Embedded Files
More Details & Suggested Materials
More Details & Suggested Materials
The Membership secretary can advise you of materials when you book a class. Read the details below and seek advice from us if you are unsure of anything. Students are expected to supply their own specialist materials, but the art room has some materials for students to experiment with before they commit to their own purchases. Guidance is given here for what will be required for each class, but we strongly advise students to only purchase basic or essential materials to start with. For example, large paper sheets are available for sketching and experimenting and other paper may be provided in the class. Please check with your tutor's advice below and see more on the about page for the facilities in the Art Room.
Tutor: Jeremy Burns
Tutor: Jeremy Burns
Jeremy offers structured guidance in his friendly classes for all abilities, and demonstrates techniques that will help you improve your skills. He offers morning and afternoon classes and also one day workshops in holiday breaks.
Jeremy is running full day Oil Painting workshops in 2025 on Thursday 7th August and Friday 8th August.
See his suggestions below, applicable to either oil painting or pastel classes and workshops:
Materials List for Jeremy Burns - Oil Painting Classes and Workshops
Oil Paint - If you already have a set/range of colours I’m sure you’ll be fine as long as you have white and the primaries (red, yellow and ultramarine blue) as well as burnt umber (brown)
Here are my recommended colours however: Titanium White, Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Pthalo Green, Burnt Umber
As we are learning/practising, student paints are a great option as they are cheaper than artist quality paints. Georgian (Daler Rowney) or Winton (Winsor & Newton) are good brands to go for although there are many others.
Brushes - A range of shapes (round, filbert, flat) and sizes (1-12), either hog or synthetic as long as they are labeled as suitable for oil painting.
Minimum requirements:
Round (size 1)
Filbert (size 3)
Filbert (size 6)
A3 Oil Painting Pad (Paper or Canvas) - Daler Rowney, Cass Art, Pebeo or any other brand
A4 Tear Off Oil Painting Palette - Winsor & Newton do a really good one with 50 sheets, but there are other brands. After using a sheet, simply tear off the pad and throw it away. No need to clean up!
Palette Knife - RGM Number 50 is a good size, but you could use something similar. Great for mixing colours on the palette, and can also be used for applying and scraping paint
Linseed Oil (75ml minimum) - Improves flow of paint, slows drying, adds gloss to the paint
Low Odour Mineral Spirits (75ml minimum) - Thins paint, cleans brushes
Dipper - Can be purchased in an art shop but a small jar will do. It’s just for containing mineral spirits or linseed oil so you can dip the brush in while painting
Masking Tape - For attaching your paper to the drawing board
Paper Towels - For removing paint from artwork and cleaning brushes
*If you have any questions at all about the course or the materials needed, feel free to email me at mail@jeremyburnsart.co
Materials List for Jeremy Burns - Charcoal/Chalk/Pastel Classes & Workshops
Charcoal - Willow charcoal (any brand is fine, but Winsor & Netwon is probably the most popular). Either medium sized sticks or assorted if you’d like a range of sizes
Putty Rubber - I recommend the Daler Rowney brand for this (other brands can be fine but avoid Winsor & Newton as it’s too soft)
White Chalk - Simple black board white chalk will be fine
White Pastel Pencil or Chalk Pencil - This will allow for more detailed work
Black Pastel Pencil or Charcoal Pencil - This will allow for more detailed work
Soft Pastels (Only if you want to use colour) - If you already have a set of soft pastels, I’m sure they will be fine. If not, a good cheap option is the “Inscribe” set of 64 soft pastels.
Blending Stumps - These are made from pulped paper, and are great for blending. They can be purchased from any art shop
Paper - Go for A3 pastel paper. The pads generally come with a variety of different colours and have a slight texture to them. Any colours are fine, and they are great for both charcoal and soft pastels
Extras - Masking tape to hold your paper to the drawing board, baby wipes (not essential, but are useful for cleaning your hands if things start getting messy)
*If you have any questions at all about the course or the materials needed, feel free to email me at mail@jeremyburnsart.com
Tutor: Felicitas
Tutor: Felicitas
The Wednesday evening class with artist Felicitas is a fun, project-based class for people with a little prior experience in painting. Typically, the class will cover a wide range of artistic approaches and methods.
