Adult Art Classes
Two Day Silverpoint Masterclass
SOLD OUT!
Sat 18 & Sun 19 September
A unique opportunity to participate in a silverpoint drawing masterclass led by renowned artist Clarissa Koch.
A rare opportunity to take part in this two-day silverpoint masterclass led by renowned artist Clarissa Koch ROI, to take place at George Frederic Watts’s Great Studio and Charterhouse, one of the greatest historic schools of England, founded in 1611.
The first day will begin at Watts’s Great Studio with a lecture on the history of silverpoint from ancient times to its use today. The lecture is followed by the rare opportunity to see original examples of Watts’s use of silverpoint, both highly finished drawings and tiny sketchbooks.
After lunch masterclass will move to the Art Studio at Charterhouse. Here there will be a demonstration on how to prepare a selection of silverpoint grounds. Students will have the opportunity to try their own hand at this.
On day two students will learn how to use silverpoint by copying from Renaissance
and 19th-century drawings. For those with more advanced drawing skills there will be the chance to draw from casts from the Charterhouse Collection.
10am - 5.30pm each day
What is silverpoint?
Silver and Metalpoint have been used by scribes, craftsmen and artists since ancient times. During the Renaissance period in Northern Italy and Northern Europe silverpoint was used as a fine line drawing medium by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Domenico Girlandhaio, Raphael, Filippino Lippi or Jan van Eyck and Albrecht Dürer in drawings that are still admired today.
For the use of silverpoint a ground is prepared with a fine gesso. The drawing is then made with a fine piece of silver. At first it resembles a very delicate graphite drawing
but as it ages, it tarnishes and develops a slightly more transparent quality.
The metalpoints have been largely replaced over the centuries first by charcoal and sanguine for their more expressive qualities and later by graphite for its easier use. However through the 19th-century to the present day there are still artists who choose
to work in this most delicate medium and are passing on the tradition.
About Clarissa Koch
Clarissa Koch ROI is an Austrian born artist who lives and works in London. She first came to England in the early nineties to work for Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Eventually her interest in classical drawing and painting techniques took over.
She left her career in films to study anatomy at University College Medical School and research classical drawing techniques in the print rooms of the British Museum and the V&A. Later she moved to Florence for more formal classical drawing and painting studies at the Florence Academy of Art.
After her years in Italy she became a summer student of Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum and set up her studio in London.
She exhibits regularly with W.H. Patterson and Whittington Fine Arts and has been elected a full member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters last year.
The Venues
The morning of the first day will be spent at the Great Studio in Compton. This is
part of Limnerslease, G.F. Watts’s home in Compton (above). An Arts & Crafts period house it is where many of the artists most important late works were created.
The afternoon of the first day and the second day will be spent at the historic school, Charterhouse. Making use of their art studio facilities.
Parking information and maps will be provided with your tickets.
Great Studio
Down Lane,
Compton,
Guildford,
Surrey
GU3 1DQ
Charterhouse
Godalming
Surrey
GU7 2DX
Lunch
Bring your own packed lunch or book a packed lunch with your place.
With thanks to Charterhouse
Price £99 (£90 for Friends - £110 to include Friends membership)
This event has now SOLD OUT. To register yourself on our reserve list or to register your interest in other events like this please email visitorservices@wattsgallery.org.uk or call the Gallery on 01483 810 235.