ONLINE Acrylic Painting Course (MONDAYS, 10:00 - 12:00)

You will be working on a new painting each week and sessions will have a specific focus with a reference to an artist or a technique.

To take part you will need a camera and Zoom App on your phone, tablet or computer. Zoom is free to download.

Please log into the session in good time – say 10-15 minutes before the start time. If you have trouble logging in, give Julia a ring on 07876484293 and she will try to talk you through it.

During a session, you will be muted so that everyone can concentrate on Julia’s voice, but if you have a question, please switch on your microphone and voice it out, do not be shy. You will be able to paint along with Julia, as she paints or you could just watch and concentrate on her techniques. After the demonstration, there will be opportunity for you to discuss points.

After the session, you will be emailed a link to the recording of each session which will be a private recording held on YouTube so that you can watch it again whilst you paint your own version. This link must not be passed on to anyone else. You are welcome to download and save all videos. However, please be aware that the videos will be deleted from YouTube a week after the end of the course.

Verbal feedback will be available on the completion of your work, this will be arranged over a selected afternoon or evening.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellations are subject to a one off £20.00 administration charge to cover processing costs, website booking fees, and card payment fees. For cancellations within one week of the course date, no refunds can be given. In the unlikely event of a course being cancelled, moved or rearranged you will be offered a refund of your payment or an alternative course. The organiser will not be held responsible for any extra costs arising out of the cancellation of a course.

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Below are examples of images for SEP-NOV 2025 classes:

Week 1: 29 SEP – Edge of the woods at Dovestone Reservoir – Recap on tone and depth in painting. You will create 2-3 small A5 size studies on a grey paper or board developing a sound composition from a photo below. On plain white A3 paper, you will practice dynamic marks by experimenting with various brushes to achieve accidental creative strokes. You will then create a final tonal study approximately A3 size.

Week 2:  6 OCT – Water Pools at Dovestone Reservoir – Positive and negative shapes. Prior to the painting, you will produce a small A5 study on an orange paper/ board exploring how to ‘frame’, emphasise a waterfall/ rocky pools of water (darkness, contrasting boarders, developing an appealing shape). You will then progress to develop larger painting, study shapes of rocks, grasses and surrounding landscape. 

Week 3: 13 OCT – The Trinnacle at Dovestone Reservoir – Compositional Pathways to a Focal Point. The Trinnacle is a well-known, three-pronged gritstone rock formation on Saddleworth Moor that overlooks the reservoir. In this class, you will explore how to guide the viewer’s eye through a landscape composition towards a chosen focal point. 

Week 4: 20 OCT – Fountains Abbey Ruins – Contrasting Light Through the Archway. In this session, we will explore the dramatic contrasts of light and shadow at Fountains Abbey, as seen through the framing of an archway. 

Week 5:  27 OCT – Fountains Abbey Ruins – Establishing Rhythm in a Painting. In this session, we will explore how rhythm can bring structure and harmony to a painting of the atmospheric ruins of Fountains Abbey. 

Week 6: 3 NOV – Peaceful Haven at Carlisle Cathedral Gardens - Composition and Colour Planning. We will begin with 2–3 quick tonal sketches to explore different possible compositions. This is your chance to play with format and explore where to place the shapes of greenery, foliage, and the Abbey tower. Next, we will move into colour exploration. These are not about “getting it right,” but about discovering what resonates with you.

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Below are examples of images for NOV-DEC 2025 classes:

15 Dec 2025 - Christmas Theme 

Equipment you will need:

• images/ photos you will be using as a reference for term which are above. If you wish, you can save them as JPG files too, by clicking on individual files. Please have them available for each session printed or on a screen;
  
• drawing board, which you can raise or an Art & Craft Workstation/ small easel;
• A3 or larger size (40 x 50cm) canvas or board (the proportion of the work might differ – please refer to the images provided) – for each week you will need to prime it with a different acrylic colour as a starting background colour, please see the notes next to each session;
• paper for trying the colours and colour mixing samples;
• a range of acrylic brushes, including a flat and round synthetic brushes, a large 1 ½ inch or 2 inch brush;
• acrylic paints - Julia will be using System 3 Acrylic and her key colours are White, Black, Cadmium Yellow, Ochre, Crimson, Deep Violet, Phthalo Blue, Ultramarine, Emerald Green, other colours are optional;
• kitchen towel;
• water pot;
• palette or big white plate;
• palette knives, a small wooden wedge, sponge, old cloth/ rug – to be used as painting tools;
• additional equipment, please see the notes next to each session (oil pastels and soft pastels, corrugated card, newspaper, charcoal, chalk).

Once the payment was received, you will be emailed a login details (a Zoom link), which you need to use for all 6 Zoom sessions, please keep it safe.