The class explores a variety of techniques, such as collage, mono-printing and ink drawing. The focus tends to be on painting though
Full details below.
Information about the Wednesday class - Felicitas
The Wednesday evening class with artist Felicitas is a fun, project-based class for people with a little prior experience in painting.
Typically, the class will cover a wide range of artistic approaches and methods.
Observational drawing and painting play a big role, working with still life, from photos or doing nature studies outside when the weather allows it. There will be life drawing once or twice a term.
The class explores a variety of techniques, such as collage, mono-printing and ink drawing. The focus tends to be on painting though.
Acrylics are well-suited for smaller projects that can be completed in one sitting.
Felicitas recommends students bring a starter set of acrylics, pencil, charcoal, masking tape, as well as an A3 sketchpad and a A3 acrylic-and oil painting pad.
Tutor: Joy Girvin
Tutor: Joy Girvin
Joy is an experienced Art Tutor and ran 3 Workshops in our 2024 Summer school specialising in watercolour and pastel techniques. Joy will be running a new 10 week class for Summer Term 2025 -
"Using Watercolours & Inks" on Thursday evening. She is also the new tutor for the oil painting class on Monday evening
Joy will also be running several one day workshops during the summer holiday programme 2025. Details to be announced last week in April.
Colour and the Figure: Drawing and Watercolour Saturday Past Event .
Colour and the Figure: Drawing and Watercolour Saturday Past Event .
Tutor: Joy Girvin. https://www.joygirvin.co.uk
Overview: This course is designed for both beginners and intermediate artists. The sessions will include a mix of instruction, demonstration and hands on practice.
Starting with an overview of watercolour equipment and materials, you will learn about:
Basic watercolour techniques; washes, layering and glazing.
Techniques for drawing Dynamic poses looking at proportions and structure in the figure.
Experimenting with colour mixing skin tones and different types of brush shapes to create different lines , shapes and textures.
Combining figure drawing and watercolour.
Materials needed: For this course you will need your own Watercolour paper , 300grams. A fine liner pen to use with Watercolour; Some Watercolour (Synthetic or sable) brushes including a Fan Brush and a fine brush for drawing lines of colour. Watercolour paints and a palette. You can get circular plastic palette from The Works or Hobby craft, and from Hobby craft or Great Art tubes of watercolour or a box of watercolours. On Amazon you can find Koi watercolours which are strong colours, I use some of these. A small piece of white candle wax to use as a resist (e.g. a tea light).
Course Description: Besides exploring the art of figure drawing with watercolour, you will look at other artists who have worked from the figure in watercolour for inspiration such as Auguste Rodin, his expressive figure sketches in pencil and watercolour and Paul Cezanne’s mastery of breaking the figure down into facets and blocks of transparent layered colour. Throughout the day you will explore capturing the human form with short poses and long poses to consolidate colour and forms in the figure.
There are drawing boards and some cartridge paper available for sketching; also pencils in the Art Room.
Timings: Saturday 14th September 2024. 10am-4pm: model will pose 10.30-12:30 then 1-3.30pm. 3.30 - 4pm will be feedback and clearing up. There should be half an hour for lunch and short tea breaks. Please help leave the room tidy before you leave.
Location: Barbican Art Room and Barbican gardens
Colour and Light in Gardens: Using sketching & watercolour techniques Past Event
Colour and Light in Gardens: Using sketching & watercolour techniques Past Event
Tutor: Joy Girvin. https://www.joygirvin.co.uk
Course: Colour and Light in Gardens: Using Sketching & Watercolour techniques: We will cover: colours, light and shadow in the Barbican gardens, or if it rains we will look at pictures of gardens such as Heligan and other source material.
You will learn to draw from observation using a range of techniques to show texture in plants, trees and create a garden composition. The course will cover colour theory and watercolour methods to bring a garden to life on paper.
Overview: This course is designed for both beginners and intermediate artists. The sessions will include a mix of instruction, demonstration and hands on practice.
Starting with an overview of watercolour equipment and materials, you will learn about:
Basic watercolour techniques; washes, layering and glazing.
