The Joy of Painting Colour and Light
Set in St-Paul-de-Vence, one of the oldest and most celebrated centres of French art and culture, this workshop offers the rare opportunity to paint and learn colour in the very landscape that inspired generations of great artists. The light, colours and atmosphere of the South of France have shaped the work of painters for centuries, and working in this environment brings a unique clarity and intensity to the experience of painting.
Painting this light and colour is pure joy — yet for many artists, colour theory can feel confusing or difficult to apply. I’m often asked how to make colours work together, control saturation, choose the right tones, use warm and cool colour effectively, and mix a wide range of colours from a small palette. This workshop is designed to answer those questions in a clear, practical, and enjoyable way, grounded in real painting rather than abstract theory.
Working in such a rich artistic setting deepens the learning. We explore recording colour from the stunning surroundings and translating those observations into paintings, allowing the surrounding landscape, architecture, and Mediterranean light to inform your work. Each concept is introduced step by step and immediately applied as you develop your own paintings, with plenty of individual guidance throughout.
The course distils everything you need to know about painting with colour into a small number of key principles. Through clear explanation, demonstration, and hands-on practice, you’ll learn how colour truly behaves — and how to use it with confidence, freedom, and expression. We look at how great painters used colour (including some of their lesser-known approaches), how to mix every colour from just a few core colours, how to build colour relationships that create mood, structure and focus, and so much more.
The atmosphere of the workshop is supportive, relaxed, and encouraging, allowing you to work at your own pace while being fully immersed in one of the world’s great artistic environments. By the end of the course, colour will feel clearer, more intuitive, and far less uncertain — leaving you with both practical skills and lasting inspiration drawn from the heart of French painting culture.
This workshop is currently under development and planned for the second half of April 2026. If you are interested to be notified once it is launched, please send me a message at andrewkinmont@hotmail.co.uk
Andrew Kinmont 