OUR PAINTING HOLIDAYS ARE VERY DIFFERENT. WHY? INCLUSIVE - HOTEL ACCOMMODATION - ENSUITE - ALL ART MATERIALS

SPECIAL OFFERS May 6-13th WAS 1050 - NOW 950 click May 20-27th WAS 1050 - now 950 click May 27th-June 3rd WAS 1050 - now 950 click

We provide a painting holiday in a beautiful, relaxing but inspiring place in Southern Spain PLUS exceptional art teaching from a Master Painter in a professional art studio. Our art studio is open all year round and is a proper teaching studio. We have a micro climate in Marbella and the weather is great here all seasons. Being located in Marbella we are perfectly situated for trips to beauty spots and the wonders of the Spanish countryside. Our holidays are suitable for beginners through to more advanced and even professional painters!

Our painting studio is large enough for 12 artists and is fully equipped with professional equipment

THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS - RELAXATION AND GREAT PAINTING!

A TYPICAL PAINTING HOLIDAY. We meet your plane at Malaga airport and take you to your hotel - just a 30 minute car drive along the coast road.

The next morning, wake up in your hotel room with ensuite facilities. Open the curtains and the sun will be shining (we have 320 days of sunshine each year). We have the best year round temperature in Europe with the only place in 2012 that did not have snow in winter but still warm 15-19degrees temperatures - with sunshine EVERY DAY!) (Of coure no-one can guarantee the weather and it does rain sometimes but only for short periods generally!)

9.0am BREAKFAST. Wander in to the cafe for breakfast (el desayuno) . Say 'hola' or buenos dias' and drool over the pastries on the counter and perhaps order a great coffee (cafe con leche) accompanied with toast sprinkled with local and delicious olive oil and tomato paste (pan con tomate) (a typical Spanish breakfast) or for the sweet tooths a churros dipped in sugar or hot chocolate.

Enjoy the atmosphere sittng in the cafe or outside.
10.0am. Then wander up the tree lined street a few paces and stand and admire the stunning paintings by Caroline in the window of 'estudo 61' - walk inside and Alex and Caroline will welcome you with a big smile and genuine enthusiasm.

Our large. light and airy studio located in a very prestigious space in
the centre of Marbella.

Some of Caroline's paintings of southern Spain

YOUR PAINTING SPACE. You are then invited to choose your painting space for your holiday. Each place is the same with professional easel, table loaded with professional paints, drawing book, DaVinci brushes, etc etc A high stool is also there with your field easel under the table. All your art materials are provided

Caroline then introduces herself to you and explains her credentials and her career as a professional painter (this is not her showing off but to let you know that you are in professional hands!) She trained at one of the best art schools and there is nothing she doesn't know about painting! read her testimonials here

'Caroline is so talented she can make a painting out of a washing up bowl, I was astounded at her capability to paint anything in any style. Bill

YOUR REQUIREMENTS You tell Caroline & Alex what you want from the painting holiday - each student is treated individually and this holiday is about YOU and your learning and enjoyment.

If you want to just paint in oils - that's OK - if you want to paint in acrylics or try all of the mediums - that's OK too -whatever you want - we can make it happen!!

You are shown where all the paints are and extra equipment you may require. You can make tea and coffee any time or help yourself to water or wine from the fridge. This is your 'home'' for the week. The studio and everything is here for YOU!!

ON LOCATION THE FIRST DAY

We take a slow amble down to the beach (150 yards away) with our sketch books, charcoal and/or pencil. We reach the Paseo Maritimo the 16km walk along the sea front to Puerto Banus and then walk onto the spotlessly clean beach with the non tidal ocean lapping softly onto the shoreline.

You sit on a sun lounger and RELAX - soaking up the sun, the smells and the wonderful light.

Here Caroline talks to you about 'concept' & 'atmosphere' and how to create a painting from the emotion and environment you are in. (Did you know that painting is actually 90% idea and 10% painting?!) Nothing heavy but this is a proper start to a painting holiday (very unique our students tell us and very special).

We spend around 2 hours relaxing, walking around, drawing, exploring line, colour and texture.

Student's painting inspired by our first session

LUNCH Then we walk a few paces to the beach front restaurant where you can choose a light or heavy lunch - Spanish influence or English influence. Have a beer cerveza or wine (vino blanco, vino tinto)

Sit here for a couple of hours - enjoying the sunshine and people watching and some light conversation - Caroline & Alex only join you for lunch on the first day - we know you don't want tutors ALL THE TIME!!

Push back your chair, say 'hasta la vista' (meaning see you later) to the friendly and helpful waiters and take a slow meander back to the Studio to do some REAL painting!!

THE AFTERNOON Here in the studio we talk about the drawings you have made and the 'concepts' we have talked about.

The studio has room for 12 artists and there is an art gallery in the studio

Caroline explains 'composition' - the essential element of a painting, Without composition you do not have a painting! There are two sorts of painting ' Fine Art and Decorative Art - Fine art composition will give you paintings you want to look at forever, decorative art paintings have short term interest.

Composition is very complicated but Caroline has secret tips and a very easy way to always compose 'Fine Art' paintings.

