# Vibrant Watercolor and Journaling Retreat with Artists Cindy Briggs and Theresa Goesling in Scotland Join internationally acclaimed watercolorists Cindy Briggs and Theresa Goesling for an unforgettable plein-air watercolor journaling retreat set in the majestic landscapes of Scotland. With over 25 years of experience teaching workshops together around the world, Cindy and Theresa offer a warm, uplifting, and nurturing environment where artists of all levels can grow, explore, and express their creativity.Each day features engaging classes filled with step-by-step demonstrations, expert instruction, and personalized support to help you confidently capture your experiences in watercolor. Much of the retreat is focused on painting en plein air, surrounded by the inspiring countryside views right outside your door. You’ll have abundant opportunities to sketch and paint directly from life, immersing yourself in Scotland’s atmosphere and colors.Stay in a historic countryside estate surrounded by rolling hills, enjoy nourishing meals prepared with care, and experience the beauty of Scotland with visits to the historic city of Stirling, the peaceful shores of Loch Lomond, and the charming village of Buchlyvie. You’ll walk through ancient castle halls, wander medieval streets, and learn to journal your journey with expressive sketches and vibrant watercolor. Throughout the retreat, you'll draw inspiration from nature and historic architecture while developing a meaningful collection of artwork. Leave with lasting connections, joyful memories, and renewed artistic energy. ## Details - **Dates:** July 15 - 22, 2026 - **Location:** Buchlyvie, Scotland, UK - **Starting Price:** $4,050 - **Category:** Painting ## Program ### Vibrant Watercolor and Journaling Retreat Join artists Cindy Briggs and Theresa Goesling for a plein-air watercolor journaling retreat in the Scottish countryside. With over 25 years of teaching together, they’ll guide you in capturing rolling hills, village scenes, and shifting skies directly in your journal. Most sessions take place outdoors, painting en plein air, with a welcoming studio available for rainy days and finishing touches. Work with watercolor, pen, and gouache to create pages that reflect both the beauty of the landscape and your personal experience.Sketch directly from life using loose lines, layered washes, and thoughtful composition. Begin with organic shapes from the landscape, then gradually build in architectural elements like medieval stonework and weathered facades. Use texture techniques to bring depth to walls, trees, clouds, and open fields. Focus on how to simplify complex scenes into clear shapes and values that work on the page. Explore how to balance wet-in-wet softness with crisp pen marks and opaque gouache details. Play with line variation, layering, and minimal palettes to create pages that are both personal and dynamic. Cindy and Theresa will guide you through each step, offering tips on layout, spontaneity, and capturing fleeting moments on the go.Walk the historic streets of Stirling, reflect beside the peaceful waters of Loch Lomond, and take in the quiet charm of Buchlyvie. Record the textures, colors, and shifting light of each place as you fill your sketchbook with moments that feel alive. By the end of the retreat, you will carry home a collection of layered watercolor pages, a visual journal of your week in Scotland, shaped by your eye and guided by two artists who have spent decades teaching others how to truly see.Some topics covered in the classes include:Breaking down compositions into essential shapes and values for quick, impactful sketchesCreating harmony in your paintings to reflect the mood of a locationUsing flowing lines and gestural brushstrokes to express movement and energyBalancing wet-in-wet and wet-on-dry techniques to build depth and dimensionWorking efficiently to capture fleeting moments on locationRefining your voice through exploration in plein-air and studio painting...and many more.Your venue for this art retreat is a breathtaking holiday estate nestled in the peaceful Scottish countryside, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes. Enjoy lavish accommodation spaces, bespoke design, a spacious art studio, and electrically heated outdoor hot tubs. Immerse yourself in Scottish history and culture with delicious meals prepared by a private chef, a gin-tasting event, and a night of traditional Gaelic dancing. ### Days 1: Arrival Get transferred from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) at 3:00 PM and arrive at your venue at around 4:00 PM, a stunning countryside estate with gorgeous views of the Highlands. Unwind in your well-appointed room, freshen up, and gather with Theresa, Cindy, and your art group for a pleasant orientation tour. Discover the stately accommodation spaces, the