Skip to main content

Painting the Farm September 2025 - a 5 day Plein Air Painting Course in Dorset

Haddon Copse Farm, Woodrow, Fifehead Neville, Sturminster Newton, DT10 2AQ
Only 3 spaces left
Painting the Farm September 2025 - a 5 day Plein Air Painting Course in Dorset

Course dates

  • Mon, 1 Sep '25   12pm – 5:30pm BST - done
  • Tue, 2 Sep '25   9:30am – 5:30pm BST - done
  • Wed, 3 Sep '25   9:30am – 5:30pm BST - done
  • Thu, 4 Sep '25   9:30am – 5:30pm BST - done
  • Fri, 5 Sep '25   9:30am – 2pm BST - done

Details

This course on a small mixed Organic Farm in Dorset has become a firm favourite with students over the past few The farm is full of wild flowers, butterflies and wildlife in an idyllic location in Dorset's Blackmore Vale and excellently hosted by my very good friends Tom and Mark.

This is an outdoor painting course and as the farm is quite small it offers you the chance to draw and paint wide landscapes, closer studies of trees and water as well as the animals on the farm all within a short distance. We also have the use of a barn on the farm for dining and shelter.

Teaching takes place in groups working in the same location and individually.

Suitable for all levels of experience, my teaching takes account of your current ability and offers tuition designed to take your painting forward.

The course fee of £600 covers tuition, refreshments, lunches each day and supper on the first night. Accommodation is booked separately. Please see the event attachments for suggestions, along with information about how to attend this course without a car.

Please note our Terms and Conditions before booking
Full refunds after payment only available if your space can be filled.
We strongly recommend taking out holiday insurance.
Should we need to cancel the course, we will issue you with a full refund but we are not liable for any other expenses incurred such as accommodation and transport.

Instructions

Arrival day is Monday 1st Sept The course starts with lunch at 1pm. You are welcome to arrive from 12pm to unpack your painting things or to settle into your bell tent or the retreat hut if you are staying on the farm. We can then paint until supper or stop whenever you choose if you'd like to settle into your accommodation. Supper will be cooked by Mark on the first night.
We will normally paint from 9.30 am till 5.30pm and will finish after lunch at 2pm - 2 :30pm on the last day Friday 5th Sept

Tuition, teas and coffees, lunch each day and supper on the first night are all included in the course fee.

If you are staying in a bell tent, Tom and Mark will serve breakfast every morning before the course day starts. All students will be served a substantial lunch every day. They don’t serve an evening meal (apart from on the first evening) but can recommend local pubs and there is always farm produce for sale.
The bell tents are equipped with comfortable mattresses, but you need to provide your own bedding, towels, etc. and anything else you think you might need.

The course is primarily focusing on the use of oil paints, but you are welcome to bring any painting media you would like to use. In addition, Haddon Copse is a great place to draw so bring a sketch book and drawing materials.

The following is a suggested list of oil colours:

Winsor and Newton artists oils:
Titanium white
Winsor lemon
winsor yellow
yellow ochre
permanent alizarin crimson
french ultramarine
winsor blue green shade or Prussian blue
raw or burnt umber
ivory black

Winsor and Newton Winton (student) oils:
Titanium white
Cadmuim lemon
cadmium yellow pale hue
yellow ochre
permanent alizarin crimson
french ultramarine
pthalo blue/Prussian blue
raw or burnt umber
ivory black

If you are using Michael Harding oils most of the names are similar: Titanium white No 1 , Bright yellow lake. yellow lake, yellow ochre alizarin crimson raw umber red umber,Ultramarine Blue Blue Lake,Prussian Blue and Ivory black

Bring surfaces to paint on. I recommend a range of sizes and depending on how quickly you paint between ten and fifteen surfaces.

You can work on a white surface or colour the painting surface with a thin coat of raw or burnt umber or other earth colours.

Thin down a lot with white spirit paint on and then wipe excess off with a soft cloth. Aim for pale to mid tones.
Also the following equipment:

a viewfinder
sketching easel

artists hog brushes in long flat
paint rags – cotton (old towels are best)
white spirit
a flat palette and palette knife
a bottle or jar for used thinners
Double dippers to attach to a palette
If you like to paint sitting down bring a folding stool or chair

Make sure you have warm and waterproof clothing including wellies just in case. A brolly can also be invaluable,
but we have had hot weather in previous years so hats and sun cream advised too. I would also recommend some insect repellent.

Tickets

Cost

Haddon Copse September 2025

This fee is for tuition, morning and afternoon refreshments each day, lunches and dinner on the first night. Please consider taking out holiday insurance.
Course ticket - for all 5 dates.
3 available
£600.00

Location

Haddon Copse Farm
Woodrow, Fifehead Neville
Sturminster Newton
DT10 2AQ

What3 Words - ///riverside.envisage.ally

Amenities

  • Toilets
  • Parking