Caroline demonstrates how to prepare your canvas, how to draw out on canvas, and how to work in acrylics with wet on wet and blending techniques. Indulge in the creamy professional paints we supply which do not dry fast, admire their pure colour and ease of application. Acrylics is the easiest medium in which to work but if you want to paint in just oils or watercolour - you can do that too. Alex will help with other mediums at this stage.

Caroline demonstrating 1st step acrylics

The day finishes at 4.30pm on Monday (the 1st day) Your head will be buzzing with ideas and most students say 'I have learnt more today than years at my art club' - even art school we have been told!!

"The Tutor was Caroline Hulse, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She was an excellent Tutor and must be the most highly qualified I have encountered. I learned many new 'things" - well worth the time and effort". (A retired gentleman who has been studing painting all his life!! )

Caroline gives you tuition notes on all elements of painting learnt

YOUR EVENING Wander back to your hotel and take a nap or walk down to the beach for a swim (the sea is very safe for swiming) - some students head straight for the Paseo Maritimo and spend a few hours at a beach front cafe enjoying a beer (cerveza) or glass of wine (vino blanco/vino tinto). If you've forgotten something (toothpaste etc) or want to buy some food or wine) the shops open at 4,0pm and are at the end of our street. The Calle Ricardo Sorianno is the main shopping street in Marbella and is a few paces from our studio. The supermarkets are open all day and there are lots of little food shops (like the English convenience stores) open until late at night.

The Paseo Maritimo at dusk

THEN you can explore the Old Town (Casco Antiguo) for an evening meal. Marbella has wonderful restaurants with a huge variety of food and prices. How about a Tapas bar where you can enjoy small plates of different foods. Orange Square is famous in Andalucia and is a square lined with orange trees that bear fruit in December - it has a very special atmosphere and there is large choice of restaurants.

Casco Antiguo - early morning

Or if you are pushing the boat out - try Oye Bide,or Zoi Zoi for a cordon bleu meal. Da Brunos is an Italian restaurant on the sea front with a Spanish flavour, Try a salt crusted fresh fish or a delicious pizza - prices and dishes to suit all budgets

2nd DAY ON LOCATION

We drive(15 minutes) to Juanar in the Ojen mountains. Alex will transport your field easels full of the paints and brushes you need. You can paint in oils or acylics (or watercolour if you prefer). Your canvases will have been prepared for you. Or a selection of watercolour paper.

Juanar has been described as 'heaven' by many students. It is so peaceful, so serene with amazing light. Olive groves, fir trees with a wonderful mountain backdrop provide a visual sensation and serious inspiration for a wonderful painting!

LUNCH is spent in the Refugio (which was once Franco's hunting lodge) the prawn piri piri here is one of the best in Andalucia. Sit and absorb the serenity of the refugio and then revived and pleasantly saturated with wine and food we drive on to Monda - a little white village in the Sierra de las Nieves,.

Monda - a little white village - just a few kilometres from Marbella

A painting inspired by Monda

Alex explains the history of the white village (population around 2000)) and you are encouraged to take photos or make drawings of the wonderful white streets, the church, or the castle on the hill. If you ae lucky enough to be here in the Spring you may also be here to enjoy the Monda pizza or soup festival.

Back to Marbella - after an exciting painting day!

3rd Day ON LOCATION

Marbella has great parques and relaxing places. Parque Alameda is at the top of the Avenida del Mar (avenue to sea) The Avenida has sculptures by Dali. We paint in the park - you choose where you want to sit and what you want to paint,

Sculptures by Dali in Avenida Del Mar and Parque Alameda

Caroline encourages you to be 'Impressionistic' today and demonstrates broad brush strokes and interpretation of colour. You can paint in any medium. We are bold, confident and interpretive today.

Your chance to get exciting and impressionistic

Lunch on the sea front again and afterwards back to the studio in the afternoon Caroline talks about the importance of colour and how the Impressionists painted. There are no 'lectures' everything is practically based. You can paint until 6.0pm tonight.

4th Day ON LOCATION

We talk about 'how to look' and how to spot something that will make a great composition and painting. Depending on how our students are progressing, we will go to Istan or another location (we may choose the lakes or architecture but this is a decision made by the students). Students at this stage are confident about what they want to paint and how they can develop their style- so it's important to paint form that inspires them.

Start looking hard now and make original proportion of space and composition

Lunch will be spent on location or in Marbella. Caroline talks about 'line' and how to create contemporary or 'abstract' paintings. Painting is not so much about 'drawing' but 'line' and we have a great hand out for you explaining this. Caroline has a 'secret' formula to create abstract paintings - it always works!!

5th Day IN THE STUDIO

The day for finishing off paintings and to learn anything else you want to. This is a lovely day - sort of sad - sort of happy! Everyone is very pleased with the amount of knowledge they have gained in just 5 days and Caroline continues to offer support by email for any painting 'problems' when you get home!

Caroline & Alex give you your 'record of he week' which contains photographs of your paintings and the wonderful locations we have visited.

We wrap your paintings for you - they are the cost of another suitcase on the plane or we take the canvas off the stretchers and the canvas will roll and fit into your sutcase. If you have painted in oils - we paint 'alla prima' on a short holiday - so they may be dry enough to wrap - if not - we can send at a later date.

We hope this itemises the originality, excitement and exceptional teaching of our painting holidays but if you want to ask any questions - email or tel Caroline on her UK mobile (00 44) 07966 843246

WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!!!!!!!