Travel with fellow artists, family & friends! In addition to Non-participating guest options, did you know that other workshops are offered this same week! Enjoy the experience together while immersed in different topics! View calendar for details!
Enroll as a Group* and save! Enroll 3 or more people for any of our 2010 workshops and save $150.00 per person! *Group discount applies to 3 or more people enrolling together in the same workshop program. New enrollment only.
Cortona "Island in the Sky"
Meet Barbara Roth
Watercolor Meets Pen & Ink in Tuscany
Creating captivating travel paintings with Artist/Instructor Barbara Roth Cortona, Italy May 1-8, 2010
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Increase your travel, vacation and leisure-time creativity by learning an effective pen and watercolor technique to make fresh and spontaneous paintings. And what better "studio" to learn in than the heart of Italy's Tuscany region! Combining pen line with watercolor is a great way to record what inspires you, reduce stress and open your eyes to the sights around you. Everyone from beginning to advanced painters will enjoy learning to use a pen to make an infinite variety of lines that when partnered with quickly applied watercolor will enable them to paint pictures that capture the textures, images and moods of Tuscany.The first day workshops will teach quick drawing and watercolor painting and how to use photos to make paintings later when you don't have time to sketch on the spot. In the morning workshop there will be demonstrations, clear step by step instructions, supportive advice and time to practice these techniques so you feel confident when you step outside to paint .
You will also receive a mini- textbook to take along with you and refer to as you sketch and paint on location. In the afternoon workshop we will sketch outdoors in Cortona. There will be a step by step demonstration of how to use a picture plane and grid to simplify your drawing and how to complete a travel sketch. You will choose to draw and paint from the dazzling images of our location and the teacher will be there to provide lots of technical help, advice and encouragement. Every morning workshop will give you new techniques and tools to add to the skills you already are building. We will learn watercolor techniques to capture the textures of old buildings, color mixing tips and how to add depth and mood to paintings. You'll also benefit from your teacher's knowledge of how to fix and avoid mistakes in your paintings. Every afternoon workshop will be on location with you choosing what to paint at that location. No matter if you're interested in sunflowers, clock towers or vintage cars, you'll be able to sketch and paint it with the teacher standing by to advise if needed. You will learn how to draw people and animals with special attention paid to their uniqueness and movement. Even if you haven't drawn a person since preschool, you'll learn a time tested method for drawing people that will allow you never to fear drawing them again. As the week draws to a close, you will have seen your skills develop in drawing and painting and found a personal direction to continue your painting when you return home. Plus you will have reference materials, skills and memories from your time in Tuscany to continue to enjoy painting from your trip while you're miles away….Read more about this workshop below...
Cortona
All-inclusive* workshop includes: Escorted group travel Rome to Cortona May 1, 2010**** Instruction in the classroom and on location Seven nights 4-star accommodations in historic Cortona** (Private room & bath) Tuscan Cooking Class Local Etruscan Museum & Museo Diocesano All meals*** (Italian breakfast, lunch and dinner) Daily wine tasting opportunities Day shopping and sightseeing trip to Florence A farewell wine tasting dinner
**Included with "Hotel" plans only. See details. ***Included with "Group Meal Plan" only. See details. ****Specific departure time only; to be announced *All-inclusive plans are Hotel plans A, C, E, G and Hostel plans I & K only. Air travel and ground transportation to/from Cortona is not included and is the responsibility of each participant.
Hotel Italia* proud partner of Toscana Americana Workshops since 2003 *equivalent hotels may be used
visit Hotel Italia online
About Cortona
Cortona is one of the true jewels of the Tuscan “hill towns.” Cortona, which is often called the “City of Art,” has its origin as an Etruscan city that pre-dates Roman times with sections of its walls dating back some 2500 years. As is typical of Tuscan hill-towns, Cortona is a walled city that, for purposes of defense, was built atop a prominent geographical point. The stone buildings and streets not only have the romance, style, and charm that are particular to Tuscany, but also speak of the lives and times Cortona has witnessed. An encounter with Cortona is an encounter with music & art, with history and with spirituality. Getting to know this timeless city is a real rediscovery of our past. Cortona offers testimony to its history as well as an enchanting view of the landscape enclosed by Lake Trasimeno and the Apennine mountains.
Barbara Roth
About this workshop... (Subject to change)
Saturday - Arrival day in Cortona
Sunday - in the morning workshop Barbara will cover techniques for quick drawing. Students will be encouraged to select whatever methods of drawing work for them. She will demonstrate pen and ink line and watercolor techniques, color mixing and show examples of paintings. Then we will complete a small step-by-step painting so that everyone feels confident when we go out side for the afternoon workshop. We will also learn about how to organize our materials for outdoor sketching so you don't have to bring everything you own. While we are on location she will be standing by to provide help, supportive advice, demonstrations and go for chocolate if necessary. She will also give everyone a portfolio filled with hand-outs, useful tips, techniques and tools to make your drawings and paintings successful.
Monday -in the morning workshop Barbara will look at everyone's work done on location and explain more pen and ink and watercolor techniques and how to paint foliage, hills, building and flowers. She'll show you simple ways to draw people and animals and she will demonstrate using a grid to draw from life as well as photos. In the afternoon we will be on location with participants choosing to paint and sketch what interests them. Barbara will be do a short demonstration and then provide help with special attention given to each individual student’s level and needs.
