Atmospheric Landscapes Using Oils and Cold Wax with Paula Dunn

Create Paintings with Depth and Atmosphere

Join professional artist, tutor, and author Paula Dunn for a one-day workshop exploring the expressive potential of oils and cold wax. Discover how to create rich colour blends, textured surfaces, and paintings full of depth and atmosphere.

Paula will guide you through her techniques for building atmospheric landscapes and dramatic skies using transparent colours, blending methods, and a variety of tools including squeegees, palette knives, and brushes. With demonstrations and plenty of hands-on practice, you’ll be amazed by what you can achieve in just one day.

What You’ll Learn

· How to use cold wax medium with oils

· Introduction to essential tools and materials

· Working wet-on-wet to build rich layers

· Using transparent and opaque colours to create depth and atmosphere

· Incorporating pigments for texture and variety

· Blending and mark-making techniques

Do I Need Experience?
No prior experience is required. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a practising artist looking to try something new, bring your curiosity and a willingness to experiment.

About the Tutor

Paula Dunn is a Yorkshire-based landscape painter whose work is inspired by walking the land and the shifting effects of climate and weather. Working predominantly in oils and cold wax, she creates landscapes that hover between representation and abstraction, using texture, colour, and expressive mark-making to evoke mood and atmosphere.

Her paintings are held in private collections worldwide and feature in the award-winning anthology Waymaking. Paula shares her expertise through workshops, mentoring, and, in 2025, the publication of her debut book Atmospheric Landscapes: Using Oils and Cold Wax (Crowood Press), a practical guide to creating textured, atmospheric landscapes through intuitive, layered painting techniques.

What to Bring

All materials and tools are included in the price of the workshop. Please bring an apron or old shirt that you don’t mind getting paint on.

Please note: Some materials used during the workshop, including the paper, are not vegan and cannot be substituted.

Workshop Location

Workshops are held at The Craft House in Bingley, West Yorkshire, where Paula also has her studio. Bingley is easy to reach by road, train, or plane, and participants often travel from across the UK and internationally — including Canada, Ireland, Europe, and the United States — to attend.

There’s plenty to explore nearby if you want to make a weekend of it, including:

· The World Heritage Site of Saltaire, home to original David Hockneys

· The historic village of Haworth, famous for the Brontës

· The Yorkshire Dales, including Malham Cove and the Three Peaks

Workshop Cancellations

Occasionally, a workshop may not receive enough bookings to run. In such cases, we will notify you at least 14 days before the scheduled start date. You will have the option to:

a) receive a full refund, or
b) transfer your booking to a rescheduled date or alternative workshop with your agreement.

Workshops may only be cancelled or rescheduled with less than 14 days’ notice in exceptional circumstances beyond our control, such as artist illness or unforeseen events.

As many participants travel from across the UK and internationally, The Craft House cannot be held responsible for travel or accommodation costs in the event of a cancellation or reschedule. We recommend considering travel insurance to cover any associated expenses.