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...
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Each week we will explore a different aspect of oil painting technique and image-making, through a range of exercises and studies. Methods, techniques, and artists will be matched to each theme. In the final week students will make a personal oil painting inspired by research from the preceding weeks.
What will we cover?
The course begins with an introduction to studio layout, and ways to safely manage materials, including solvent, within a studio setting. You will learn how to lay out a palette and prime a simple painting surface.
Exercises from artists’ work and observational studies will cover: • Light and Shade – understanding tonal contrast and painting transitions. • Colour vibrancy and subtlety through mixing and blending. • Techniques such as scumbling, drybrush, wet-in-wet, and glazing. • Complete an oil painting in stages, using a lean-to-rich painting process.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Use good studio practice in relation to oil painting materials. • Organise a palette in terms of colour and tone. • Produce a range of small studies using paint with sensitivity to light and colour. • Employ a range of essential oil painting techniques appropriately. • Complete an oil painting following a stage-by-stage process.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for beginners, or painters wanting to understand the essentials of oil painting. Students may have done a short introductory a painting course or equivalent.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions to support demonstrations, for hand-outs and for health and safety information. You will also be invited to take part in group discussion.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
• Tutor demonstrations • Paint handling exercises • One to one guidance • Group discussion • Presentations of artists.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Please bring two clean glass jars with lids and kitchen towel. Basic oil painting materials and media will be provided, including paper to prime.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You will be able to progress on to a variety of painting courses, such as Painting 1 or Painting 2, depending on your level, Ways into landscape painting, Oil painting projects, Oil painting: focus on light and shade.
We’re sorry. We don’t have a bio ready for the tutor of this class at the moment, but we’re working on it! Watch this space.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/introduction-to-oil-painting174373Introduction to oil paintinghttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/i/n/intro-to-oil-painting-vm309.jpg339339GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Art & design/Courses/Art & design/Painting/Courses/Art & design/Painting/Painting techniques & processes/Courses/vm/Beginners courses in art & design/Courses/Art & design/Painting/Oil painting2285113219161919136081361112285113219161653<p>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.</p> <div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main">An introduction to the beautiful process of oil painting. This course will explore essential oil painting techniques and materials and provide the basic skills and confidence to continue working with this rich and expressive medium.</div>152540614Introduction to oil painting339339https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/i/n/intro-to-oil-painting-vm309_11.jpgInStockDaytimeSunKeeley StreetAvailable courses1 to 4 weeksWeekend2026-04-26T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersApr 2026Art & designVM309339339Introduction to oil painting271220339Desmond Haughtonintroduction-to-oil-painting/vm309-2526<p>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.</p>0000-Available|2026-04-26 00:00:00<p>Each week we will explore a different aspect of oil painting technique and image-making, through a range of exercises and studies. Methods, techniques, and artists will be matched to each theme. In the final week students will make a personal oil painting inspired by research from the preceding weeks.</p><p>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.</p><p>The course begins with an introduction to studio layout, and ways to safely manage materials, including solvent, within a studio setting. You will learn how to lay out a palette and prime a simple painting surface. </p><p>Exercises from artists’ work and observational studies will cover:<br/>• Light and Shade – understanding tonal contrast and painting transitions.<br/>• Colour vibrancy and subtlety through mixing and blending.<br/>• Techniques such as scumbling, drybrush, wet-in-wet, and glazing.<br/>• Complete an oil painting in stages, using a lean-to-rich painting process.</p>• Use good studio practice in relation to oil painting materials.<br/>• Organise a palette in terms of colour and tone.<br/>• Produce a range of small studies using paint with sensitivity to light and colour.<br/>• Employ a range of essential oil painting techniques appropriately.<br/>• Complete an oil painting following a stage-by-stage process.This course is for beginners, or painters wanting to understand the essentials of oil painting. Students may have done a short introductory a painting course or equivalent. <br/><br/>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions to support demonstrations, for hand-outs and for health and safety information. You will also be invited to take part in group discussion.• Tutor demonstrations<br/>• Paint handling exercises<br/>• One to one guidance<br/>• Group discussion<br/>• Presentations of artists.<p>Please bring two clean glass jars with lids and kitchen towel. Basic oil painting materials and media will be provided, including paper to prime.