Plein Air Oils - Loddon River, Newstead: Workshop with Mark Dober

Join Mark Dober for this special one day workshop on Sunday 24 November from 9.30am-2pm. 

This is a great chance to learn from a wonderful painter and teacher. Plein air oils - on the Loddon River, Newstead.

Mark will meet you at Newstead's Dig Cafe at 9:30 am and then lead you to a special site nearby for a day of instructed painting.

Mark will demonstrate in oils on canvas. He will show you, in steps how to proceed with a painting – giving consideration to composition, building the painting in stages, hand/eye coordination, an awareness of positive and negative shapes, using colour structurally and expressively, and strategies to deal with the changing light.

Students will complete a painting on the day. A materials list is provided below.

The workshop will end with a show and tell and wrap up of everyone’s work. Suitable for all levels of experience.

Renowned local artist, Mark Dober’s art practise is grounded in plein-air painting. His media are oils on canvas and watercolour/gouache on paper. Mark regularly exhibits in the commercial gallery system and at regional galleries around Australia. He has a PhD in Painting from Monash University. Mark was the judge of the 2024 Castlemaine Rotary Art Show. He has a plein-air painting in the current Len Fox Art Prize at Castlemaine Art Museum. Mark's work can be seen at www.markdober.com

Sundays 24 November.

Materials list – Plein-air oil painting workshop, Loddon River, Newstead, 2024

An easel – French Box easel recommended. If you want to sit when at the easel (I
do) bring a folding stool.

Canvases – the aim is to complete one painting. I recommend having on hand one
or two more canvases, so that you can be flexible about which canvas to use on the
day. I will demonstrate on stretched canvases 40 x 50 cm. You might like to go up to
50 x 60 cm in size.

Paints – I use Art Spectrum. Use whatever brand you are familiar with and bring
whatever colours you have. My palette that I will demonstrate with is Titanium White,
Spectrum Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Orange (series 4), Spectrum Red,
Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue, Emerald Green, one of the Violet colours.

Paint medium – I now use straight linseed oil. Bring your favourite medium, and a
dipper or small jar. If purchasing, Art Spectrum #2 is best.

Brushes – bring a few bristle brushes of different sizes. I prefer the square ended
type. You don’t need a lot of brushes, half a dozen will do. Also a palette knife.

Palette - I use a large size piece of Masonite. Don’t bring a small size.

Mineral turps – in a small jar, with a lid, to clean brushes (or you can simply use
linseed oil as an alternative).

Rags or paper towels, and a plastic bag to dispose of these.

Please bring your lunch, a hat, and sun cream (a folding chair might also be handy!)