Painting portraits has challenged artists for over 2,000 years and this enduring fascination continues to thrive, long after the invention of photography. This course focuses on combining the practical aspects of applying paint on canvas with the intuitive, emotional, and expressive responses inherent to painting a fellow human being: the depiction of the head as form existing in space, as portrait, as well as the relationship between painter and sitter. Students are offered the chance to make sustained portrait paintings over several days as well as shorter studies. Emphasis will be placed on colour mixing, temperature, tone and mark making, varieties of palettes and methods relevant to an individual student’s practice. Examples will be given from artists both historical and contemporary: Velázquez to Dumas, Edouard Manet to Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. Students will receive one-to-one tuition as well as participating in group discussions. Suitable for all levels from beginner to veteran painter. 


Free charcoal, newsprint and masking tape are provided in the Studios, you can purchase cartridge paper at cost price. 

There is an added Co-Co Bello Solvent fee for painting courses which includes a 200ml pot of solvent to use during the course. Please note that no other solvents will be allowed in the studios, in order to protect not only those with allergies but all who paint within our studios. Co-Co Bello is a plant-based, natural & odourless oil painting solvent. It is a replacement for traditional solvents and thinners such as turpentine, white spirit & alcohol. Co-Co Bello is non-hazardous, non-flammable.

You will need to purchase and bring all other recommended materials with you; a material list will be sent out before the start of the course. 

This course is for students 18 and over. 

Unfortunately, we do not offer concessions on our holiday courses.

All of our course rates are subsidised and we also offer a comprehensive concessions scheme on term-time courses. View all course fees and concessions.

Featured image by Shawn McGovern