Courses

Going Home-Sketching Scotland with Iain Stewart

With Iain Stewart

At Scotland, UK

22 June - 01 July, 2025

My favorite place to explore and sketch is with beyond a doubt my home country of Scotland. It is where I spend my sketching vacations and I’ve been drawing and exploring it my entire life. My family moved to the US from Glasgow when I was very young but when we would visit my parents always said “we’re going home for the summer.” That stuck with me and seeing the country man and boy and finally as a professional artist has taught me so much about where to go, the little tips that help anyone work in a country that can toss 3 seasons at you in an afternoon, and most importantly how to convey that love of place to others. I have taught numerous workshops in Scotland but this one is the first I’ve had a real hand in curating. As aways my motto is low stress and more places visited. Simply sitting down with my sketchbook and recording where I am whether it’s something extremely familiar or a new location I get to explore the thrill is always there. For me it’s the kind of beauty that just makes me want to throw my hands up and shake my head knowingly. Scotland gives and I certainly take what I can from that. Join me as I share my love of such an amazing country.

Course Highlights

1. Learn how to quickly capture the world around you in your sketchbook
2. visit Edinburgh, St Andrews, Stirling, Glen Coe and South Queensferry
3. Distillery visit and Whisky testing
4. Local beer and cheese tasting
5. Best British food and drinks during your stay
6. Experience the unpredictable weather
7. tunning accomodation in 17th century Scottish Estate

Day by Day Workshop Schedule

1. Day 1: Arrival, transfer from the airport to the house. Time to unpack and relax. Traditional Scottish welcome dinner and drinks. Introduction to the workshop and schedule with Iain and the team. Dinner served at 8pm.
2. Day 2: Breakfast at 9am. Walk to Dunkeld (5 min). Morning session with Iain, Lunch at 12.30pm followed by a cyanotype workshop with Dominika Allan 2-4pm. We learn about the history of cyanotype, how to proper paper/fabric and what type of flowers/herbs/plants to use. Afternoon full of blue art! Earl Gray tea and cake served at 4pm.Time to relax, take a walk. Dinner in the house.
3. Day 3: Breakfast at 9am. Day trip to a stunning village on the east coast of Scotland- St Andrews. Sketching session with Iain. Traditional fish and chips and a glass of white wine at 2pm. Free time till 5pm (pick up). You can take a walk or sketching session on the beach. Back to the house at 6pm. Dinner at 8pm.
4. Day 4: Breakfast at 9am. After breakfast will take a stroll with Iain around the estate (approx 2-2.5h) with our sketchbooks for another drawing session. Light lunch. At 3pm we will gather for a British wine and local beer testing. Will match our drinks with local cheese. Dinner at 8pm
5. Day 5: 7.30 Breakfast, day trip to Edinburgh (8.30am departure) for Iain’s own personal tour of Edinburgh :-) Iain will show you his hidden gems + all the most popular places: Explore Edinburgh Castle grounds, Royal Mill. Will have a day full of sketching in different locations. All students will have few hours of free time for shopping/ lunch on own. Back home for 6pm. Relax. Dinner at 7pm
6. Day 6: 7.30 Breakfast, day trip to Stirling and whisky distillery (8.30am departure). Explore the Medieval Castle, the National Wallace Monument. Sketching session. Free time for lunch on own, Back to Manor Estate, early evening aperitif in the garden (weather permitted). Dinner at 7.30pm
7. Day 7: Late Breakfast 9pm. Day in the Manor Estate. Sketching, light Lunch. Carrot Cake + tea in the garden. Afternoon cooking lesson (3-5pm) followed by canopies, champagne and dinner cooked by the chef. Dinner served at 6.30/7pm
8. Day 8: Early Breakfast 7am or packed breakfast. Glen Coe trip. We will leave the house at 7.30am. The most magnificent vies of glens, lochs and Highlands! Sketching session followed by lunch of pie and pint at 1pm, home for late diner. Lots of stops on the way to Glen Coe and on the way back. Late dinner at 8pm
9. Day 9: Lazy morning, Brunch at 10am followed by a day of painting/ drawing/ possible massage. Will have a traditional afternoon tea at 2pm - Queens’s Party! with gin and tonic or pimps and lemonade. Time to go for a walk, sketching. Dinner at 7pm.
10. Day 10: Last Day. Breakfast at 8.30am. After Breakfast trip to South Queensferry- a lovely little town with the most iconic Scottish bridge- The Forth Bridge. Sketching session with Iain.Group lunch . After return- Time to look at all artwork created in Scotland. Dinner and whisky testing at 7pm
11. Day 11: Departure day . Breakfast at 8am and airport transfer at 10am.

Course Cost: £4799