WORKING EN PLEIN AIR | RUSSBOROUGH | KIERAN GUCKIAN
Dates:Sat 11th & Sun 12th July 2026
Times: 10am - 4pm
Location:Russborough House, Blessington
Skill Level: all levels welcome
Please see detailed class information below
If this course is fully booked or not currently scheduled, go ahead add your name to the waiting list HERE.
Payment plans available contact us directly
aBOUT THE WORKSHOP
In this two-day workshop, Kieran will share his process of plein air painting and working in the landscape.
He’ll cover all aspects of his process from subject choice through to completed work, sharing his learnings from working outside and observing the landscape.
During the two-day session, he’ll demo his process through all stages of a painting.
This will be a fun and relaxed two days, his aim is to share as much of his learnings as he can and work with you on any troublesome areas you are facing as a painter.
Below are the main points and areas he’ll cover in the workshop.
Introduction to painting in the landscape, practical tips for working outside
Finding your subject
Composition
Sketching and value studies
Visualising the landscape
Initial stages of painting - underpainting, defining values and keying
Colour in landscape, towards realism
Value compression and seeing values
Working towards finer details
He’ll begin each day on subject choices, discussing and working on compositions with sketching and value studies. He’ll then work on his initial underpaintings and move from initial stages to completion, discussing strategies for colour and realism. Kieran will work with all participants during both days to help where required with their pieces.
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Practical tips for painting outdoors
How to choose your subject and build strong compositions
Sketching and value studies to plan your painting
Techniques for visualising the landscape
Underpainting, defining values, and keying your initial stages
Using color in landscape painting to achieve realism
Understanding value compression and accurately seeing values
Working from broad stages down to finer details
Each day starts with subject selection and composition work, followed by hands-on painting from underpainting to completion. Kieran works with you individually to help with any specific challenges you face as a painter.
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Field easel or pochade box with tripod (palette if not included)
Surfaces: I’ll be working on 25cm x 35cm wood panels but any canvas, canvas boards, panel are fine.
Selection of brushes, range of sizes and shapes (flat, filbert. round)
Water container
Rags
Sketchbook, pens/pencils
Hat, Sunscreen and Bottled drinking water
I’ll be using acrylics in this workshop and my normal colours would be:
Cadmium yellow light
Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Cadmium Red (or similar red)
Titanium White
Cerulean Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Optional
Ivory Black
Alizarin Crimson
Phthalo green
Raw Sienna
Raw Umber
“Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter.”
