- Sketchbook: A5, A4 cartridge (minimum 110 gsm)
- Paper: Watercolour block or loose sheets: maximum A3 size, (minimum 180 gsm).
- Drawing pencils: HB, 2B, Holbein sandpaper block
- Watercolour brushes: size 6, 8, medium size mop and 2” Hake
- Portable colour palette: the primaries, also Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Hookers Green, Vandyke Brown, Yellow Ochre, Viridian, and any of your personal favourites.
Capturing Fiji’s hidden paradise in watercolours with John Haycraft: 8 – 15 June, 2024
per person
Drawing and watercolours: Capturing Fiji’s hidden paradise with John Haycraft
John returns to Fiji for his sixth visit to take his students out and about to see and capture scenes from the magnificent landscape of the northern island of Vanua Levu.
Artists of all skill levels are welcome.
Course Summary
Dates: 8 – 15 June, 2024
Teacher: John Haycraft
Title: Capturing Fiji’s hidden paradise
Content: Drawing and watercolour
Programme: Daily morning workshops of 3 hours
Suitability: All levels
Excursions and extras: Visit to waterfall, beach picnic, village visit
Food: Three meals a day.
Itinerary: Arrive Savusavu Saturday. Course starts morning Sunday, ends evening Friday. Depart Savusavu Saturday morning.
Materials: A list of materials to be purchased for the course is given below.
About the Workshop
John’s week of painting in watercolor will get you out into the nearby Fijian countryside to see the beaches, the villages, the palm trees and waterfalls – and the people. He will paint with you, showing you how to capture the scenery, how to understand the play of light and dark areas on the paper, and how to create mood and atmosphere in your work.
John has a love of travel and more particularly, a love of getting under the skin of a place. He wants to wander into villages and meet the people, drive down the coast to hidden beaches, sit on the deck at Daku Resort capturing a dozen sunsets or enjoy a drink at the Yacht Club in Savusavu whilst painting the bay. There will be a three hour workshop every morning with free time in the afternoon to relax, go on excursions or continue sketching at your own pace.
What To Bring
Here’s materials you’ll need to bring.
Meet your instructor.

Meet John Haycraft.
John has been a professional artist since 1971, a principal of the architectural illustration firm Haycraft Duloy since 1974, a lecturer, exhibitor and author of three books of paintings and drawings.
He’s been a part-time and guest lecturer in the Faculties of Architecture at The University of New South Wales, the University of Newcastle and the Interior Design Faculty of the College of the Arts (Balmain Campus), and was appointed as watercolour tutor at the Royal Art Society, Sydney, in 2018.
Included
AccommodationAll Workshop FeesDining & MealsLectures & ExcursionsTransfers from Savusavu AirportNot Included
Alcoholic BeveragesEquipment & SuppliesFlights/TravelNon-Course ActivitiesTravel Insurance
Saturday
- Arrive in Savusavu.
- 6.00 pm Welcome ceremony
- 7.30 pm Dinner
Sunday
- 9.00 am – 12.30 pm Workshop
- 1.00 pm Lunch
- Afternoon: Free time
- 7.30 pm Dinner
Monday
- 9.00 am – 12.00 pm Workshop
- 1.00 pm Lunch
- 2.00 Handicraft display and tapa making demonstration: some of the local women will come to display and sell their jewellery. One of them will give a demonstration of making tapa – the decorated Fijian bark cloth.
- Afternoon: Trip to Savusavu Town to see local market and shop. Savusavu town is a mile away (just 5 minutes in a taxi). We will send you in by taxi and then leave you to wander round and make your own way back by taxi – it’s FJ$4 (US$2).
- 7.00 pm Dinner
Tuesday
- 9.00 am – 12.00 pm Workshop
- 1.00 pm Lunch, followed by a trip to local village to sketch, and then see the traditional meke dance performed with an entrancing energy by the villagers.
- 7.00 pm Dinner
Wednesday
- 9.00 am – 12.00 pm Workshop
- 1.00 pm Lunch
- Afternoon: Trip to waterfall: this is about 25 minutes’ drive and is a beautiful natural fall where you can plunge into the cool clear water and swim.
- 7.00 pm Dinner
Thursday
- 9.00 am – 12.00 pm Workshop
- 1.00 pm Picnic Lunch and swimming at Devodara Beach or Buli Kula. Return to Daku approx. 3.30 pm.
- 7.00 pm Dinner
Friday
- 9.00 am – 12.30 pm Workshop
- 1.00 pm Lunch
- 7.30 pm Final Fijian dinner