Techniques for drawing, thumbnail composition sketching, layout and tonal contrast;
You will explore colour mixing a variety of greens and other colours found in gardens, use different types of brush shapes to create different lines , shapes and textures found in foliage combining drawing and watercolour.
Materials needed: For this course you will need a small portable seat or stool to carry into the gardens and your own Watercolour paper , 300grams. A fine liner pen to use with Watercolour; Some Watercolour ( Synthetic or sable) brushes including a Fan Brush and a fine brush for drawing lines of colour. Watercolour paints and a palette. You can get circular plastic palette from suppliers such as The Works or Hobby craft, and from Hobby craft or Great Art, tubes of watercolour or a box of watercolours. On Amazon you can find Koi watercolours which are strong colours, I use some of these. A small piece of white candle wax to use a resist like a tealight.
Please bring some of your own photos or pictures of gardens that have personal significance that you would like to work from if it’s a rainy day. The tutor will also supply some source material.
Course Description: You will be shown some techniques such as working wet into wet, layering with transparent glazes of watercolour and dry brush techniques and ways of showing texture in garden scenes which you will experiment and develop in your own practical art work on location or if a rainy day in the Barbican Studio.
Besides exploring colour in gardens you will develop an understanding of how tonal contrast, light and shadow can bring out sections of trees and foliage and create a vibrant garden painting. You will look at other artists who have worked from landscape and gardens in watercolour for inspiration such as Eric Ravillious use of line and texture with different brush shapes in Landscape; Paul Cezanne’s mastery of breaking down forms into facets and blocks of transparent layered colour and other artists. Throughout the day you will explore capturing light, colour and texture in gardens through some studies and sketches then a longer painting to consolidate techniques in a final piece. There are drawing boards and some cartridge paper available for sketching; also pencils in the Studio.
Timings: Saturday 13th July, 10am - 4pm. Coffee & Tea is available in the Art Room, and there will be an hour for lunch. Please help tidy up before you leave.
Location: Barbican Art Room and Barbican Gardens
Colour and Light in Gardens: Using sketching & chalk pastels techniques Past Event
Colour and Light in Gardens: Using sketching & chalk pastels techniques Past Event
Tutor: Joy Girvin. https://www.joygirvin.co.uk
Course: Colour and Light in Gardens: Using sketching and chalk pastels techniques.
Overview: This course is designed for both beginners and intermediate artists. The sessions will include a mix of instruction, demonstration and hands on practice.
We will cover: Colours, Light and shadow in the Barbican Gardens, or if it rains we will look at pictures of Gardens such as [the Lost Gardens of] Heligan and other source material.
You will learn to draw from observation using a range of techniques to show texture in plants, trees and create a garden composition. The course will cover colour theory, how to depict light, shadow and textures with chalk pastel blending, layering and composition techniques to bring a garden to life on paper.
Materials needed: For this course you will need a small portable seat or stool to carry into the gardens and your own pastel or sugar paper tonal paper works well such as greys, ochre or creams as a background for chalk pastels so that you can put white as well on a colour background. You can buy chalk pastels or conte colour sticks, ink intense sticks or charcoal pencils in colour, which ever you prefer from suppliers such as Hobby craft or Great Art. A small piece of white candle wax to use as a resist like a tea light. Rembrandt chalk pastels do a good range; Inscribe do a basic range.
Please bring some of your own photos or pictures of gardens that have personal significance that you would like to work from if it’s a rainy day. The tutor will also supply some source material.
Course Description:
Starting with an overview of pastels and other dry media, you will learn about:
Techniques for drawing, thumbnail composition sketching, layout and tonal contrast;
You will explore colour blending with chalk pastels, using complementary colours to bring out vibrant colour; how to blend a variety of greens and other colours found in gardens, using different line styles and blocks of colour to create a range of shapes and textures found in foliage,
combining charcoal pencil and chalk pastels on different colour papers.
You will be shown some chalk pastel and quick sketching techniques to lay out a composition and ways of showing texture in garden scenes which you will experiment and develop in your own practical art work on location or if a rainy day in the Art Room.
