Brush up on your artistic skills with a winter escape

At the peak of English winter, specialist tour operator Indus Tours will be offering two exotic trips to the warmer climes of Laos and India in January and February 2008 as part of their highly successful ‘A Brush with Excellence’ painting holiday programme.

Designed to accommodate both beginners and the accomplished artist, the trips explore each destination through the eyes of the artist and include a comprehensive touring programme with an English speaking guide, the services of a leading UK based artist and teacher as well ample time for sketching and painting.

Accompanied by distinguished water-colourist Muriel Owen, the new January tour, ‘Laos in Watercolour’, offers an insight into this devout Buddhist state that has remained relatively untouched by tourism. Scenically spectacular and culturally rewarding, the 17 day trip complements backdrops of towering mountains, deep jungles and the mighty Mekong river with time in Luang Prabang – a perfectly preserved UNESCO World Heritage Site which blends rustic colonial architecture and gilded monasteries, the waterside capital of Vientiane and the indigenous villages of Vang Vieng.

Departing on 7 January, ‘Lao in Watercolour’ starts from £2190.00/person (based on 2 sharing) and includes return international flights, half board accommodation, sightseeing, boat/coach transport, English speaking guide and tutoring by Muriel Owen.

The 11 day ‘India – In Your Sketchbook’ tour, which combines one of India’s finest wildlife reserves, Corbett National Park, with a stay in the ‘Glasshouse on the Ganges’ - a heritage hotel set in the lychee and mango orchard of The Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal in Rishikesh, offers a tranquil retreat in balmy temperatures away from the February frosts of England.

Tutored by artist and lecturer Sue Deighton, dramatic landscapes, lush vegetation, an array of rare and exotic wildlife and the gateway town to the Himalayas - Rishikesh, provide the inspiration for an assortment of colourful canvases. Departing on 4 February, ‘India – In Your Sketchbook’ starts from £1760/person (based on 2 sharing) and includes return international flights, full board accommodation in Corbett National Park with B&B accommodation in Delhi and Rishikesh, sightseeing, private coach transport, English speaking guide park fees and tutoring by Sue Deighton.

As part of both tours, tutorials will be given each day as well as one to one tailored advice to suit each person’s particular experience and style. Tuition will also looks at other mediums as well a range of techniques covering landscape, portraiture, animal studies and still life.

For more information visit Industours.co.uk.