes in the past, and having mastered the basics of watercolour was attempting acrylics for the first time. Hillary arrived next, carrying a beautiful basket packed with watercolours. Regular attendee Greg followed – he would be spending the day refining his acrylic skills. Father and daughter novices, Steve and Samantha, completed our small group.
Although we comprised
a real mixture of abilities and chosen mediums, Wendy explained that it didn't matter whether or not you can draw or paint. The simple fact is that everyone can learn and enjoy art.
We didn't have to travel further than the edge of Wendy's garden to start our adventure. We began by carrying our equipment to the water's edge, before finding a spot we would like to paint. This in itself is a skill, and Wendy showed us how to frame what we saw
with our hands, moving our
finger-frames like a camera lenses around the view.
And what a view – two fishing lakes sit alongside a small marina packed full of white and blue boats and a busy canal runs adjacent to this. Everyone was overwhelmed by the beauty of the scene: the rippling water, the boughs of ancient willows dripping into it, a stork standing still as a statue and three tiny ducklings hopping from one lily leaf to another. We really were spoilt for choice, and I had to ask for advice about what I should choose to paint. Wendy suggested that we focus on the first thing that caught our eye, be it a single tree, a patch of water lilies or the boats in the distance.
Once we'd selected a view, Wendy explained the basics to us. Although we were all champing at the bit to slap paint on canvass, Wendy reined us in. "You must all compose a thumbnail drawing first," she instructed. The thumbnail is a very simple sketch of what you will eventually paint. "Draw as you did when you were a child," guided Wendy, who went on to create a perfect scribble.
The thumbnail sketch works as the skeleton of your composition, holding it all together. Rather than keep looking at the view as it changes with light and movement, the sketch acts as a guide. But this doesn't means to say that you can't deviate from it. After all, to quote Wendy, "art is all about creativity". She encouraged us to paint not only what we see,
but also what we wanted
to paint.
Wendy instructed us throughout the course, guiding us through different levels, step-by-step. And as I began to transfer my ideas from sketch to canvass – or from sketch to board, to use the correct watercolour terminology – I began to understand that painting in watercolour involves more than
a little creative flair. Mixing colours to create the perfect shade of green or yellow was a challenging skill that I did not grasp easily.
Just as important as mixing colour, is applying the paint
with a layering technique, from light to dark. Add to that obtaining the right amount of moisture on the brush, waiting the correct length of time before applying another layer of colour and forming fine details with large brushes, and you'll see that this is a complicated process.
But at the same time, painting in watercolour is also thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing. It's easy to become completely engrossed in the activity, and my mind didn't wander as I drew close to finishing the piece. My watercolour faux pas, however, was to cover the entire canvass in paint, leaving little or no white border. I also used a little poetic licence and rather than having a marina teeming with beautiful white yachts, my finished piece showed a colourful array of blue and red ones.
I was actually rather pleased by the end result and took comfort from that fact that watercolour is, apparently, one of the more difficult techniques to grasp. Having Wendy on hand was a great bonus; I would have given up had I attempted to learn without her guidance. And a weekend or
week-long painting course, combined with a relaxing caravan holiday, is a great way to recharge your batteries. Everyday pressures seemed far away as I concentrated on the view ahead of me.
Looking around the class at the end of the day, it became obvious that we had all succeeded. Naomi said she would stick with watercolours in future, but her lilies in acrylics were bright and cheerful. Hillary had created a serene Monet-like composition of lilies in pale colours, while Samantha and her father had discovered a shared talent that they could continue to enjoy together for years to come.
And me? I had learnt that the real skill is to get out there and enjoy painting, even if I am not destined to be a great artist. I'll be on the look-out for the prettiest pitches on future trips to inspire me to put my newly learned techniques into practice.
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