Acrylic Painting Courses in London

You can learn acrylic painting at Sunny Art Centre in Covent Garden, Central London. We offer in-person acrylic painting classes for complete beginners, intermediate students and advanced painters, taught in a professional art studio with individual demonstrations, technical guidance and feedback throughout every lesson. Our studio is on Kemble Street, London WC2B 4AW, within walking distance of Covent Garden and Holborn Underground stations. Classes are limited to a maximum of 10 students, so every painter receives regular one-to-one support from a professional artist tutor.

Yes. Our beginner acrylic painting classes are suitable for complete beginners, including people who have never painted before or have not made art since school. You do not need to prepare a portfolio, complete an assessment or bring examples of previous work. During your first lesson, your tutor will discuss your experience and goals before helping you begin with an appropriate exercise or painting subject. You will be introduced gradually to colour theory, colour mixing, brush control, paint application and composition.

Yes. Acrylic is one of the most accessible painting mediums for beginners. It is water-based, dries relatively quickly and can normally be painted over once it is dry. Brushes and palettes can be cleaned with water, and students do not need to use traditional oil-painting solvents. Acrylic can be applied in thin layers or with stronger, more solid colour, making it suitable for learning a wide range of painting techniques. Because every student follows an individual study plan, you will not be expected to work at the same level or speed as everyone else in the class.

No. You can begin acrylic painting without completing a drawing course first. Basic drawing skills can help with proportion, composition and planning, but your tutor can guide you through the drawing required for each painting project. Some students choose to develop drawing and acrylic painting together, while others focus primarily on painting. If you would like to strengthen the foundations, you can also take a dedicated drawing course alongside your painting.

Both acrylic and oil painting can be suitable for beginners, but they behave differently. Acrylic paint dries quickly, cleans with water and allows you to add new layers during the same lesson. Oil paint dries much more slowly, providing more time for blending and adjusting colours. Acrylic may suit students who prefer quicker drying times, direct colour and simpler cleaning. Oil painting may suit students who prefer gradual blending and traditional techniques. If you are unsure which medium to choose, you can book a free consultation before enrolling.

Acrylic paint can be applied transparently or opaquely and forms a permanent layer once it has dried, allowing you to build layers, strengthen colours and paint over previous areas. Watercolour is usually transparent, relies more heavily on the white paper to create light, and requires careful control of water, timing and transparency. Acrylic may suit you if you enjoy painting on canvas, layering colours and creating both smooth and textured surfaces. Watercolour may be more suitable if you prefer delicate washes and working on paper.

Yes. We offer acrylic painting courses at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Intermediate students can strengthen their colour mixing, tonal control, paint application, composition and understanding of form and depth. Advanced students can focus on technical refinement, more complex compositions, sophisticated colour relationships, personal projects and developing an individual painting style. Your tutor will assess your experience and recommend a study plan appropriate to your current level and artistic goals.

Our adult acrylic painting course is suitable for students aged 17 and over. We offer separate art courses for children and teenagers, with teaching methods and projects designed specifically for younger students. Please contact the studio before booking an adult course for anyone under 17.

Depending on your experience and chosen package, a beginner acrylic painting course may cover: How to use acrylic paints, brushes and painting surfaces Colour theory, colour mixing and creating harmonious combinations Warm and cool colours, and complementary colours Tonal values, brush control and paint application Blending, layering and acrylic mark-making Light and shadow, and creating form and depth Composition and working from observational references Painting still life, landscapes and other suitable subjects Your tutor will introduce these areas in an appropriate order according to your experience and progress.

Colour theory and colour mixing are important parts of our acrylic painting programme. Students learn how primary colours can be mixed to create secondary and tertiary colours. Your tutor may also introduce warm and cool colours, complementary colours, colour temperature, tonal value, limited palettes and methods for creating harmonious colour relationships. These exercises help students mix colours more accurately and understand how colour affects form, depth, light, atmosphere and composition.

During your first lesson, your tutor will ask about your previous experience, interests and reasons for learning acrylic painting. Complete beginners will normally be introduced to the materials and shown how to organise a palette, mix colours and apply the paint. Your first project may focus on colour mixing, brush control, tonal values, simple forms or a straightforward observational subject. You do not need to prepare a subject before attending — your tutor will help you select an appropriate starting project and establish your individual study plan.

No. Our acrylic painting classes follow a personalised teaching approach. Students may work on different exercises and projects according to their experience, interests and stage of study, while the tutor moves around the studio providing individual demonstrations, corrections and feedback. This allows complete beginners and experienced painters to attend the same session while working at an appropriate level.

When you first join, your tutor will normally recommend exercises and subjects that develop the skills you need most. As your confidence and technical ability improve, you can discuss your own ideas and preferred subjects with the tutor. Students may work from still-life arrangements, photographs, landscapes, portraits, flowers, animals, figures or architecture. Your tutor will help you choose suitable references and balance your personal interests with the technical exercises needed for steady progress.

Students may study a range of observational subjects, including: Still life Landscapes Portraits and figures Flowers and botanical subjects Animals Architecture and cityscapes Colour studies and personal observational projects The subjects you study will depend on your course level, individual goals and chosen lesson package. Our tutors can help you develop realistic and observational work, including still life, landscape and portrait painting, by teaching accurate proportion, colour mixing, tonal values, edges and the appearance of light and three-dimensional form.

We do not provide dedicated abstract painting tuition. Our acrylic painting courses focus on the essential foundations of painting — colour theory, colour mixing, composition, tonal relationships, brush control, paint application and understanding how colours interact. These skills are valuable for all forms of painting and provide a strong technical foundation. Understanding colour relationships, composition, tonal balance, brushwork and different methods of applying paint can help students who later wish to explore a more independent abstract practice make confident, informed creative decisions.

Depending on your level and chosen package, you may study: Colour mixing Layering, blending and glazing Dry brushing and scumbling Transparent and more opaque paint application Acrylic mark-making and palette-knife techniques Textured paint application Hard and soft edges Expressive brushwork and using acrylic painting mediums Your tutor will demonstrate how to apply these techniques within your own individual projects.

Acrylic paint dries as its water content evaporates. Your tutor can show you how to manage the drying time by organising your palette carefully, preparing colour mixtures before painting, working in stages and using a wet palette. Acrylic retarder or slow-drying mediums may also be introduced when appropriate. These products should be used carefully, because adding too much can affect how the paint dries. The same techniques also help when you want to blend acrylic smoothly or work wet into wet.

The cost of acrylic painting classes in London depends on the number of lessons, class size, teaching format and what is included in the course package. Sunny Art Centre currently offers packages of 20, 40 and 50 acrylic painting lessons, with each lesson lasting two hours. Please visit our acrylic painting course and prices page for the latest fees, VAT information, package validity periods and course inclusions.

We offer packages of 20, 40 and 50 lessons. The 20-lesson package introduces essential materials and techniques, including colour theory, colour mixing, paint application, blending and mark-making. The 40-lesson package provides more time to strengthen these foundations and develop a greater understanding of form and depth. The 50-lesson package is the most comprehensive option, with more time to study composition, colour relationships, different subjects and a wider range of techniques. Complete beginners who want a thorough technical foundation normally benefit most from the 50-lesson package, while those looking for a shorter introduction may prefer the 20-lesson option.

Each group acrylic painting lesson lasts two hours. The two-hour format allows time for tutor demonstrations, independent painting, questions and individual feedback. Private and bespoke lesson durations may vary according to the programme arranged.