5-Week Beginner Art Course
A friendly, supportive & informal beginner acrylics painting course. This course will help you build confidence with acrylic materials and gain an understanding of colour mixing, blending, paint application and composition. You'll touch on still life, abstracts and land/seascapes
Course structure
5 x 2.5 hour lessons over 5 consecutive weeks
Includes short practical demonstrations by Sarah followed by open studio time plus support & feedback
Break half way for light refreshments
Over the 5 weeks you will produce 3 small project pieces of work including an abstract, a still-life and a land/seascape and one final main painting of your choice on stretched canvas
Overview of the course:
Week 1: Foundations (Meet your materials & introduction to colour theory)
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Acrylic basics - paint types and properties
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Brushes / palette knives & other tools that we'll be using
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Introduction to using a 'stay-wet palette'
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Basic colour mixing & intro to mixing mediums
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Value and contrast
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Practice Piece 1 - Value scale
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Project 1 - Simple still life study - value painting
Week 2: Colour theory & small piece of work
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Introduction to colour theory (Hues: Primary, secondary, tertiary & complimentary colours)
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Colour mixing and blending
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Tints & Shades
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Colour wheel exercise
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Practice Piece 2 - colour palettes / swatches (quick studies)
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Project 2 - Simple abstract- quick studies on acrylic paper - (Zorn & complimentary palettes)
Week 3: Paint application techniques using different tools
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Explore applying paint using a variety of tools (palette knife, rag, credit card)
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Layering and blending to create interest, depth & atmosphere
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Practice Piece - Skies and horizons
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Project 3: mini semi abstract land/seascape
Week 4: Composition & consolidation
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Composition - General rules & simple concepts
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Practice piece - composition sketches for your final painting
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Final painting planning - choosing palette and applying early layers
Week 5: Bringing it all together
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Studio time to finish your final painting
All materials are provided including paints, paper, canvases, brushes and other tools
Instructions
Please wear old clothes or an apron as acrylic paint can get messy and once dried is very hard to remove from clothing
Light refreshments are available (although you may wish to bring your own if you have any specific dietary requirements)
Please also remember to bring glasses if you need them and any medication you may require
NEW for 2026!!!
Expressive Seascapes 4 -week Course
4-Week Acrylic & Mixed Media Art Course
Starts Friday 30th January 2026
10:00 - 12:30 (4 consecutive weeks)
Fully Booked
Next course date TBA
Suitable for beginner to intermediate levels of experience. This friendly, supportive & informal painting course balances technical foundations of acrylic painting with space for creative exploration, focusing on expressive seascapes. We'll be exploring colour & composition as well as how to loosen up our mark making & painting to create interest, texture & atmosphere
Course structure:
4 x 2.5 hour lessons over 4 consecutive weeks
Includes short practical demonstrations by Sarah followed by open studio time
and individual support & feedback
Break half way for light refreshments
Capture The Light - 2 Part Course
2-Part Abstract Land/seascape mixed media Course
TBC (2 consecutive weeks)
EASRHAM HALL
Capture the Light is a 2-part acrylic & mixed media semi-abstract landscape / seascape course designed for artists who want to bring more atmosphere, depth and drama to their work.
This workshop will help you expand your technical skills and unlock a more expressive style
Through demonstrations & hands-on practical work, Sarah will guide you to explore:
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Acrylic techniques for capturing luminosity and atmospheric depth
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Ways to convey emotion and atmosphere through colour, contrast and composition
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How to create skies that feel alive, moody or dramatic
All materials provided: Paper, canvases, brushes, acrylic paints and inks, pastels, acrylic pens, collage and mixing media
Tea / Coffee and light refreshments provided
" I’ve honestly found Sarah's mindful art classes life changing.
Hugely relaxing in a safe and welcoming space.
Cannot recommend enough"
- Libby -
" I am so pleased I booked on the Mixed Media Mindfulness Course. Sarah is a knowledgeable teacher both in mindfulness practices and with all things creative. Her honesty and clear love of learning is very infectious and she creates such a safe space for self-expression, peace and well-being. This is not just an art course, it is for anyone who is looking to reclaim a sense of calm and playfulness in life - no previous skills or experience necessary whatsoever
- Vanessa -
" I would like to say that I loved the Mixed Media Mindfulness course. The meditation and mindfulness drawing set a relaxing atmosphere from the start and I have enjoyed exploring different media...I'm loving exploring at home and it has reawakened my love of art. Thank you for a fabulous course and for helping me understand that art is about enjoyment, fun and finding mindful moments and not the need to compare or strive for perfection! "
- Paula-