Indirect Painting with Charles Weed (Apr 2025)

Indirect painting - creating a work in multiple layers over the course of several sessions - lets you achieve a variety of optical effects that simply aren’t possible with alla prima, or any other forms of direct painting, letting you explore a multitude of different techniques.

You will paint a single still life painting over the course of this hands-on four day workshop, in order to explore the process and full possibilities of indirect painting. You will learn about the different optical effects seen in nature, and how to reproduce them in paint, via scumbling, glazing and more indirect painting techniques.

Charles will work with students one-on-one, helping you explore this very open ended and subjective painting process - all at your own pace, to develop your work organically.

This is a course for all levels, but you will get the most out of this course if you have some drawing skills. This will enable you to focus fully on the new concepts and techniques that Charles will be teaching in this workshop, although beginners are also welcome! 

 

Note that if you've been on a previous workshop by Charles, Charles will adapt his tuition to suit your current understanding of the process.

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Canvas

Four 30 x 40cm oil primed linen panels, such as these.

Brushes

An assortment of bristle brushes and a few #0 or #1 round sables

Paints

-Titanium White
-French or Light Ultramarine
-A synthetic Iron Oxide Red, such as English or Venetian, from Old Holland, for example
-Transparent “Red” Oxide
-Some kind of strong ,Saturated Yellow, Cadmium Medium, for example
-A pale, opaque yellow, such as Naples Yellow Dark or Light

The rest

-Linseed oil
-Low-odour solvent (eg Sansodor). Note that turpentine is not permitted in the studio
-Palette or here, depending on your budget (no need to buy a new palette if you already have one).
-2 x Dipper
-Palette Knife
-2 x jam jars for keeping brushes in
-Pen and paper to take notes
-Kitchen roll
-Please bring as many objects as you’d like to paint. Bear in mind that simple, organic shapes are easier to paint than complex, patterned or symmetrical objects. Take a look at Lizet's online alla prima classes if you are a Raw Umber subscriber and would like some inspiration!

 

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Click here to visit Charles' website and learn more.