Besides exploring colour in gardens you will develop an understanding of how tonal contrast, light and shadow can bring out sections of trees and foliage and create a vibrant garden pastel drawing. You will look at other artists who have worked used chalk pastels for inspiration such as Mary Cassat, Monet and Degas. Throughout the day you will explore capturing light, colour and texture in gardens through some studies and sketches then a final piece to consolidate techniques There are drawing boards and some cartridge paper available for sketching; also pencils in the Studio.
Timings: Saturday 20th July, 10am - 4pm. Coffee & Tea is available in the Art Room, and there should be an hour for lunch. Please help leave the room tidy before you leave.
Location: Barbican Art Room and Barbican gardens
Colour and Light in Gardens: Using sketching & chalk pastels techniques Past Event
Colour and Light in Gardens: Using sketching & chalk pastels techniques Past Event
Tutor: Joy Girvin. https://www.joygirvin.co.uk
Course: Colour and Light in Gardens: Using sketching and chalk pastels techniques.
Overview: This course is designed for both beginners and intermediate artists. The sessions will include a mix of instruction, demonstration and hands on practice.
We will cover: Colours, Light and shadow in the Barbican Gardens, or if it rains we will look at pictures of Gardens such as [the Lost Gardens of] Heligan and other source material.
You will learn to draw from observation using a range of techniques to show texture in plants, trees and create a garden composition. The course will cover colour theory, how to depict light, shadow and textures with chalk pastel blending, layering and composition techniques to bring a garden to life on paper.
Materials needed: For this course you will need a small portable seat or stool to carry into the gardens and your own pastel or sugar paper tonal paper works well such as greys, ochre or creams as a background for chalk pastels so that you can put white as well on a colour background. You can buy chalk pastels or conte colour sticks, ink intense sticks or charcoal pencils in colour, which ever you prefer from suppliers such as Hobby craft or Great Art. A small piece of white candle wax to use as a resist like a tea light. Rembrandt chalk pastels do a good range; Inscribe do a basic range.
Please bring some of your own photos or pictures of gardens that have personal significance that you would like to work from if it’s a rainy day. The tutor will also supply some source material.
Course Description:
Starting with an overview of pastels and other dry media, you will learn about:
Techniques for drawing, thumbnail composition sketching, layout and tonal contrast;
You will explore colour blending with chalk pastels, using complementary colours to bring out vibrant colour; how to blend a variety of greens and other colours found in gardens, using different line styles and blocks of colour to create a range of shapes and textures found in foliage,
combining charcoal pencil and chalk pastels on different colour papers.
You will be shown some chalk pastel and quick sketching techniques to lay out a composition and ways of showing texture in garden scenes which you will experiment and develop in your own practical art work on location or if a rainy day in the Art Room.
Besides exploring colour in gardens you will develop an understanding of how tonal contrast, light and shadow can bring out sections of trees and foliage and create a vibrant garden pastel drawing. You will look at other artists who have worked used chalk pastels for inspiration such as Mary Cassat, Monet and Degas. Throughout the day you will explore capturing light, colour and texture in gardens through some studies and sketches then a final piece to consolidate techniques There are drawing boards and some cartridge paper available for sketching; also pencils in the Studio.
Timings: Saturday 20th July, 10am - 4pm. Coffee & Tea is available in the Art Room, and there should be an hour for lunch. Please help leave the room tidy before you leave.
Location: Barbican Art Room and Barbican gardens
Tutor: Mark Lovelace
Tutor: Mark Lovelace
Mark's classes and workshops, include very popular Life Drawing sessions and Portrait Painting Workshops. He will offer more one day workshops in the Easter holiday break 2025 (Life drawing, Abstract Art, Mixed Media, Portrait painting)
Mark will again be running a 5 week evening course and a variety of worshops during the summer holiday programme 2025. Details to be announced last week in April.
