Glasgow, G3
Tuition
What to expect
Unless you’re an experienced painter seeking help with a specific technique (such as alla prima), lessons tend to follow a structured path. We begin with a pencil draft to map out composition and form, then develop a monochromatic underpainting to establish value structure, and finally build up to working in full colour.
Depending on the complexity of your subject, paintings usually take around 6–12 hours to complete. Some students prefer to bring their work-in-progress back and forth between home and the studio, while others leave their paintings on the drying rack here and use their own time at home to practice related exercises.
You’re welcome to arrive with a clear idea of what you’d like to paint or simply come with an open mind — I can help you choose a subject that will challenge and inspire you. It’s helpful if you can let me know a little about your prior experience and preferred genres (portraiture, still life, landscape, etc.) ahead of your first session, so I can prepare accordingly. If you’d like to work from a particular reference image, please send it to me beforehand so I can have it ready on an iPad (or bring your own tablet if you prefer).
I strongly encourage setting aside some time to practice between sessions. Revisiting techniques at home helps consolidate what you’ve learned, makes the skills “stick,” and means we can progress to refining more challenging aspects in our lessons together.
It’s worth noting that learning to paint isn’t like following a recipe for guaranteed results — it’s more similar to training as a classical dancer or musician. Your eye becomes more attuned to form and colour, your fine motor control improves with brushwork practice, and your ability to focus deeply over extended periods grows. It’s a gradual, rewarding process of building both skill and confidence.
Materials
The lesson fee covers use of oil paint, brushes, low-VOC solvent, and refined linseed oil, as well as a sheet of A3 oil painting paper. You're welcome to bring your own materials if you already have paints and brushes and would like help understanding how to use them. You're also welcome to bring your own canvas or board.
The core oil colours I offer are Titanium White, Cadmium Red (hue), Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow (hue), Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson, Raw Umber, Viridian, and Ivory Black. Brushes are long-handled hog and synthetic sable brushes with round, flat, filbert, and bright tips.
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).
For more in-depth information on materials, please have a look at Materials Guide on the ‘Working with Oil Paint’ page.
Fees and Cancellations
Fees for one-to-one lessons are £30 per hour. Some students prefer a 90 minute (£45) or two-hour (£60) lesson. If you are working on a larger piece, or to a personal deadline, I suggest opting for longer lessons. More than two hours tends to be too much, unless you're already an experienced painter.
For duos (two students learning together) the fee is £40 per hour (£60 for 90 minutes and £80 for two hours).
Please let me know your availability when you write to me. It's easiest for scheduling if you're able to find a regular time that works for you weekly (this way, I can guarantee my availability). Payment is due upon booking.
You can cancel or reschedule up to 24 hours ahead of the lesson, after that you will be charged for the missed lesson.
I am aware that my hourly fee is relatively low for my level of experience. This is a deliberate choice: I want motivated students to be able to access high-quality, one-to-one tuition without the prohibitive costs that often come with specialist art training.
