Art Classes continue term two at Span in Thornbury

Art Class in Thornbury! :)

Correction Phone Span 9480 1364

Yarra Flats - Plein Air Oil Painting - Heildelberg Artist Trail

Join us in an outdoors oil painting workshop where the Heidelberg School artists painted this weekend.


Sunday 26th January 2014, 3-7pm

In this half day workshop we will look at  the Heidelberg Artist artwork and create our own. Sketching and a tutorial on colour mixing and the use of mediums, will be followed by a couple of hours of painting to create an 'impression' of the Australian landscape in the spirit of the Heidelberg School Artists (from the 1880’s-1890’s).

We will look at the work that Roberts, Streeton & others on display where they were painted. BYO easel and oil painting materials, some refreshments provided.

Location: ArtistsTrail at Yarra Flats off the Boulevard in Heidelberg (map will be provided). Date: This Sunday 26th Jan (Australia Day Long Weekend) 3-7pm (Please note time change)

Contact: katierobertsart@gmail.com             
Phone: 0435 481 202             
Cost: $50 per person

Outline of Art Class Term 4, 2013

Artistic Development                                 Katie Roberts

Term 4, 2013                                                 Span Neighbourhood House

Please note this term is already part way through, but this will give you an idea of the term and the sorts of classes I run. 

Term 4 dates are Oct 10th - 12th Dec

This term we will be exploring the art of the landscape and our relationship to the environment. Now the with the better weather and the longer light we will venture outdoors and explore drawing trees, plants, people and buildings au plein air (outdoor). Topics covered include structure, perspective, conture, tone and colour, looking at artists and cultures throughout history.  

Week One      This week we will begin our journey into exploring the Landscape – from history from classicism to installation.

                       Firstly we will catch up on the holidays and look at any artwork we have made, especially in relation to nature and our experiences in the break. We will discuss the relationship of the artist to the environment and look through books giving examples of different approaches. Then to get us back into drawing we will work in our journals.  Exercise one: draw a child style portrait of yourself and your home/childhood home, or in your journal draw a representation of your self and your relation to any place. This is a short exercise to get you in touch with that creative child in you.  Exercise two: Looking at images of landscape art from history in the books we have, choose one to draw in our journals, breaking it up into a study of planes, line, tone and colour

Materials: Pencils, (colour and grey lead), journals.

Week Two     This week we will look at everything from art of Aboriginal cultures in the landscape to the contemporary work of Andy Goldsworthy and other artists. Looking through these images we will discuss our relationship to the landscape and the various ways to depict it. Exercise: to get us back into making art in a physical way, this week we will make a large abstract collective piece out side in the environment, using paint, collage, earth and found objects, like leaves and sand. We will also draw Trees and represent forms from around the garden this will be an exploratory and experimental class.
Materials: Smock, old shirt and gloves, various mixed media and collage materials.

Week Three      Getting out in the environment – Picnic in the park – This week we will have a picnic and a little outing to the local park only walking distance away. Bring something to share if you like and your journals. We will be drawing various forms both ‘man made’ and natural features, there are a variety of structures so we can start to explore perspective and structure. Bring: journals and pencils and other materials as you like.

Materials: Pencils, (colour and grey lead), journals. Optional: pastels, watercolour.

Week Four   Drawing trees and plants – optional charcoal, pastel and watercolour paint. Drawing and painting trees and shrubs are one of the things most of my students have wanted to learn at some stage. I will teach you some techniques about structure and tone and you will then find a friendly tree to draw. Here we will go outside into the garden and do studies of trees in the environment. Drawing out in the garden at Span in all its Spring glory.
Materials: Pencils, (colour and grey lead), journals, rubbers, etc. Media of your choice: charcoal, ink, watercolour, pastel, etc.

Week Five     Perspective Part One – theory and practice. Drawing Perspective is considered one of the most difficult topics, it is one of the driest and most technical things in art, but it is not hard one you get the idea. Over these two weeks we will explore perspective and how to draw applying these simple rules. Firstly this week we will learn the basic rules of perspective and apply them to photographs in the inside environment of the class.
Materials: Pencils, (colour and grey lead), journals, rubbers, tracing paper and magazines.

Week Six      Perspective Part Two - structure in the environment. This week we will again venture outside, this time to apply the rules of perspective to the build environment around us.

Materials: Pencils, (colour and grey lead), journals, rubbers, other materials.

Week Seven     Contures in the landscape – the shape of undulating things. This week we will learn all about contures, what defines the curving forms. Often seen as concentric lines around a form that give it body and describe its shape, like conture lines on a map. For this class we will set up still life landscape with cloth and small trees and other forms for you to draw the landscape whilst in the class room. We will look at the curving forms in the landscape art of Llyod Rees and Brett Whitely.
Materials: Pencils, (colour and grey lead), journals, rubbers, etc. Media of your choice: charcoal, ink, watercolour, pastel, etc.

Week Eight        Australian landscape – Katie’s Australian colour theory. Understanding colour is essential to painting the environment. This week I will talk you through my colour theory for the Australian condition and we will do some experiments in using a limited pallet to gain a range of natural colours to depict the Australia bush. Perhaps we will have an excursion to the Indigenous art exhibition at the NGV and plan an adventure into the landscape to make art next week.

Week Nine     Art Excursion – painting in the landscape – hopefully going out into local bushland to paint and draw the landscape, trees and environment.

Week Ten           End of year exhibition possibility and Xmas party

Art Classes in Melbourne

Welcome to Melbourne Art Classes :)

Affordable art classes in Thornbury, near Northcote and the inner North Eastern Melbourne. Informal, fun and perfect for beginners and those with more experience. Art classes for all ages, covering drawing, pastel, watercolour, landscape, perspective, freeing up and much, much more!

Have you ever wanted to learn to draw and explore your artistic side but dont know where to start?

This may be the art classes for you! These are small, friendly and encouraging classes designed for beginners to advanced students. They are held at a local community house in a comfortable setting. These classes are both very informative and incredible cheap - especially for quality art classes with an experienced tutor who is also a professional artist.

Art Classes Term 3, 2013: 

Art and Afternoon Tea
4-5.30 Thursday afternoons
October 10th - 12th December
$105 con $125 full (10 weeks)

Artistic Development 
5.30-7.45 Thursday Evenings
October 10th - 12th December
$150 con $180 full (10 weeks)

Call Span to enquire on 9480 1364.

Term 3 art classes are about to begin at Span Neighbourhood House in Thornbury and I hope that you can join us. The classes are tutored by myself, Katie Roberts and are unique in that they are at once informal and in depth. I have a Masters of Fine Art but dont let that scare you off! ;) I believe that everyone has an artistic side that just needs a free space in which to express itself. I also believe that all drawing techniques are teachable and that this knowledge should be more widely available.

My classes are fun and informal, and cover a range of materials and techniques in a relaxed setting. 

Please consider coming along to either class this term, we would love you to join us. :) Art for everyone!


Span at 64 Clyde st Thornbury in Melbourne. Call 9480 1364