spacious art studio in the barn, the hot tubs, and the gardens. Enjoy a special welcome dinner prepared by the in-house chef to kickstart the retreat. Discuss the upcoming week with your fellow artists over delicious wine. ### Day 2: Art at the venue Start your morning with a nourishing breakfast before joining Cindy and Theresa in the studio.Ease into the day with focused warm-up exercises using watercolor, permanent fine-point pens, and gouache. Get comfortable with your tools and materials while working into your journal pages. Use this time to loosen your hand, test out color combinations, and explore how your brush and pen respond to different marks and pressure. Cindy and Theresa will offer guidance as you settle into the rhythm of the day.Pause for a relaxed lunch, then pack up your journal kit and head outdoors for plein-air painting on site. Begin with how to read the landscape, identifying where to place elements and how to move your eye through the composition. Learn how to mix vibrant and subtle greens directly from your palette, adjusting your color temperature based on what’s in front of you. Observe light on water and explore how to layer pigment to reflect surface movement and subtle shifts.In the final stretch of the day, prepare your materials and mindset for tomorrow’s visit to Loch Lomond. Cindy and Theresa will walk you through how to work efficiently on location, select your palette, and organize your page for fast sketching in changing light.Close the evening with a freshly prepared dinner, unwind with the group, and share thoughts on the pages you filled throughout the day. ### Day 3: Trip to Loch Lomond Fuel up with a hearty breakfast before traveling with Cindy and Theresa to the scenic banks of Loch Lomond. Located within the wide, open landscapes of Trossachs National Park, the loch offers a peaceful setting full of natural rhythm and texture. Take time to observe how the light shifts across the surface, how reflections soften edges, and how colors move through layers of water, trees, and sky.Settle into your plein-air sketching with watercolors, fine-point pens, and touches of gouache. Focus on fluid marks, loose layering, and capturing the scene without overworking the page. Study how organic forms connect to larger shapes, how shoreline meets sky, and how contrast defines the structure around you. Work at your own rhythm, collecting reference photos and capturing quick impressions in your journal as you go.Return to the venue for a light lunch, then continue your work in the studio. Review your sketches and photo references with Cindy and Theresa, pulling details that stand out. Use these elements to develop new pages or expand on what you started outdoors. Refine textures, adjust values, and explore how to add complexity through architectural forms and layered structure.Later in the afternoon, begin preparing your kit and journal layout for the upcoming visit to Buchlyvie. Review your palette, select pages, and organize materials for working quickly on location. End the day with a freshly prepared dinner and reflect on the flow of your work from morning to evening. ### Day 4: Trip to Buchlyvie Kick off the day with a hearty breakfast before heading out with Cindy and Theresa for a leisurely 15-minute walk to the village of Buchlyvie.Take time to explore the streets, observe your surroundings, and gather inspiration from the landscape and buildings around you. Walk through the village at your own pace, taking reference photos and capturing quick sketches in your journal as you go. Settle into a plein-air painting session just outside the village. Use watercolor, fine-point pens, and gouache to respond to what you see. Work directly in your journal to document the scenery, the light, and the mood of the area. Paint what draws your attention, and let your materials guide the flow of your page.Return to the venue for a satisfying lunch, then meet back in the studio with Cindy and Theresa for a focused afternoon session. Review your sketches and photos from the morning and continue developing your journal pages. Add new layers, reinforce details, and experiment with your materials while you work through what you observed on site.Later in the day, begin preparing for the upcoming trip to Stirling. Organize your supplies, select your palette, and set up your journal with space ready to capture the next destination. End the evening with a freshly prepared dinner and share thoughts from the day’s work. ### Day 5: Trip to Stirling Step into the day with a warm breakfast and the road unfolding ahead as you travel with Cindy and Theresa to the storied town of Stirling, set among sweeping hills and centuries-old stone.Spend the morning exploring the grounds of Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument, both set among dramatic views and layered textures. Walk