Tuesday -Day trip to Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance! You will have enough painting and drawing practice so you can quickly sketch a person slowly sipping cappuccino in a café or an old clock tower. You'll also be able to add watercolor and ink to your drawing quickly. If you see interesting painting subjects but don't have time to paint them on the spot, you'll also have the knowledge of how to take a photograph that will make a good pen and ink and watercolor subject later when you have time to paint it.
Wednesday - Barbara will explain perspective and more methods of drawing people and animals, including capturing movement and easy ways to get correct proportion. We will talk about the previous days work and how to find your personal interest and direction in your work. In the afternoon workshop on location she will demonstrate ways of getting texture into your paintings with paint and ink lines. You will also learn about using a viewfinder to compose your composition, ways of making your composition eye-catching and how to use a picture plane.
Thursday-day trip with a focus on finding and photographing unique Tuscan subject matter, plus angles and compositions that will make interesting paintings. By this point in our trip you will have discovered one or several aspects of the Tuscan landscape that personally appeals to you and that you want to capture in your drawings and paintings. It could be church doors, textured pealing shutters, curving alley ways or pastry shops. You will be able to follow your own direction when you return home using some of the photos and quick sketches you do today.
Friday- In the morning workshop you will review your work individually with the teacher and discuss your personal direction to continue when you return home. We will also work on more complex aspects of drawing people and interiors and depicting light in your paintings. In our afternoon workshop you will have a chance to try out all the techniques you've learned and make one or several paintings of your favorite spot(s) in Cortona. Barbara will be there to advise and help. After you return home you may always contact me and e-mail a work you've completed and I'll be happy to comment and help you with it.
Comments about Barbara from students in recent workshops: "Great…enjoyed it! Learned a lot-feel encouraged." "I felt comfortable, not intimidated and the instructor's approach was fun and not too serious. I was not afraid to make a mistake or be frightened of that first stroke." "Loved the class!"
"People were at different levels of skill and it didn't matter." "Instructor was friendly, unique, helpful and had good interaction with the group."
Barbara Roth
Cortona Villa
Itinerary
Note: Itinerary subject to change Saturday – Arrival in Cortona -Arrival and Check-in in Cortona -7:00p Welcome to Cortona wine and chocolate tasting at La Saletta. -8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona at La Loccanda nel Loggiatto
Monday - Cortona -9:00-1:00p Morning Session -1:00p Lunch at Trattoria Etrusca -3:00-6:00p Afternoon Session -7:30p Wine tasting -8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona at Fufluns
Tuesday - Florence -8:00a Taxi to Camucia Station (train at 8:30a) -4:09p Depart Florence -7:00p Taxi to Piazza della Republicca-7:30p Wine at TBA -8:00p Dinner in Cortona at Tempero
Wednesday - Cortona -9:00-12:00p Morning Session -12:00p Lunch La Grotta -2:00-5:00p Afternoon Session -5:45p Taxi to Tuscan cooking class & dinner -9:30p Taxi to Piazza della Republicca
Thursday - Lago Trasimeno & Isola Maggiore -7:40a - Depart Cortona and travel to Passignano -8:05a – Depart Camucia by train for Passignano followed by boat to Isola Maggiore -1:00p Lunch -6:30p Taxi to Piazza della Republicca -7:30p Wine tasting -8:00p Dinner in Cortona at Tempero
Friday - Cortona -9:00-1:00p Morning Session -1:00p Lunch at La Loccanda nel Loggiatto -3:00-6:00p Afternoon Session -7:30p Wine tasting -8:00p Farewell Wine Tasting Dinner in Cortona at Osteria del Teatro Saturday – Cortona -Morning Check-out and departure from Cortona or we can help you plan an extended stay! -Each guest must make taxi/travel requests through the Hotel front desk.
Note: Toscana Americana reserves the right to alter this itinerary. All times are approximate
Barbara Roth
Barbara Roth
Barbara Roth
What to Bring...
-Either take a pad of 9x12 Arches 140 lb cold press paper to an office supply store and have it spiral bound or bring a block of Arches 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper. -blow up chair cushion (optional) -small folding chair or stool -Sketchbook with 90lb or heavier paper -A block of pre stretched Arches watercolor paper in a size you can transport easily -2B pencils, -Soft white eraser, -Waterproof ink pens like Nexus or Micron brand in the size tip and colors you prefer, -Watercolor brushes you can bear to lose if you drop one. (Utrecht makes a sablelette brush that is inexpenxive and good quality it is series "#228) -Recommended brushes in sizes 2, 6 and 12 or bigger round, and a flat ¼ or bigger brush and a rigger or liner brush in the size you prefer. -You need your watercolors in a palette you can easily fit into your suitcase and then tote around to the different locations. (I suggest buying a folding palette you can fill with your choice of colors squeezed from tubes.)
-Have at least the following paints: Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Rose Scarlet Lake or Cad. Red Med. or light New Gambodge Lemon Yellow Sap Green Cerulean Blue Cobalt blue Ultramarine blue Windsor Purple or Dioxazine Violet Yellow Ochre Burnt Sienna Burnt Umber -A travel water cup, -Sponge, -small packs of Kleenex, -Set of watercolor colored pencils, -Blow up chair cushion, -Sun hat with a wide enough brim to shield your paper also -Small briefcase or box with a handle that you can easily transport your equipment to our painting sites (I don't recommend a backpack.)