See details below for each class type:
Mark Lovelace - Repeating in Summer 2025
Description for Abstract & Figurative Workshop
Work from a still life, combining watercolour and pastels, or make a collage of a landscape adding layers and expressive brush marks with paint. Alternatively, you can work in an abstract way, using collage to make decisions about structure and develop your work with a feeling for colour, space, and texture. You are welcome to bring your own ideas or sketches to work with and to develop them in your own way. I will talk about colour theory and demonstrate how to use the various materials. There is plenty of cartridge paper and sugar paper in the art room, plus charcoal, pencils, coloured pencils, pastels, watercolours, acrylics, brushes, glue for collage etc. All these are available free of charge. You are welcome to bring your own materials.
We will take a lunch break between 12.30 and 1.30 pm
Mark Lovelace - Repeating in Summer 2025
Description for Life Drawing & Painting Workshop
In this workshop we will begin with some quick warm-up poses in the morning and then establish a long pose with coloured drapes to last for the rest of the morning and the afternoon session. This will give you the opportunity to make a paintng if you wish, or you can work in pastel. We will look at some work by Fauve and Expressionist painters for inspiraton. You can aim for strongly modelled forms and distnct colour contrasts to produce a vibrant compositon. Alternatvely, you could decide to follow your own personal approach.
We will take a lunch break between 12.30 and 1.30 pm
Mark Lovelace - Past Event
Description for Mixed Media Workshop with Collage
Work from a still life, combining watercolour and pastels, or make a collage of a landscape adding layers and expressive brush marks with paint. Alternatively, you can work in an abstract way, using collage to make decisions about structure and develop your work with a feeling for colour, space, and texture. You are welcome to bring your own ideas or sketches to work with and to develop them in your own way. I will talk about colour theory and demonstrate how to use the various materials. There is plenty of cartridge paper and sugar paper in the art room, plus charcoal, pencils, coloured pencils, pastels, watercolours, acrylics, brushes, glue for collage etc. All these are available free of charge. You are welcome to bring your own materials.
We will take a lunch break between 12.30 and 1.30 pm
Mark Lovelace - Past Event
Information for Portrait Painting Workshops
The aim of the workshop will be to make a portrait painting, either of the head alone, or a half-length portrait with hands. We will start with some quick sketches to help you work out a composition, and then commence the portrait paitning. (You can make a sustained drawing or pastel instead of a painting if you prefer.)
Suitable for beginners to advanced level.
Topics covered:
Structure of the head
Colour and form
Composition
Painting technique
Dates: See class schedules
Timings:
Starts 10:00 am
Lunch break 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Ends 4 pm.
The model will adopt a long pose from 10:15 am to 12:15 pm and 1:45 pm to 4 pm.
NOTE THERE WILL BE A DIFFERENT MODEL FOR EACH DATE.
Medium: Oils or Acrylics or Pastels.
Please bring your own materials.
Paints, brushes, solvent, canvas.
A palette or disposable palette paper and palette knife
(Drawing materials and some primed greyboard and acrylic paints are available in the art room)
Mark Lovelace - Mixed Media Course Description
Course Description:
The mixed media classes provide a stimulating learning environment for beginners to acquire the core skills they will need to draw and to paint, and for more experienced students to develop their own approach and work on individual projects.
Each week I provide a set-up, images, or a process to work with, and information about an aspect of art to focus upon. I show examples of work to inspire you, by modern and contemporary artists, and I demonstrate how to use the materials. I teach ways to understand and observe the natural world, to compose a picture and to use colour, alongside the basic techniques for each medium and interesting ways to combine them.
The subjects will include still life, portraits, the human figure, interiors, and landscapes. You can also make abstract work if you wish. We will have a professional model to work from for two of the sessions (there is a small extra charge for this).
We will work with pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels, water colours and acrylics. You can also use gouache or oil paints, and we will occasionally work with collage.
The art room has a range of materials which are free to use in case you do not have your own.
Mark Lovelace - Materials for Classes and Workshops
Starters List of Materials:
Basics
A small sketchbook, A5 or A4 size
Pencils - An HB or B and a 4B pencil
Pencil Sharpener
Erasers one hard, one putty rubber (optional)
Paper - Acid free cartridge, A3 pad or loose sheets. You can buy sheets in class if you prefer.
Pastels
Start with an affordable set such as Inscribe
Pastel paper - An A3 pad or 6 sheets. Ingres paper by Daler-Rowney is good to work with. You can buy sheets in class if you prefer.
