Workshop | Abstract Landscapes and Botanicals with Zoe Sernack

Zoe Sernack's imagined landscapes reflect the forms of nature above and below the surface, weaving together observation, memory and sensory experiences of place. In this workshop, Zoe will show you ways to revitalise your painting practice and expand your visual vocabulary of landscape abstraction. From sketching the outdoors and looking towards nature, you will plan compositions and gather mark-making techniques that can be applied to paintings on wooden boards. We will paint intuitively, reacting to shapes, marks, colour and composition to give balance and harmony. 

We will be also using stenciling to give an extra dimension to the work. For those wanting to etch into the boards, we will use a wood-burning kit. 

Texture, layering, colour mixing and having fun are the main elements of this workshop. Students may focus on botanicals rather than landscape if preferred.

What to expect

• Get back to basics with mark-making techniques, to gather information to make abstract landscape/botanical compositions. 
• Learn ways to incorporate collage in your work
• Experiment with wood-burning to create an extra dimension in your paintings
• Use your sketches and collages as inspiration to paint, stencil, etch and wood burn into wooden panels
• This is a course about abstract landscape and botanicals, texture, layering, color mixing and having fun

What you will achieve

• a series of studies in a sketchbook
• 1-2 completed paintings on board

Is this course right for me?

This workshop is suitable for beginners through to more advanced students.

Materials Required

• Reference: Images/photos of landscape/plants you would like to draw inspiration from.
• Surface: 2 of 30cmx30cm (or if you like to work larger up to 50cm) wooden art board either square of rectangle – size to suit your style, they can be rectangle or square (up to you if deep edge or thin edge)
• Paint: Collection of quality acrylic paints. Please make sure you have plenty of white.
• A4 Visual Diary, Acid Free 125gsm+
• Acrylic Satin varnish (optional, to to seal your finished work)
• Faber Castel 4 pitt Artist pens black
• A range of ‘hard-working’ acrylic brushes – various sizes, fine to 8cm 
• Spatula for mixing paint
• Flat palette - can be a piece of hard plastic that can be cleaned each day
• Water bucket and a range of small plastic containers (if you need to store unused paint colours)
• Scissors and stanley knife
• 5 x A3 card to cut out shapes or stencil work

• Cleaning rags 



• Masking Tape 36mm wide
• White Posca Pens 3M/5M

• Optional wood burning kit from Bunnings $20 ( Zoe will also bring one).

About studio classes

Our class sizes are small, ensuring you receive the individual tuition you need. We have a maximum of 12 students per class.

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