Kids and Teens

These classes are largely unstructured, allowing students the opportunity to work on independent projects with my feedback and direction. These classes are ideally suited to art-loving students who want to learn useful traditional techniques to improve upon their skills.

These classes follow the same format as the classes on Tuesday and Thursday.

Students can either use their own images or work from source material I provide (both still life objects and photographs). Studio iPads are available to use, but you must email me images at least 24 hrs ahead of class if you wish to work from your own image uploaded onto a studio iPad.

Classes are £15. If you opt to use paint, solvent and brushes provided in the studio, please bring £3 to class (or £3.50 by card to account for the transaction fee).

You are welcome to leave your work at the studio drying rack week-to-week/ until dry if you wish. 

A ten-week course for teens who want to learn how to get started with oil paint. This course will help you establish a safe and enjoyable practice using dependable traditional methods. 

Across ten 2-hour lessons, we will cover everything you need to know to get going with oil paints, with an emphasis on representational art. Over the first half of the course, we will focus on still life, working from objects in the studio to learn composition and the principles of colour theory (hue, value and chroma). In the second half of the course, we will focus on the particular challenges of portraiture. 

Classes are small (max 6 students) allowing for plenty of individualised feedback.

Course Structure:

Weeks 1 and 2

• Getting to know your materials and setting up
• Basic colour mixing
• Brushwork Skills 1 demo: plotting and blocking in
• Lecture component: what qualities make for an effective still life? Finding answers and inspiration across art history.  

Weeks 3 to 5

• Colour harmony and composition
• Brushwork Skills 2 demo: using expressive and directional brushstrokes
• Lecture component: what makes an effective portrait? Finding answers and inspiration across art history.  

Weeks 6 to 8

• Demo: How to work from a photograph vs life 
• Understanding facial anatomy
• Colour mixing for skin tones 

Weeks 9 and 10

• Using concepts from colour theory to enhance your portrait (chroma, value and hue)
• Problem-shooting for facial features: an emphasis on 1-on-1 instruction moving around the class
• Brushwork Skills 3 demo: working with detail, and laying down 'finishing touches'. 

Materials: 

All materials are included, although you are welcome to bring your own. We will be using:

• Student-grade oil paints. The core colours are Flake White Replacement, Titanium White, Cadmium Red (hue), Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow (hue), Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, Raw Umber, and Ivory Black. 
• Oil pastel sticks (optional) 
• Willow charcoal sticks (for underdrawings)
• Refined linseed oil 
• A low-VOC solvent made by Jackson's called Pure-Sol
• A range of long-handled pure hog and synthetic sable brushes with round, flat, filbert, and bright tips.
• A3-size oil painting paper taped to a drawing board for studies.
• 2 primed canvas boards for completed paintings (one still life and one portrait)

If you are bringing your own materials, please note that only low-VOC solvents are permitted in the studio: so, no turpentine or white spirits, instead I recommend Gamsol/ Pure-Sol, Liquin or Zest-It (see Materials Guide). While turpentine and white spirits are traditional some people are particularly sensitive to the toxic effects of these high-VOC solvents so they are not suitable for group classes.