Plein-Air Classes

General information

Plein-Air (WATERCOLOUR / ACRYLIC) 2025 - please see locations details below.

10.00 - 15.30 please arrive 30 min  in advance to set up (time may vary for different locations)

These sessions has been designed for anyone wanting to discover and develop their watercolour or acrylic painting outside the studio space.

Each session will have it's own focus depending on the location.

You can work in any media on any day, it will be a mixed ability group.

If the weather is stormy and wet, then the session will be moved indoors - see notes for each venue.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellations are subject to a one off £20.00 administration charge to cover processing costs, website booking fees, and card payment fees. For cancellations within one week of the course date, no refunds can be given. In the unlikely event of a course being cancelled, moved or rearranged you will be offered a refund of your payment or an alternative course. The organiser will not be held responsible for any extra costs arising out of the cancellation of a course.  

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LOCATIONS FOR JUN - AUG 2026

Selby Abbey, The Crescent, Selby, YO8 4PU. The session will be held outside of the Abbey. If it is raining then we can paint the interior of the Abbey. Please be aware because the Abbey is a working church there might be a short notice booking for a funeral or other ceremony, in this case, our session will be moved to another day or cancelled.  

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Dovestone Reservoir, Greenfield, Oldham, OL3 7NE. The session will be held outside , there are no indoor facilities to paint for us. If it is raining then our session will be moved.

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Fountains Abbey, the session will be held outside, plenty marvellous view points to choose from! If it is raining, we can paint under the roof of the spacious Cellarium and pick beautiful views through it's arches. Your tuition fee for the day doesn't include your pass to the grounds £21 per person to be paid at the gate. If you have a National Trust membership, you can enter FREE.

West Gate Car Park (Fountains Abbey), HG43DZ, opens from 9am - marked as Disabled badge holders priority car park (parking for us will be available behind the disabled parking area). West Gate Car Park provides the shortest and flat walk to the Abbey ruins (it is much longer walk from the main Visitor car park. 10 am gates to the grounds are open to visitors. 10.45 - 16.00 painting times allowing time to walk and settle. The grounds close at 16.30.

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St Martin's Church Grounds Parking available. If it's raining the session will be held indoors at St Martin's Church, if there is a short notice booking for a funeral the session will be held at the Hill Top Studio, Romiley.

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Canal in Marple,  Parking available If it's raining, the session will be held indoors at the Hill Top Studio, Romiley.

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Hill Top, Romiley, Stockport, Greater Manchester SK6 4AY

Images coming up soon.

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You will build confidence to explore the outdoor environment around you, inspire by various light conditions, develop resilience to changing weather and gain an insight to challenges of an outdoor practitioner. You will produce small/ short studies as well as larger work.

You will study: Water and reflections, Sky and clouds, Hills and Greens, Perspective, Light and Shadows, Atmosphere of the location and Composition. 

Every morning Julia will discuss the focus for the day and do a painting demonstration in acrylic or watercolour depending on the day (please see details next to each location).

Please dress in comfortable for the day clothes and shoes. You may wish to bring a foldable chair and a light easel.

If you need to borrow a field easel free of charge, please let me know when you are booking your place.

Equipment you will need (Watercolour): field easel, chair, light table to rest your paints, palette and water pot; board, watercolour paper A3 size, paper for trying the colours/ colour mixing samples, a range of watercolour brushes, including a mop brush if possible, sponge, palette knife, watercolour paints (Julia will be using St Petersburg White Nights blocks, they are her favourite), palette or big white plate, kitchen towel, pencil, eraser. 

Equipment you will need (Acrylic): field easel, chair, light table to rest your paints, palette and water pot; paper/ board/ canvas you will be painting on - approximately A3 or 40 x 50cm or larger; paper for trying the colours/ colour mixing samples, acrylic brushes, acrylic paints – Julia will be using System 3 Acrylic (key colours are White, Black, Cadmium Yellow, Ochre, Crimson, Deep Violet, Phthalo Blue, Ultramarine, Emerald Green), palette, kitchen towel, sponge, palette knives.