freely through the area, taking in the aged architecture, winding garden paths, and open skies that stretch over the rooftops. Use your journal to document what you see. Capture quick impressions with fine-point pen, watercolor, and gouache. Focus on travel notes, small sketches, and layout ideas that will guide your work later. Take reference photos of the architecture, surrounding landscape, and natural elements growing between stone and soil.Pause midday to enjoy lunch at your own pace in town before continuing into the afternoon. Return to a quiet spot in Stirling for a plein-air session with Cindy and Theresa. Work directly from your journal studies and photos to paint the scene in front of you. Combine fluid brushwork with focused detail, layering soft washes and linework to reflect what you've observed throughout the day. Pay attention to how stone textures meet sky and greenery, and how forms begin to build from simple to complex as the page develops.Head back to the venue in the evening for a carefully prepared dinner. Let the day settle around you as you share your pages, reconnect with the group, and carry the atmosphere of Stirling back to your work. ### Day 6: Trip to Buchlyvie Start the day with a hearty breakfast before setting out with Cindy and Theresa on a relaxed 15-minute walk to the village of Buchlyvie. Known for its quiet pace and views of the surrounding hills, Buchlyvie offers a chance to slow down and take in the rhythm of everyday life in the Scottish countryside. With small shops, a pottery studio, and inviting streets, the village makes an ideal location for gathering inspiration.Spend the morning exploring at your own pace. Take reference photos, fill your journal with quick impressions, or sit with your materials and begin sketching what you see. Capture the flow of the landscape, the shifting lines of rooftops, or the textures of the natural growth around town. Use watercolor, permanent fine-point pens, and gouache directly in your journal as you respond to the moment.Return to the venue in time for lunch, then rejoin Cindy and Theresa in the studio for a quiet afternoon of painting. Work back into your pages using the images, sketches, and memories from Buchlyvie. Refine your work or start new spreads that combine observation with imagination. Focus on adding depth, adjusting composition, or building out areas of texture and detail.As the day winds down, step away from the table, let the paint dry, and enjoy a freshly prepared dinner with the group. Share your pages, talk through your process, and carry the quiet energy of Buchlyvie forward into the next day. ### Day 7: Art at the venue Gather with your art group for a final hearty breakfast before heading into the studio with Cindy and Theresa. Use the morning to bring everything together. Add finishing touches to your pages, sharpen lines, refine edges, or build out areas that still feel open. Review the textures, colors, and details that have shaped your journal over the week. Revisit places you painted, moments you captured, and notes you took along the way.Spend time one-on-one with Cindy and Theresa as they offer guidance, answer last questions, and walk you through any specific techniques you'd like to revisit. Ask for feedback, talk through ideas, and take the space to reflect on your growth. Work quietly or chat while you paint, letting the final layers fall into place.Take a short break in the afternoon before gathering for a closing art show. Set up your journal or sketchbook in a gallery-style display. Walk through the room and see how others have captured the same places in different ways. Take a group photo, get dressed up if you’d like, and join the closing circle as the retreat comes to an end.Celebrate over a freshly prepared dinner, raise a glass with the group, and take in the creative momentum that’s still moving through your work. ### Day 8: Departure Enjoy breakfast and get ready for your transfer to Edinburgh Airport (EDI). Check-out is at 10:00 AM, and you'll arrive at the airport at around 11:00 AM. ## Instructors - **Cindy Briggs, NWS, NWWS** - Watercolor artist and educator - **Theresa Goesling, NWWS ** - Watercolor artist & educator ## Accommodation ### Scottish farm estate ### Shared standard room ### Shared superior ensuite room (female only) ### Shared bathroom - single room ### Single standard room - external bathroom ### Single superior room - adjacent bathroom ### Single standard ensuite room ### Single superior ensuite room ### Deluxe private villa ## Book This Retreat Visit [https://uptrek.com/retreat/vibrant-watercolor-journaling-retreat-artists-cindy-briggs-theresa-goesling-scotland](https://uptrek.com/retreat/vibrant-watercolor-journaling-retreat-artists-cindy-briggs-theresa-goesling-scotland) to make a reservation. *Provided by [UpTrek](https://uptrek.com)*