- 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: 16 – 23 August, 2025
per person
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.
Price includes:
- Daily workshops with John Haycraft
- Accommodation – choose from our bures at the front (Ocean View bures), or at the back (standard rooms) – or ask us about our two bedroom villas.
- Meals : breakfast, lunch and dinner – a mix of local Fijian and Indian food and international recipes
- Excursions: snorkel on the fabulous coral reefs, bathe in glorious waterfall, revel in the abundant nature of the landscape and experience the rich Fijian culture.
You just need to buy your air ticket and art materials, and leave the rest to us.
PS Bring along your non-painting partner too – there’s plenty for them to do whilst you’re painting, and they can join all the organised excursions on your programme too.
Overview of the week's course
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.
Course Summary
Dates: 16 – 23 August, 2025
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.
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.
Our location : Savusavu, Fiji
During this week, you’ll enjoy the rich culture and unspoilt nature of Fiji, the place where happiness comes naturally. We’re in Savusavu in Fiji’s North – known as the Hidden Paradise because it really is! We’ll take you out to snorkel on the beautiful coral reefs, to plunge into fresh waterfalls, to visit traditional Fijian villages where you’ll see a deeply hospitable corner of Fiji.
We’ve got a full programme planned – with some spare time to just relax.
Our accommodation: Daku Resort
We’re located at Daku Resort near Savusavu in Fiji. It’s a small and comfortable resort: you can choose from Ocean View bures, or standard room rear bures.
Ocean View bure
Standard room – rear bure
16 - 23 August, 2025
-
Included
AccommodationAll Workshop FeesDining & MealsLectures & ExcursionsTransfers from Savusavu Airport -
Not Included
Alcoholic BeveragesEquipment & SuppliesFlights/TravelNon-Course ActivitiesTravel Insurance
From Our Gallery
Some images and pieces from John's previous courses.
John returns to Fiji once again to take his students out and about to see and capture scenes from the magnificent landscape of the northern island of Vanua Levu.
1
Saturday
- Arrive in Savusavu.
- 6.00 pm Welcome ceremony
- 7.30 pm Dinner
2
Sunday
- 9.00 am – 12.30 pm Workshop
- 1.00 pm Lunch
- Afternoon: Free time
- 7.30 pm Dinner
3
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
4
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
5
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
6
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
7
Friday
- 9.00 am – 12.30 pm Workshop
- 1.00 pm Lunch
- 7.30 pm Final Fijian dinner
8
Saturday
Fly from Savusavu back to Nadi International flight home.
Tour Location
Daku Resort, Fiji