</p><p>You will be able to progress on to a variety of painting courses, such as <em>Painting 1 or </em>Painting 2<em>, </em>depending on your level, <em>Ways into landscape painting, Oil painting projects, Oil painting: focus on light and shade</em>.</p>PaintingPainting techniques & processesvirtual2540617Introduction to oil painting339339https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/i/n/intro-to-oil-painting-vm309_10.jpgInStockDaytimeSunKeeley StreetAvailable courses1 to 4 weeksWeekend2026-01-18T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersJan 2026Art & designVM879339339Introduction to oil painting271220339Desmond Haughtonintroduction-to-oil-painting/vm879-2526<p>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.</p>0000-Available|2026-01-18 00:00:00<p>Each week we will explore a different aspect of oil painting technique and image-making, through a range of exercises and studies. Methods, techniques, and artists will be matched to each theme. In the final week students will make a personal oil painting inspired by research from the preceding weeks.</p><p>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.</p><p>The course begins with an introduction to studio layout, and ways to safely manage materials, including solvent, within a studio setting. You will learn how to lay out a palette and prime a simple painting surface. </p><p>Exercises from artists’ work and observational studies will cover:<br/>• Light and Shade – understanding tonal contrast and painting transitions.<br/>• Colour vibrancy and subtlety through mixing and blending.<br/>• Techniques such as scumbling, drybrush, wet-in-wet, and glazing.<br/>• Complete an oil painting in stages, using a lean-to-rich painting process.</p>• Use good studio practice in relation to oil painting materials.<br/>• Organise a palette in terms of colour and tone.<br/>• Produce a range of small studies using paint with sensitivity to light and colour.<br/>• Employ a range of essential oil painting techniques appropriately.<br/>• Complete an oil painting following a stage-by-stage process.This course is for beginners, or painters wanting to understand the essentials of oil painting. Students may have done a short introductory a painting course or equivalent. <br/><br/>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions to support demonstrations, for hand-outs and for health and safety information. You will also be invited to take part in group discussion.• Tutor demonstrations<br/>• Paint handling exercises<br/>• One to one guidance<br/>• Group discussion<br/>• Presentations of artists.<p>Please bring two clean glass jars with lids and kitchen towel. Basic oil painting materials and media will be provided, including paper to prime.</p><p>You will be able to progress on to a variety of painting courses, such as <em>Painting 1 or </em>Painting 2<em>, </em>depending on your level, <em>Ways into landscape painting, Oil painting projects, Oil painting: focus on light and shade</em>.</p>PaintingPainting techniques & processesvirtual271339220VM309,VM879NONESun18/01/26 - 08/02/2610:30 - 16:3010:3016:304 sessions (over 4 weeks)41 to 4 weeksDaytimeWeekendKSKeeley StreetDesmond HaughtonBeginnersAvailable courses2026-04-26T00:00:00+00:00,2026-01-18T00:00:00+00:00Apr 2026,Jan 2026Art & design339339Introduction to oil paintingintroduction-to-oil-painting/vm309-2526,introduction-to-oil-painting/vm879-2526<p>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.</p>0000-Available|2026-01-18 00:00:00<p>Each week we will explore a different aspect of oil painting technique and image-making, through a range of exercises and studies. Methods, techniques, and artists will be matched to each theme. In the final week students will make a personal oil painting inspired by research from the preceding weeks.</p><p>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.</p><p>The course begins with an introduction to studio layout, and ways to safely manage materials, including solvent, within a studio setting. You will learn how to lay out a palette and prime a simple painting surface. </p><p>Exercises from artists’ work and observational studies will cover:<br/>• Light and Shade – understanding tonal contrast and painting transitions.<br/>• Colour vibrancy and subtlety through mixing and blending.<br/>• Techniques such as scumbling, drybrush, wet-in-wet, and glazing.<br/>• Complete an oil painting in stages, using a lean-to-rich painting process.</p>• Use good studio practice in relation to oil painting materials.<br/>• Organise a palette in terms of colour and tone.<br/>• Produce a range of small studies using paint with sensitivity to light and colour.<br/>• Employ a range of essential oil painting techniques appropriately.<br/>• Complete an oil painting following a stage-by-stage process.This course is for beginners, or painters wanting to understand the essentials of oil painting. Students may have done a short introductory a painting course or equivalent. <br/><br/>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions to support demonstrations, for hand-outs and for health and safety information. You will also be invited to take part in group discussion.• Tutor demonstrations<br/>• Paint handling exercises<br/>• One to one guidance<br/>• Group discussion<br/>• Presentations of artists.<p>Please bring two clean glass jars with lids and kitchen towel. Basic oil painting materials and media will be provided, including paper to prime.</p><p>You will be able to progress on to a variety of painting courses, such as <em>Painting 1 or </em>Painting 2<em>, </em>depending on your level, <em>Ways into landscape painting, Oil painting projects, Oil painting: focus on light and shade</em>.</p>PaintingPainting techniques & processesconfigurable
