At Sunny Art Centre we have always wanted the studio to feel not only like a place to learn, but somewhere students can relax, slow down and enjoy the process of making art. From long painting sessions and life-drawing studies to conversations shared during breaks, it has been wonderful watching the studio continue to grow as a creative community.

Many students have asked whether individual oil colours can be bought directly from the studio. We are pleased to say a selection of professional materials is now available through the Sunny Art Centre Materials Store — replace a frequently used colour without buying a whole new set.

Alongside the colours we stock brushes for oil and acrylic, refined gum turpentine, cold-pressed linseed oil, Zest-it dilutant and brush cleaner, and Winsor & Newton canvas boards. Suggestions for the range are always welcome.

In our latest educational video we explore one of the most important foundations of painting: the colour wheel. Understanding colour relationships helps artists make more informed decisions when mixing paint — creating harmony, controlling contrast, and developing atmosphere within a painting.

This August we once again welcome young artists to our annual Summer Art Courses in Covent Garden. Students begin with strong foundations in drawing — observation, proportion, perspective, tone and composition — then progress into painting with colour theory and practical technique in watercolour and acrylic.

Held annually at the Royal Academy of Arts, the Summer Exhibition is one of Britain’s most prestigious and longest-running art exhibitions. For many of our students, one of the most inspiring aspects of studying at Sunny Art Centre is learning from practising artists — alongside teaching, our tutors continue to exhibit and contribute to the wider cultural landscape.

Born in China and based in London, Yinjie’s work has been exhibited in the United Kingdom, Spain and China, with collaborations including The National Gallery, the Royal College of Art, the BBC, Harrods, and the V&A.

This month we welcome James as the newest model in our Life Drawing & Painting programme. Throughout the current cycle students work from a sustained pose — moving beyond preliminary sketches into considered, refined studies over multiple sessions. Under the guidance of Martin Drexler, each class begins with short exercises to sharpen observation and capture gesture before progressing into longer studies of accuracy, volume and expression.

We are pleased to showcase a beautiful charcoal portrait study by student Jeremy Scott. Through carefully observed values and subtle tonal transitions, the portrait shows how form, structure and atmosphere can be created using only light and shadow.

Charcoal has been essential to artistic training for centuries — rich darks, soft transitions, and the versatility for both precise detail and expressive atmosphere. Many of the world’s leading classical academies still place it at the centre of their programmes, and at Sunny Art Centre it anchors our structured approach to observation, tonal analysis and anatomy in the tradition of the Old Masters.