Stomps for blending if you wish - you can easily make your own.
Watercolours
Watercolours come in pans or tubes. Tubes are recommended for the classroom because they are easier to dilute and mix. You can mix them more easily on a ceramic plate or palette, but a plastic palette will do. There are palettes in the art room. Here is a really basic list of Winsor&Newton 5 ml tube colours to start with.
Permanent Rose
Winsor Lemon
Indanthrene Blue
Pans are more convenient to carry and use out of doors. Cotman by Winsor&Newton is reasonably priced.
Watercolour brushes, one small one medium. Synthetic brushes are alright to start with. Kitchen towel
Watercolour paper - A3 pad or 6 sheets. You can buy sheets in class if you prefer.
Mark Lovelace - Information for Life Drawing Classes
Course Description:
A popular class with a different professional model each week. Model fees are included in the class fee. There will be a maximum of 8 students and plenty of individual support. Mark may make suggestions of artists you might like to research before the class, and you may wish to emulate specific drawing techniques. You will be encouraged to use different materials including pencils, charcoal and chalk, soft pastels, inks, etc.
The session will start with a warm up pose, followed by a series of quick 2 or 5 minute poses. You will then usually have several longer poses to finish. There will be a refreshment break about half way through.
You will be encouraged to use an easel, the Art Room also has drawing boards, tables, chairs and stools if you prefer. There is a library of Art books for reference.
Mark Lovelace - Drawing the Head (Short Course)
TBC
Tutor: Calvin Richards
Tutor: Calvin Richards
Calvin is offering a 10 week course for Summer Term 2025 using Charcoal and Oils (details below). Calvin has extensive teaching experience in life drawing and has tailored this class to those who would like to build up their skills so they feel confident in life drawing. He has previously stood in for Mark's class so you may have met him before!
The 10 weeks will comprise 5 sessions of charcoal drawing followed by 5 sessions of oil painting.
Charcoal & Oils: with Calvin Richards -
Wednesday afternoon class.
New for Summer Term 2025
Course Description: Charcoal & Oils
A 10 week course to discover and develop an understanding of these materials. Over the course participants will be given instruction and guidance to enable them to begin and progress their own art practice.
From basic techniques to more advanced processes we will explore both the possibilities and practicalities of these traditional yet constantly evolving mediums and how these two separate materials can inform each other
The course will comprise:
5 weeks of Charcoal drawing, including types of materials, techniques, composition, still life, self-portrait, and a final week of life drawing.
5 weeks of Oil painting, materials, supports, techniques. Still life, self-portrait and a final week of life drawing.
For the Charcoal classes you will need:
Willow charcoal mixed sizes
Compressed charcoal
Charcoal pencil
Heavy grain cartridge paper A3 and A4 size
Putty Rubber
Fixative
For oil painting classes:
Oil paints (Suggested Daler Rowney Georgian Oil Colour Classic Set of 8 75ml )
Oil paper (Cass Art Oil & Acrylic Pad 290gsm 12 Sheets A3/A4)
Low odour solvent
Brushes (suggested Cass Art White Synthetic Brush Set of 6)
Tutor: Katherine Tulloh
Tutor: Katherine Tulloh
Whether you are hoping to improve your skills or are an absolute beginner, Katherine will help you explore your creativity and increase your confidence in drawing.
Classes will explore the many different aspects of drawing including line, rhythm, tone, framing, composition, perspective and depth. The classes will explore the techniques and styles of the great artists as a way of expanding your own style and practice.
Katherine has also taught and inspired children of all ages through creative art classes within schools and community groups. Alongside her teaching she is a working artist and experimental film maker.
PLAYFUL DRAWING for Parents and Children. Suitable for children over 7 years - sessions are for Parent/Carer and Child (one adult with each child). Past event - Enquire about future sessions
Creative Drawing with Katherine Tulloh -
Tuesday morning class.
Continues in 2025
Class Description:
Whether you are hoping to improve your skills or are an absolute beginner, Katherine will help you explore your creativity and increase your confidence in drawing.
Looking at the many different aspects of drawing including line, rhythm, tone, framing, composition, perspective and depth the classes will explore the techniques and styles of the great artists as a way of expanding your own style and practice.
