Location course
Polperro Saxon Bridge
A Cornish harbour scene built the long way round: rough stone shapes first, then a full watercolour wash, then the tone work that gives the bridge its weight, then the detail that makes the harbour feel lived-in.
About this course
Why Polperro
Polperro's harbour is one of the most painted spots in Cornwall, and for good reason. The bridge, the stacked cottages and the working boats give you every problem worth solving in one small scene: hard architecture, soft water, and reflections that only work if the tone underneath is right.
You'll paint the whole thing with me, stage by stage, from the same reference photographs I used. Nothing is skipped ahead or shown "after the fact". Every wash and every shadow happens on screen, in order.
This course is for you if:
- You've finished Beddgelert Bridge, or already know the four-stage sequence.
- You want a complete painting, not another isolated exercise.
- You're comfortable with a full afternoon per stage, at your own pace.
Curriculum
Twelve lessons, in the same four stages every time.
The order is fixed on purpose. Each stage depends on the one before it, exactly as it does when I paint this for myself.
Getting the structure right
- 1Blocking in the harbour walls
- 2Placing the bridge and the boats
- 3Establishing the skyline
Colour before control
- 4First washes: sky and water
- 5Building the stone colour
- 6Letting the wet edges bleed
Where the weight comes from
- 7Shadow under the arch
- 8Tombow work on the stonework
- 9Deepening the water
The last honest ten percent
- 10Boat rigging and reflections
- 11Texture on old stone
- 12Final highlights, and signing off
Enrolment
One payment. No subscription.
£49 gets you every lesson, the reference photographs I painted from, and permanent access to come back to any stage whenever you need a refresher.
If Beddgelert Bridge was your first course, this is the natural next one. Same method, first full location scene.
Not sure this is the right course? See all courses →Polperro Saxon Bridge
£49one-time
- 12 video lessons across all four stages
- Reference photographs included
- Lifetime access, learn at your own pace
- Works on any device
Secure checkout · Stripe
Questions about this course
Who is the Polperro Saxon Bridge course for?
It follows on from my free Beddgelert Bridge course, so it suits anyone who already knows the four-stage sequence: big shapes, watercolour, tone and shade, detail. If you have not done Beddgelert Bridge you can still start here, as long as you are comfortable with those four stages.
What will I paint?
The Saxon Bridge at Polperro Harbour in Cornwall: the harbour walls, the bridge, the boats and the stacked cottages, built stage by stage from my reference photographs.
How do the lessons work?
There are 12 video lessons across the four stages, in a fixed order because each stage depends on the one before. You work at your own pace and the course works on any device.
Is it a subscription, and how long do I have access?
No. It is one payment of £49 and you keep lifetime access, so you can come back to any stage whenever you need a refresher.
Can I get a refund?
Yes, within 14 days of purchase, as long as you have not gone beyond the introduction or first lesson, because by then you have received the digital content. Email mike@artyfactor.com with the course name and the email you enrolled with. The full wording is in the Refund and returns policy.
How do I pay, and is it safe?
Checkout is handled by Stripe. Your card details go straight into Stripe's secure form, so I never see or store your card number.