Abstracting Piel Workshop by Sam Harrison
- Barrow Society Of Artists
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Abstract Art Workshop
The Next Workshop for members is
📅3 Date: Monday 7th September
Date: Monday, 7th September 2026
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Time: Starting at 7pm please be there for the start finishing 9pmime: 7pm to 9pm
📍 Venue: Hawcoat Memorial Hall, LA14 4HT
Venue: Hawcoat Memorial Hall, LA14 4HT
Introduction by Sam Harrison
Abstracting the landscape: cropping & collage
At my demonstration last year, I gave an insight into the 3 different stages of my painting process.
Step 1: involves gathering information about the landscape by spending time outside creating quick expressive sketches as well as documenting close-up features that catch my eye through photography.
Step 2: back in the studio, I work with the information I’ve gathered. The cropping and collaging process helps to further disrupt things and develops a more abstracted response to the landscape.
This eventually leads to Step 3: which is creating the studio paintings.
This year’s workshop is an opportunity for everyone to have a go at the cropping and collaging element (Step 2) of the process using your own sketches and photographs that you have gathered out in the landscape.
For those of us that ventured out to the paint out at Piel Island on 9 August, the material we created then will be ideal to use. If you couldn’t make it to Piel, then just bring along large scale, expressive sketches that you have done of a landscape of your choice or create some from photographs of Piel if you want to stick with the theme of Abstracting Piel.
What to bring
1. A few expressive sketches that you have done in the landscape. A2 or A3 size is ideal, but I often also incorporate elements of smaller sketches too. See photo below.
2. Printouts of photographs or photo-grids that you have created (Optional).
3. Scissors and Pencil – to mark crops
4. Glue such as Modge Podge, PVA or Pritt Stick and something to spread the glue such as palette knife, old brush etc.
5. L Shaped window mounts to use as croppers – or 4 strips of white paper about 8-10cm wide and 30-40cm long works equally well. ( Steve will have some of these)
6. Small selection of drawing materials to add finishing touches (Optional)
7. I find baby wipes useful to clean up sticky fingers and wipe off excess glue.
Sam will bring
1. A3 Paper to create collages on
2. I will have a cutting mat, knife and metal ruler available to use
3. I will bring a supply of glue (modge podge) to share.
4. There will be a limited supply of L shaped croppers to use
Examples of my sketches of Piel
Examples of Photo grids (Optional)
These are made with an App on my phone called InShot, but there are other photo layout or photo collage apps you can use for free to do this e.g. Layout for Instagram. Otherwise, you can just print out individual photos.
Two Steps to Creating
Step 1 – Sketching Outside (Prior to workshop)
This first part of the process involves spending time in the place that you want the painting to be about. Soak in the atmosphere and really notice visually what is there as well as how it makes you feel. The most obvious image or composition isn’t necessarily the best or most interesting, so doing several sketches is a tool to help explore your surroundings, notice what makes the location unique and which features catch your eye and create interest for you.
Step 2 – Cropping and Collaging (At the workshop)
We are all going to have a go at this second part of the process during the workshop. You will use the sketches and photos you have brought. We’ll start by looking for interesting crops, decide which to cut out and then further abstract these by collaging additional pieces to generate more interesting compositions. It’s good to try to be as experimental as possible and not worry too much about the outcome. The main thing is to have fun – after all it’s only bits of paper!
Best wishes
Sam
For further insight into Sam's Work visit her website
Sam Harrison Art
As always workshops are free to members and there will be a coffee and tea break halfway through.
Blog by Marina and Sam
For Barrow Society of Artists
We had such a great day again at the Paintout at Piel. Looking forward to Sam's workshop