The class will use a variety of different materials and approaches - we might draw outdoors in sketchbooks or make ink friezes, charcoal still lifes or quick biro studies. Discussion and feedback within the group is a great way to learn and it will be fun!
Bring a sketchbook, pencils and rubber to your class if you have them.
About:
Katherine is a working artist and experimental film maker, but as her children were growing up, she taught and inspired children of all ages to express their creativity through classes within schools and community groups. She wrote a book to help her students continue their creative journey during the Covid lockdowns.
Tutor: Douglas Bevans
Tutor: Douglas Bevans
Douglas is an experienced teacher of Bookbinding, Calligraphy and Mono Printing. Douglas has run short courses for us in 2023 and we welcomed him back in 2024 for two Summer workshops and a short course in November,
Information for Mono-printing Workshops - with Douglas Bevans - Past Event
Information for Calligraphy (3 Week Course) - with Douglas Bevans - Past Event
The following will be used - pen, ink, paper.
Calligraphy Pens will be available for students to use. Pens may be purchased if students wish to keep them. Tools and materials will be provided at no extra cost.
To book a place email thebarbicanartsociety@gmail.com
Information for Bookbinding & Paper Folding (3 Week Course) - with Douglas Bevans - Past Event
The variety of small books that we will make in this four-week class are perfect for beginners. I might add these are my favourite books as well. Made by folding, glueing, or sewing, all are simple hand-made bindings requiring no specialised equipment. Yet they each demonstrate different qualities of paper, and the variety of ingenious structures that can bring pages together in a satisfying way.
After 30 years of bookbinding, these uncomplicated books still give me the greatest pleasure to make and to use.
Tools and materials will be provided. A small workshop charge will be added to the the standard class cost to cover additional materials.
To book a place email thebarbicanartsociety@gmail.com
Guest Tutor: Emma Cunningham
Guest Tutor: Emma Cunningham
Emma combines Art History, technical demos and one to one guidance in her summer workshops
She has taught very popular workshops with us in 2023 and 2024. We are delighted she has returned again for our 2025 sessions with new in depth options.
Emma will be running a 5 day 'Portrait Painting in Oil' course from Monday 11th to Friday 15th August 2025 and a themed 2 day 'Painting with Imagination' Workshop on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th August, all running 10 am - 4 pm daily. See details of each course in the 'Drop Downs' below and all our full summer holiday programme on the classes page.
The Expressive Portrait: livening up your art!
Past Event
Past Event
The Expressive Portrait: livening up your art!
Sunday 15th September 2024
The focus of this workshop is largely in technique: in how to create a sense of movement and/or emotion in your paintings and drawings of people. It’s nonetheless a class that would suit beginners and more experienced students alike: I’ve found that students can initially be put off by portraiture because it frankly seems so dull to focus on a frozen pose for hours and hours. If looser brushwork appeals to you then you might find that this workshop is up your alley. If you have prior experience with portraiture of figurative art then we can work together on loosening up your gestures and taking a few chances!
Influences from art history are diverse: recommended current exhibitions to visit are The Last Caravaggio at the National Gallery (ends July 21st), ‘Sargent and Fashion’ at Tate Britain (ends July 7th) and the Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award at the National Portrait (opens July 11th).
In my workshops I combine art history tuition with technical demos in the morning; and then the focus shifts to a student project and one-on-one instruction for the afternoon session. There’s no need for you to have prior experience, but if you do then we can build on that. These workshops aim to be complementary to the weekly Barbican classes. All materials provided, or bring your own oil paints and brushes if you prefer.’
Five Day Short Course: Portrait Painting in Oil
New Summer Workshop 2025
New Summer Workshop 2025
Image: Demo of portrait painting process (day 3)
Short Course: Portrait Painting in Oil
Monday 11th to Friday 15th August 2025
This short course introduces students to portraiture using oil paints. Across five days students will learn the full process for creating an oil portrait from a photographic reference. Through a series of demos and exercises we cover everything from anatomy, to colour theory, to brushwork. At the end of this course all students will have a finished portrait to keep. This course is suitable for both complete beginners and improvers. All materials are provided.
