Course curriculum

  • 1

    1. Ponder the piece

    • A long-form walkthrough of what we'll be doing in this course

    • Optional elements to trace

    • Optional hi-res file of complete carpet page black and white

    • Optional original carpet page references
  • 2

    2. Analyse the layers

    • Analyse, draw and quarter
  • 3

    3. Layer One - Search for the spirals

    • Spiralize

    • Optional spirals to trace

    • Cloud spiral construction
  • 4

    4. Layer Two - Uncover the elements

    • Element by element

    • Optional snakelike clouds to trace
  • 5

    5. Layer Three - Focus on individuals

    • Layer up and ink as you go

    • Another marginal note! - Draft brush exercises
  • 6

    6. Consolidate the layers

    • Delineate the flowers and prepare for painting

    • Paper preparation brief instructions
  • 7

    7. And now for some tea

    • Tea, and optional hi-res file of complete 2nd, main, carpet page black and white
  • 8

    8. Lay in the gold

    • Going for gold
  • 9

    9. Colour the elements

    • One colour at a time - usually
  • 10

    10. Outline and rule

    • You've divided and conquered. Now outline and rule
  • 11

    11. Fill in the background

    • The best bit!
  • 12

    12. Finish and share

    • And where next?

LIVE online class option

I also run LIVE online classes in which we work through this Make a Carpet Page e-course together. I will likely run only one Carpet Page cohort per year for the next couple of years only (there are only so many carpet pages one wants to produce among the myriad other splendid things there are to paint!). You do not need to get both: you could do the live classes and I can take you through the process live, step-by-step. Or you could just do the self-paced, self-study e-course alone, which I designed to be like an old fashioned painting manual or textbook. The live classes will be based on this textbook I created, and there are some aspects that can be a little complex if you're doing it alone as a beginner, and that I can help you with during the live sessions. If you do decide to get both it will likely save you a lot of note-taking and record-keeping time as there is a whole wealth of information and knowledge contained here conveniently, and you can then focus your energies on making your own carpet page. It will also serve as a souvenir of the class and jog your memory for future. Additionally, should you decide to get both, when the e-course is purchased once and downloaded it is yours to keep forever!

Book live classes