Painting Techniques & Processes courses

Through simple exercises you will explore basic methods of painting in acrylic from still-life, mixing and matching the colours and textures observed. Learn how to set up your workspace and begin to enjoy painting in a studio environment, using a variety of brushes and tools.

Oil paint is a medium with a long historical tradition, capable of heavy impasto effects, transparent colour films, and delicate veils. Working practically in the studio, expand your approaches in oil painting: learn to build a variety of surfaces, working with mediums, texture and glazing. This course is for all levels – both beginners and more experienced painters.

Develop your own ideas in painting with reference to the work of contemporary artists and experimental processes on this higher level course. Ideal for students who have completed Painting 1, Painting 2 or equivalent painting courses. Please note: THURSDAY iterations of this course uses water-based oil paint. See 'How will I be taught? for details.

Building on techniques and approaches covered in the Painting 1, this course enables you to work with more depth and a stronger emphasis on experimentation. Suitable if you already have some experience in painting.

This practical course introduces a variety of approaches to expand your understanding of landscape painting. Learn how to develop compositions on location and in the studio with increased confidence.

Learn how to develop original abstract ideas from simple starting points and build confidence using a variety of painting approaches in acrylics. Explore the power of line, tone, colour and gesture in a lively weekend of structured project work.

Following on from the course Painting 2, enhance your paint handling skills to further understanding of the dynamics of a painted surface. Through a series of set projects and short critical discussions, examine the role of painting tools, marks and scale in building a painting.

Oil paint is a luminous and lustrous medium, capable of delicate transparency and rich impasto effects. It holds many challenges for the beginner, but this course offers a structured way into the essentials; you will develop a feel for the possibilities in oil and build essential skills in paint handling.

A follow-on course from Ways into abstract painting, for students with some prior experience. Build skills in paint-handling, personal methods of developing abstract imagery, and increased confidence in discussing your work and themes.