Course Overview
A relaxed friendly painting holiday in the Dordogne where you will have a lovely time painting, drawing and learning new skills...

Have you ever just wanted to paint or draw the way you've always dreamed while soaking up the French life? Do you feel frustrated by not being able to translate that beautiful view, building or still-life into an accomplished masterpiece?

Well, our experienced English artist says that it's all just about showing you how to really 'see'. With him at your side, you’ll be able to build a successful painting or drawing while he gently teases out the skills that are already in you.

Within just a few idyllic days you'll learn to paint with skill and flair, enhance your drawing technique, and have a lovely time in great company and peaceful surroundings.

We’re friendly, English-speaking and cater for all skill levels...
Our painting and drawing holidays are conducted in English and are designed to cater for all skill levels. So, whether you’re an outright beginner, keen amateur or budding professional, you'll always be in good company.

When you contact us, we'll have a chat about what you want to achieve. Then, we'll tailor the course to suit you and your fellow guests by gathering together similarly skilled painters on the same course. How simple is that?!

Patiently guided and encouraged by your tutor, rapid improvements in your painting and drawing will follow, so, by the time you leave here, you'll have learned everything you'll need to paint with flair and imagination back home.

It's not all painting and drawing...
You'll have a lovely time here, which is why we describe Learn to paint in france as a painting holiday. When not out and about painting and sketching the beautiful vistas and villages of this perfect region, you can lounge around by the pool, stroll our seven acres of lanes and woodland, read that novel you've been promising yourself, or just crash out under a parasol with an ice cold G 'n T!

And, of course, we'll take you to bustling open-air markets, chateaux, maybe a walnut oil mill (a great painting subject and one of the oldest water-powered mills in France) and, of course, the ancient honey-coloured towns and villages of this lovely region.

Did you know we also run dedicated cooking holidays in France and photography holidays too?

Pricing	£/GBP	€/Euro
Five day/six night residential painting holiday (per person, based on two people sharing a room):	£745	€1,080
One, Two and Three-day non-residential courses (Per person, per day. B&B accommodation available):	£120	€75
Non-painting friend or partner (five day/six night):	£445	€645
B&B accommodation (per room, per night):	£35	€53
Single occupancy supplement (an en-suite room to yourself):	£245	€355
Return airport transfers may be arranged for £50 / €75

Accommodation
You'll be staying in our superb centrally heated en suite accommodation in a beautifully renovated stone barn (or, if this is full, a lovely local B&B just three minutes up the lane).

And there'll be food, too. Good food. In fact, when not masquerading as the venue for your painting holiday, the barn is also the venue for our cooking courses. Painting and cooking tuition can be held together or on separate weeks (see our combined painting and cooking holidays), but the chef is still the same, so you'll be eating some cracking gourmet food!

Or maybe you'll be staying in a nearby gite, in which case just come and learn to paint on our one-day, two-day or three-day painting courses. But if you wanted to paint all week, nobody's going to stop you!

Tutor
As soon as you meet Richard Harby you'll realise that he is a man who is easy to get on with. Naturally chatty, brimming with character, and with a great sense of humour, he is a born teacher who'll use his enthusiasm and keen eye to guide and encourage you.

His artwork embodies the traditional skills of painting and drawing in a realistic manner, and his paintings cover such divers subjects as landscapes, portraiture, still-life, animals (both from a domestic setting and from nature) and buildings and architecture. He works in watercolour, gouache, acrylic, oils as well as all traditional drawing materials.

Classically trained, he was a full-time student in Illustration and Design at Wakefield School of Art and Craft from 1964 - 67. From 1975 - 79 he studied at Manchester Metropolitan University where he gained a BA hons. in Fine Art. After this, he became Lecturer in Painting at Wakefield District College, Yorkshire.

Location
What a place to come on a painting holiday! This area of France, the Dordogne, is awash with honey-coloured stone villages, medieval chateaux, colourful street markets, lush rolling countryside, limestone escarpments, swirling rivers, a warm gentle light, and friendly characterful people.

How to Get to Us
Because of the abundance of cheap flights and ferry prices your painting holiday in France represents great value for money.

Although travel to Limoges (our nearest airport), or the train stations at Brive and Souillac is not included in the price, we'll happily pick you up and drop you off at either of these destinations (contact us for details).

If you wish to fly, or take the train, and hire your own transportation, Hertz and Avis car rental outlets are available at both destinations.