Day 1:
Morning:
Discussion: Essential anatomy for portraitists, including bony landmarks
and soft tissueExercise: Sketching your subject on paper
Project: Toning your canvas (student’s own) or canvas board (provided)
Afternoon:
Demo: creating an imprimatura (a monochrome underpainting).
Understanding the concept of ‘value’ (light and dark).Project: Students will then create their own imprimatura on their canvas
or board.
Day 2:
Morning:
Troubleshooting: checking proportions and placement in your
imprimatura.Demo of colour-mixing for skin tones and general discussion about
relativity of colour and the concepts of ‘hue’, ‘chroma’ and ‘temperature’.
Afternoon:
Beginning to work over the imprimatura in colour
Building the structures of the eye sockets and nose
Blocking in background colour
Day 3:
Morning:
Brushwork demo: imitating the texture of flesh! Students will practice brushwork on oil-safe paper before returning to their paintings.
Returning to working on the portrait, students will develop depth and nuance in the flesh.
Afternoon:
Demo of painting eyes and lips.
Students work on developing features.
Day 4:
Morning:
Demo on how to handle hair and facial hair.
Students work on developing and refining hair masses.
Afternoon:
Refining background and clothing.
Final troubleshooting for colour, form, and shadows: identifying focus areas for the final day.
Day 5:
Morning:
Demo on painting highlights.
Discussion and demo on the options and approaches to handling
accessories.Students work on adding final details and highlights
Afternoon:
Finishing touches: Exploring how the final marks you make can push your painting to the next level!
Materials:
All materials are provided, but students are welcome to bring their own if they prefer. The materials we will be using include pencils, paper, a canvas board, oil paints (cadmium red, cadmium yellow, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, raw umber, titanium white), various long-handled brushes (hog and synthetic), solvent, and linseed oil.
If students wish to work on canvas rather than canvas board, they will need to bring their own (please make sure it is primed with an extra coat of gesso so that it is ready for use with oil paints).
While I can provide images to work from, I do strongly recommend that students select their own before the start of the course so that after all that hard work they have a portrait to keep!
Gouache Painting with Wendy Jacob -
Past Event
About Gouache painting
What is Gouache?
Gouache is opaque watercolour – similar to the poster paint some of us may have used in school art classes. It is much easier to use than water colour as you can change your painting as you go along, making the process more relaxed and creative. The colours can be vibrant and dense but also, with clever mixing, subtle and harmonious. It is a very flexible and user friendly medium.
Who am I?
I am a Member of the Royal Watercolour Society and have led some of their workshops and day courses. As well as teaching residential courses at West Dean I have taught a weekly class at the Mary Fielding Guild. But most of the time I am an exhibiting painter and have just had two paintings in the 2023 RA Summer Exhibition.
What materials are needed?
All you need are a few tubes of Windsor and Newton Designer Colours - primary red, yellow, blue and white and some sturdy paper. I will bring some tubes of paint to the first session for everyone to try, so that you will know what is needed, as well as some suitable paper to experiment with. (Bring brushes and any other watercolour equipment you already use.)
Two Day Workshop: Painting with Imagination
New Summer Workshop 2025
New Summer Workshop 2025
Two day workshop
Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th August 2025
Details to be added shortly
Guest Tutor: Wendy Jacob
Guest Tutor: Wendy Jacob
Wendy is member of the Royal Watercolour Society and has led some of their workshops and day courses, as well as other classes and courses. Wendy ran our Monday afternoon Gouache class in Spring Term 2025. No courses or workshops this summer due to other commitments.
Guest Tutor: Paul Becker
Guest Tutor: Paul Becker
Paul is a very experienced art teacher, much of it in the higher education sector. He ran a 2 day workshop in 'Oil Painting from the Imagination' for our 2024 Summer School.
Guest Tutor: Lucie Winterson
Guest Tutor: Lucie Winterson
Lucie ran a new summer workshop for us in summer 2023, exploring the Creative World of Watercolours.
Guest Tutor: William Newton
Guest Tutor: William Newton
Bill has published several books on painting with watercolours. He has run regular workshops with us over many years.
Report abuse