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Forthcoming courses

Tour de Horse - an eleven day course.
Tuesday 20th March to Saturday 31st of March
Using the various breeds that populate the horse world of this region, you will have the opportunity to study the indigenous Carmargue, the elegant Portuguese, the fiery Andalucian and arab with pencil and paintbrush.  A serious study, enabling one to paint the movement and form of horses in action and repose, with the opportunity of visiting these horses in their own environment, the beautiful Carmargue.

Masterclass - for specialised interest
3rd to the 10th April 2012
One week working with our invited Maestro: Anthony Bream. “Topographical landscape painting”

The lifesaver course - an intense complete immersion course.
2nd to 16th September 2012
Drawing and painting from the life model in movement and in repose.  For the student of fine art who feels that they are not being taught to draw or paint from life.  For those with the desire to give up using images from photographs and to understand form from life.

Past events

The September Master Class: Painting the Horse by Tod Ramos.
In short, The Master Class consisted of a series of talks and demonstrations in drawing and painting by Tod Ramos. Tod Ramos has been painting the horse for over thirty years and his initial reputation as a painter was connected with this subject. Tod explained basic anatomy of the horse, the principle of the horses physiognomy, its conformation, and the principles of the horses movement. The talks took place in the Studio with a ‘static model’, a Sel Francais horse and in the lunging ring, in paddocks, and in the field.

The first two days were spent drawing directly from the horse in the studio, and on the third day paintings were started on the the same theme. Once confidence working from the tethered models was achieved our students visited three further horses, this time; a great bright chestnut heavy horse, a riding horse and a half-bred. A lecture in morning about the actual ‘gaits’ of the horse and the anatomy in movement was followed with drawing from the moving horse walking, trotting and cantering. Tod Ramos used musical beat methods to identify the placing of limbs at any given time and once this technique was mastered by the the students it became clearer to them to continue the further drawing and painting ‘plein air’ from other models, this time the indigenous Carmargue horses, in various drawing and painting mediums, with the horses in movement in its’ natural habitat. Outings also included Corse Carmarguese and a visit to a bull farm with French ‘cowboys‘, abrivados of horses and bull runs.

Throughout Tod carried out demonstration of techniques and coached and tutored where necessary each student individually. When necessary, Tod also explained painting techniques and some traditional drawing aides such as isometrics, perspective and measuring modus operandi. Progress of students was swift and without exception all those involved accomplished some wonderful work.
CDL