Iain Stewart: “From Sketchbook to Studio”

Having taught for many years both at the University level and in the workshop environment I've been able to put together a formula that will show you my process in full detail. My first goal is to make you comfortable. This is your time and I am there to support that. For most people painting is a private process, doing so in a more public environment can create an anxious mind. I tend to try and keep things calm and will encourage you to let go of the fear of performance and embrace the act of creation in a relaxed environment.

When working from life or photography my goal in every scene is to ask myself why I chose the subject and how do I convey that idea on paper. I start by breaking a scene down into its major elements and then allow myself the freedom to reorganize and adjust for as strong a composition as possible. I build on this using thumbnail sketches where I "play" with different versions of the scene. Once I am settled on a workable idea I begin the process of building the scene. I am known for saying a couple of things. First- never let reality get in the way of a good painting. Second- do not let a pencil line tell you where to put your brush. Thinking this way takes a little pressure off of the need to perform well from the start. We are so very good at seeing the bad things in our paintings and terrible at noticing the good bits. I want to show you how to avoid that distraction and plan a painting so that you understand as much as you can before starting in with paint. 

Artist Website

Registration Fee: $800

Student Capacity: 15

All Levels Welcome with some experience

To book this workshop, read the booking notes below and then click here

Booking Notes for Iain Stewart's Workshop

1. Use the check in date of May 5, 2026 and a check out date of May 9, 2026 or May 10, 2026.

2. The booking system defaults to Single Occupancy including the meal package and one workshop registration, prorated to a nightly average.

3. If you will be attending the workshop solo, you will enter your booking dates, select your room, and add a pet fee if applicable.

4. If you are planning to have an additional person join in your room, you will need to select the correct occupancy to calculate the additional meal package in your total. Your nightly rate will update accordingly. All room occupants will be on the meal package and eat all meals together with the workshop group.

5. If the second person in your room is also attending the workshop, please select "additional workshop registration" option and add it to your package. This will ensure we have a correct headcount and correct calculation for your package.

6. On the payment screen, please add any dietary requirements to the Special Requests text field.