Photo : Paris-Ateliers
Ochre Painting Workshop
Painting with ochre and pigment means making your own colors by adding binders and thinners.
Paris-Ateliers / SOUHAM (Paris 13th)
About
Workshop open to adults and teenagers from 14 years old of all skill levels.
Look at, touch, and understand the material that is ochre, a blend of earth, sand, and pigment. Observe it as it is found in nature, from stone to powder.
Manipulate and experiment with ochres on various surfaces (paper, cardboard, wood, canvas, etc.). Discover its expressive power combined with marble powder and pigments.
Construct space through the stain, which becomes color, material, and surface.
- Program:
- Time for discovery and approach to the proposed material.
- Manipulation: ochre, from the "natural" stone to the refined pictorial powder.
- Experimentation with different water-based techniques: gouache, egg tempera, cottage cheese paint, wallpaper paste paint, acrylic paint.
- Experimentation on different surfaces: choice of the nature of the surface, its dimensions, and its preparation…
Following these diverse experiences and the development for each person of their palette and material sampling, the time will come for pictorial compositions on a chosen surface.
Create space through the combination of materials, drips, grains, rubbings, collages, glosses, and mattes…
Instructor: Valérie Buffetaud
Number of spots: 10 people
Price: €350 (Paris Ateliers enrollees benefit from a 10% discount on workshop prices).
Dates: from February 8 to 11, 2027
Schedule: from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Our take on this event
Trade your store-bought paints for the raw, earthy textures of ochre in this hands-on workshop that reconnects you with nature's palette. You will explore everything from mineral powders to surprising binders, turning simple surfaces into rich, tactile works of art.
Discover the potential of natural ochre during this four-day intensive workshop held at Paris-Ateliers SOUHAM in the 13th arrondissement. Running from February 8 to 11, 2027, instructor Valérie Buffetaud guides ten participants through the transformation of earth and stone into vibrant paint. This workshop is open to anyone aged 14 and over, regardless of skill level. You will experiment with various binders and surfaces to create your own unique compositions. The workshop is priced at 350 €, with a 10% discount available for current Paris-Ateliers members. Join this creative exploration of texture, pigment, and color.
Explore the expressive power of ochre under the guidance of Valérie Buffetaud at Paris-Ateliers SOUHAM. The course takes place from Monday, February 8, to Thursday, February 11, 2027, with daily sessions running from 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00. It is open to teenagers from 14 years old and adults of all artistic levels.
Participants will begin by observing the material in its raw, stony state before processing it into pigment. The curriculum focuses on experimentation, using various binding agents such as egg, cheese, wallpaper paste, gouache, and acrylic. You will apply these mixtures to different materials—including paper, wood, and canvas—to study the effects of granulosity, layering, and collage. The workshop aims to help you build space and depth through surface manipulation.
With a capacity limited to 10 attendees, the setting ensures dedicated attention for each project. The participation fee is 350 €, though individuals currently enrolled at Paris-Ateliers are entitled to a 10% discount. This is a unique opportunity to build a personal repertoire of textures and finished pictorial works.
