Holiday itinerary
Spend 7 nights/8 days on this painting holiday with your experienced drawing tutor and guide David who will introduce you local life guaranteed to inspire your creativity during your painting course.
Lodeve is a small town set in the Herault area of the Languedoc region of France where this unique painting break will make use of spectacular surroundings to inspire your painting. Just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre and with the gardens leading directly to the river, you are surrounded by a great choice of locations to paint.
The charming house where the courses are set perfectly combines beautiful French style with modern facilities and comfort. The accommodation and the art studio are combined so you can relax or develop your artistic techniques at any time that suits you.
David is both experienced and passionate about painting, tailoring classes to suit the group’s needs, giving valuable personal assessment and above all, ensuring you have a great holiday full of painting, good food, wine and fun.
Suitability
- Suitable for all levels from those new to painting to budding artists and those with more experience
- Minimum age 18
Travelling Solo?
- Please note that if you are travelling solo, there are NO single supplements making this an ideal singles holiday
- Non-painting partners sharing a room are welcome and will receive a discounted price (see “costing & extras” tab for details)
Painting Holiday Start Days
- The start days for this painting course can be flexible to fit with your holiday dates and the course runs from March to November each year - This holiday is for 7 nights / 8 days
- If you wish to extend your stay, you are very welcome to do so, contact us if you wish to stay longer for a price and availabilty by emailing
Typical Painting Course Itinerary
Day 1 (Arrival Day)
- Arrive and check-into your room anytime after 2pm (earlier arrivals are possible but rooms won’t usually be ready to check-in to until after 2pm)
- Once you’ve settled in, you may wish to relax at the house or take the time to walk around the town to explore before starting your painting lessons the next morning
- In the evening relax with the group, David and his wife Sally to discuss the plan for the week over a glass of wine before your evening meal at the house
Days 2-7 (Painting from 9am-1pm and 2.30pm-5.30pm Sunday to Friday)
Note: David does not teach on Saturdays so this will be a day off and guests often visit the Saturday market in town or the museum/art gallery instead, you can of course continue your painting yourself during the day. Please note that if you arrive on Sunday to Thursday you will only have a total of 5 days of painting lessons.
- After breakfast, most days start with short technical demonstrations
- David does not paint a scene and then expect you to copy his style
- Then you’ll either work in the studio or garden or you’ll head off to any one of a dozen local scenes waiting for you to paint, breaking for a light lunch of course
- No matter how many paintings you complete, David guarantees that you will go home with a fresh way of looking at colour, form and composition and of thinking about painting
- In the evenings enjoy dinner at the house or at a local restaurant with the group
Day 8 (Departure Day)
- After breakfast, it’s time to check-out of your room ready for departure taking with you new skills and memories that will stay with you long after the holiday is over
What Will I Learn On This Painting Course?
- You’ll learn a fresh way of looking at colour, form and composition and of thinking about painting
- You’ll also learn about perspective, colour mixing, light and shade along with other techniques
- With more experienced painters, David will initially look at past works (if possible) and give a personal assessment during discussions involving subject matter, composition and choice of medium
- Together you will formulate a plan for the week
- The aim of the course is to enthuse and encourage you to achieve the confidence to continue and develop your painting skills whatever your level
- You will learn a lot about painting, come to love Lodeve, eat wonderful food, drink amazing wine, enjoy stimulating conversation, relax, but most important of all… have fun
About Your Painting Tutor
- Your tutor David McEwen was recently described by Artist International Magazine as a ‘Master Painter of the World.’ He has also been awarded major prizes and was ‘Runner-up’ in The Society of All Artists ‘Painter of the Year’ competition
- David started traditional and classical training in Fine Art under the internationally renowned painter Victor Pasmore at Newcastle University which led to full-time studies; a Bachelors Degree in Art and Drama; some years as a teacher, then head of an Art Department in Leicestershire; and eventually a Masters Degree in Education
- His work is traditional and he works in Oil, Acrylic, Watercolour, Pastel and Ink
- His work has been commissioned by collectors in America, Europe and Australia and he has a number of Fine Art prints published as well as exhibiting in France
- Following an invitation by the Falkland Island Government, David travelled there in February 2001 to paint horses and give a series of demonstrations and both he and Sally returned to the Falkland Islands in October 2002 with an exhibition of his paintings
- David has fun approach to teaching, he offers a lot of personal attention to help you get the most out of your painting
What Shall I Bring?
You will be provided with:
- Studio easels
- Stools and lightweight easels for outdoor use
- Drawing boards
You should also bring with you:
The only equipment you will need to bring is your favourite medium (oils, watercolours, acrylics etc.) of the best quality you can afford, pencils and a small sketchpad and, if you are working in watercolour, a pad of gummed-edge good quality paper. You should also bring the best quality brushes you can buy. You could also bring a small camera (in case you don’t finish your painting, you can work from a photograph to finish once you are back home)
Painting Holiday Accommodation
- Your hosts David and Sally bought the house back in 1997 and renovated it whilst retaining as many of the original features as possible
- The house is situated on a very quiet, small street at the edge of the town and has a lovely garden, with fruit trees and shrubs and steps down to the river Soulondre
- The house now operates as a B&B as well as providing accommodation to painting holiday guests so you’ll meet people not only on the painting holiday but those passing through and staying as B&B guests
- There are a mix of double and single rooms on offer
- All double rooms are ensuite and painting guests are allocated these rooms where available
- Single travellers will be allocated a double room with ensuite where available, otherwise a private single room with shared bathroom (max 2 people sharing a bathroom) will be allocated
- There is a lounge area to relax as well as lovely gardens with shrubs and fruit trees that leads down to the river
- Wi-fi is available in the whole house and garden
- Your hosts have 2 labrador dogs who are sometimes in the housebut never allowed in the bedrooms
- Arrival at the accommodation is on day 1 with departure 7 nights later on day 8
Meals
- All meals are included and are taken ‘en famille’ and provided by artist David’s wife Sally
- Meals are prepared using fresh local produce from France’s finest garden and the local wine is always flowing
- Breakfast and a light lunch are usually taken at the house
- Dinners are taken either at the house or at local restaurants with the group
- Vegetarians and those with dietary requirements can be catered for if requested in advance
- Please note that if you do have dietary requirements, some replacements for dairy/wheat and others may not be readily available in France
Free Time In France
There’s plenty of things to see and do in the area for guests when they are not painting, some of these include:
- Horse riding around Lac du Salagou
- Visit the medieval miniature city of La Couvertoirade
- Visit Sète beach which is known as the Venice of the Languedoc region
- Visit the Cirque de Navacelles, a town set at the bottom of a ravine
Be inspired by your location and unleash the creative within on this painting holiday in France and bring home new skills that will stay with you long after the holiday is over.