Good Artists Copy and Great Artists Steal

About this course

The course examines Samuel Palmer’s Shoreham-period landscapes, including his connections with William Blake and later comparisons with artists such as Van Gogh. Learners consider how landscape can be transformed through expressive colour and visionary imagery. Practical sessions explore Palmer’s use of sepia, ink, gouache and glazing, including how layered transparency can be adapted to acrylic and oil painting. The course also considers compositional systems and ways to translate these historical approaches into larger-scale contemporary work.

What you'll learn

• Analyse selected works from Samuel Palmer’s Shoreham period and their treatment of landscape.
• Explore compositional systems used in Palmer’s work.
• Experiment with sepia, ink, gouache and glazing techniques.
• Adapt Palmer-inspired approaches to acrylic or oil painting.
• Develop practical responses to Palmer’s ideas and visual language in personal work.

Is this course right for you?

The course is described as suitable for all levels and is listed at Beginner level. It combines contextual study with practical drawing and painting activities, allowing learners to explore the techniques and ideas in their own work.

• Suitable for learners at different levels of experience.
• Includes both discussion of historical artwork and practical studio exploration.
• Offers approaches that can be adapted to individual drawing and painting work.

Before you go

• Learners should bring any drawing and painting materials they already have, such as acrylic paints, brushes and pencils.
• Paper and additional items can be purchased from the school shop.