From Lens to Landscape – Capturing and Painting the Lake District 3 day retreat

From Lens to Landscape – Capturing and Painting the Lake District

9th to the 11th April 2027

£400 including course, accommodation, meals and refreshments

Georgina Hartley-Willows

This immersive 3-day retreat invites participants to explore the Lake District’s rich and varied landscapes through
both lens and brush. The course begins with a short, guided walk through the surrounding countryside, woodland, or
gardens, where we’ll take photographs to capture the light, mood, and atmosphere of the setting.

Back at Rydal Hall, Georgina will guide participants through digitally editing their images to enhance colour, tone, and
composition using accessible tools (Photoshop, Photopea, or Snapseed — all suitable for smartphones, tablets, or
laptops). These edits serve as valuable studies, helping participants better understand the colours and layers they’ll
translate into paint.

From here, we’ll prepare our canvases properly using gesso and sandpaper — a key part of understanding surface
quality and how it affects paint handling. We’ll then build up our paintings in layers using professional-grade,
colourfast acrylics — beginning with the sky and background and working forward to foreground elements and
details.

To finish, we’ll use palette knives to add texture, energy, and depth — a bold final layer that encourages expressive
mark-making and helps capture the drama and atmosphere of the landscape.

Whether beginner or experienced painter, this course encourages observation, creativity, and a joyful engagement
with nature and colour.