Drawing, painting and watercolour - one day and taster courses

Join us for a dynamic one-day studio painting workshop exploring the bold, expressive techniques of Helen Frankenthaler. The day will begin with a group conversation exploring Frankenthaler’s life, artistic influences, and legacy within the Abstract Expressionist movement. Through visual analysis and discussion, participants will gain insight into her unique process and philosophy.
As the day progresses the tutor will demonstrate and learners will experiment with various techniques including painting on unprimed fabric using fluid, gestural mark making.
Learners who would prefer to work on their own projects are welcome to throughout the day. Our expert tutor will tailor their guidance to your individual interests and experience. All materials provided. Please wear clothes suitable for painting.

Helping learners access a playul, collaborative and intuitive mode of painting, inspired by iconic artistic collaborations of the past. Learners will work in pairs and trios, to co-create paintings and drawings. All materials are provided, and everyone is welcome.

Helping learners acess a freer, physical, more intuitive form of painting and drawing through mark-making exercises to a range of music. Learners will begin to develop a vocabulary of marks and explore mark-making tools (brushes, rags, pallete knives) in depth. Creativity, spontaneity, and joy will be at the forefront of this class. Suitable for able-bodied learners, and learners with mobility or manual dexterity differences.

Join us for a dynamic one-day studio painting workshop inspired by the energetic, process-led work of Pam Evelyn. The day will begin with a group discussion exploring Evelyn’s practice, her intuitive approach to painting, and her emphasis on movement, mark-making, and materiality. Through visual analysis and conversation, participants will gain insight into her use of rhythm, layering, and spontaneous gesture.
As the day unfolds, the tutor will demonstrate techniques that encourage an instinctive and physical approach to painting. Learners will experiment with building surfaces through layering, erasure, and reworking, exploring how gesture, time, and process can shape an abstract composition. Emphasis will be placed on responding to the act of painting itself, allowing works to evolve organically.
Learners who would prefer to work on their own projects are welcome to do so throughout the day. Our expert tutor will tailor their guidance to your individual interests and experience. All materials are provided. Please wear clothes suitable for painting.

This one-day drawing workshop explores the work of the renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.The day begins at 10.00am at Dulwich Picture Gallery. (Please note that entry to the exhibition Hokusai: Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji from the Iuchi Collection is free for learners enrolled on this course.) Participants will explore Hokusai’s distinctive use of line, pattern, movement and composition, drawing inspiration from the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series and Hokusai’s best known work The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

In the afternoon, the class will return to Brockley Rise Centre to develop ideas gathered during the gallery visit. Through sketching exercises and guided drawing activities, learners will strengthen their observational and creative drawing skills while experimenting with techniques to convey energy, texture and form. By the end of the session, participants will have created their own Hokusai-inspired artwork and gained a deeper appreciation of his enduring influence on art around the world.

On this 1 day class you will look at the fascinating works of Frida Kahlo – you will be guided by your tutor to get stuck in to the surreal, emotive approach of one of the world’s most recognised artists. You will have the opportunity to explore her varied techniques and experience the power that colour and light can bring to your painting.

Explore different approaches to charcoal drawing in this one-day class. During the session you’ll build your confidence and the skills required to use this versatile and expressive medium. You’ll begin by discussing techniques and experimenting with the application of charcoal before progressing to a composition of your own. You’re encouraged to bring photographs, such as landscapes or holiday pictures for example, and objects to work from if you want to make your drawing more personal.

Join us for a dynamic one-day studio painting workshop inspired by the intimate, narrative-rich work of Salman Toor. The day will begin with a group discussion exploring Toor’s practice, his influences, and his exploration of identity, memory, and everyday life within contemporary figurative painting. Through visual analysis and conversation, participants will gain insight into his use of colour, atmosphere, and storytelling.
As the day unfolds, the tutor will demonstrate techniques that reflect Toor’s painterly approach, including working with expressive brushwork, tonal contrasts, and carefully constructed compositions. Learners will experiment with developing figures and scenes that convey mood, ambiguity, and personal narratives, exploring how gesture and environment can bring a painting to life.
Learners who would prefer to work on their own projects are welcome to do so throughout the day. Our expert tutor will tailor their guidance to your individual interests and experience. All materials are provided. Please wear clothes suitable for painting.

Join us for a dynamic one-day studio painting workshop inspired by the inventive, exploratory work of Amy Sillman. The day will begin with a group discussion examining Sillman’s practice, her role in contemporary abstraction, and her playful yet rigorous approach to painting and drawing. Through visual analysis and conversation, participants will gain insight into her use of line, colour, humour, and visual thinking.
As the day unfolds, the tutor will demonstrate techniques that embrace experimentation, revision, and process-led painting. Learners will explore building compositions through intuitive mark-making, reworking, layering, and combining elements of abstraction with suggestive figuration. Emphasis will be placed on testing ideas, embracing change, and allowing paintings to evolve through active decision-making.
Learners who would prefer to work on their own projects are welcome to do so throughout the day. Our expert tutor will tailor their guidance to your individual interests and experience. All materials are provided. Please wear clothes suitable for painting.

Join us for a dynamic one-day studio painting workshop inspired by the evocative, dreamlike work of Naudline Pierre. The day will begin with a group conversation exploring Pierre’s artistic practice, influences, and her distinctive place within contemporary figurative painting. Through visual analysis and discussion, participants will gain insight into her rich symbolism, narrative imagery, and painterly approach.
As the day progresses, the tutor will demonstrate and learners will experiment with techniques reflecting Pierre’s use of colour, composition, and layered storytelling. Participants will explore ways to develop personal imagery and atmosphere through expressive painting processes.
Learners who would prefer to work on their own projects are welcome to do so throughout the day. Our expert tutor will tailor their guidance to your individual interests and experience. All materials are provided. Please wear clothes suitable for painting.