Oil Painting FAQ: Beginners’ Questions Answered

Each group lesson lasts two hours, and classes are limited to a maximum of 10 students.

The small class size allows students to work independently while receiving regular individual demonstrations, feedback and technical support from the tutor.

Our oil painting classes run every week at our Covent Garden art school, and students can join at any time throughout the year.

Tuesday and Thursday
11:00am–1:00pm
1:30pm–3:30pm

Tuesday to Friday
4:00pm–6:00pm
6:30pm–8:30pm

Saturday
9:00am–11:00am
11:30am–1:30pm
2:00pm–4:00pm
4:00pm–6:00pm

All classes are subject to availability. Please check the online timetable when making your booking.

Yes. We offer rolling enrolment, so you do not need to wait for the beginning of a school term.

After purchasing your oil painting course package, you can select an available starting date and book your lessons through your online student account.

No. You can choose from the available daytime, evening and Saturday sessions and may book a different class time each week.

This flexible system is suitable for students with changing work or personal schedules. All lessons must be booked in advance and are subject to availability.

Classes are held at Sunny Art Centre, Sunny Art Centre, Covent Garden, Kemble Street, London WC2B 4AW.

Nearest Underground stations
Covent Garden: Piccadilly line
Holborn: Central and Piccadilly lines

Nearby bus stop
Aldwych/Kingsway, Stop F — routes 1, 68, 91, 168, 188, N1, N68, N91, N171 and SL6

Nearby car parks
Lincoln’s Inn Fields Car Park, Urban Parking Shelton Street, NCP London Covent Garden and Intelli-Park Covent Garden — all open 24 hours.

Our central London location is convenient for daytime, evening and weekend art classes.

First, select and purchase the oil painting course package that best suits your goals.

Your lesson credits will then be added to your online student account. You can log in, view the timetable and book your preferred classes.

A confirmed booking is required before attending. Arriving without a booking does not guarantee that a place will be available.

The cost depends on the number of lessons included in your chosen course package. We offer packages of 20, 40 and 50 lessons, with each lesson lasting two hours.

Larger packages provide more time to build technical skills, complete paintings and explore different subjects. Please visit our oil painting course and prices page for current package options, validity periods and prices.

All students should check what is included before purchasing a course.

You must provide at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a class.

When the required notice is given, the lesson credit will be returned to your account. Late cancellations and missed classes may result in the credit being deducted.

Bookings and cancellations should be managed through your online student account.

Yes. Every course package has a validity period, which is shown in the course description and confirmed when you purchase.

Lessons must be booked and completed before the expiry date. Extensions or freezes are not automatic, although exceptional circumstances may be considered individually.

Please choose a package that you can realistically complete within its stated validity period.

Oil painting materials are not normally included unless the individual course description specifically states otherwise.

Students generally bring their own paints, brushes, painting surfaces, palette and mediums. Easels and basic studio furniture are provided.

We offer a recommended oil painting materials pack, and selected materials can also be purchased from our studio shop.

You will usually need:

• A basic selection of oil paints
• Oil painting brushes
• A canvas or primed painting board
• A palette
• A suitable painting medium or low-odour solvent
• Containers for your medium and brush cleaning
• Palette knives or other tools listed for your course
• An apron or clothes suitable for painting

We recommend checking the course materials list before your first lesson. Beginners can also purchase our recommended oil painting materials pack to make preparation easier.

Yes. Selected paints and art materials are available to purchase from the studio shop, subject to stock.

You can also order a recommended materials pack before beginning your course. It is best to arrange your materials in advance rather than relying on every item being available immediately before your class.

A small collection of three to five brushes is usually enough to begin. A combination of flat, filbert and round brushes in different sizes will allow you to block in larger areas, blend paint and add details. Hog-bristle brushes suit thicker oil work, while softer synthetic brushes suit blending.

Beginners are normally advised to start with a small or medium-sized primed canvas or painting board. Your tutor can recommend suitable brushes and surfaces for your chosen subject and painting style.

Not necessarily. Traditional turpentine is not the only option.

Many artists use low-odour solvent, odourless mineral spirit or solvent-free painting methods. The most suitable choice will depend on the techniques you are studying.

Please follow the recommended materials list and your tutor’s instructions rather than purchasing strong solvents without guidance.

Oil paints can be used indoors when they are handled responsibly. Particular care should be taken with solvents, mediums and certain pigments.

Use only the recommended products, avoid prolonged skin contact, keep materials away from food and drink, and follow your tutor’s instructions for ventilation, storage and cleaning.

Materials should never be poured into sinks or disposed of without following the correct guidance.

Oil paint usually takes several days to become touch-dry, although drying time varies according to the pigment, paint thickness, medium, temperature and ventilation.

Thin layers may dry relatively quickly, while thick impasto areas can remain wet for much longer. A finished oil painting may continue curing for several months even after the surface feels dry.

Oil paint dries slowly, allowing more time for blending, soft transitions and corrections. Acrylic paint dries much faster, can be diluted with water and is easier to clean from brushes before it dries.

Oil painting may suit students who enjoy gradual development, traditional layering and extended blending time. Acrylic may suit those who prefer quicker drying and faster layers.

Course packages are purchased for a specific medium and cannot normally be changed from oil to acrylic after enrolment. Students who are unsure which medium to choose should consider our Introduction to Painting and Drawing for Beginners course or book a free consultation before purchasing.

No — oil painting is one of the most beginner-friendly mediums because it dries slowly, so you can blend, correct and rework your painting for hours rather than racing against the paint. At Sunny Art Centre, oil painting classes welcome complete beginners: your tutor gives individual demonstrations and feedback, and your study plan is set to your own level and pace.

Yes — you need no previous experience, no pre-made artwork and no natural "talent" to start oil painting at Sunny Art Centre. Mixed-ability students learn in the same class, each following their own personalised project, so beginners are never held back or left behind.

No, you do not have to complete a drawing course before you start oil painting, though basic drawing skills help with composition and proportion. Tutors build the drawing you need into your oil painting lessons, and if you would like to strengthen the foundations you can also take a dedicated drawing or beginners’ class alongside.

The time required depends on your goals, previous experience, how regularly you attend classes and how much you practise between lessons.

A complete beginner may produce a simple oil painting within the first few lessons. However, building a strong foundation in drawing, tonal values, colour mixing, brushwork, composition and paint application requires consistent study over a longer period.

We offer beginner oil painting packages of 20, 40 and 50 lessons. For complete beginners who want a thorough foundation, we recommend the 50-lesson course, which provides enough time to progress from structured exercises and still-life studies to landscapes, portraits, master copies and personal compositions.

A small oil study may take one or two lessons, while a larger or more detailed painting may require several sessions.

The time will depend on the size, subject, painting method and level of detail. Your tutor will help you plan the artwork and divide the process into manageable stages, and because oil paint dries slowly you can simply continue an unfinished piece at your next class.

When you first join the course, your tutor will usually help you choose a subject that is suitable for your current level and supports the specific oil painting techniques you need to develop.

Beginners may start with subjects such as basic cast forms, a single still-life object or a carefully arranged group of still-life objects. These exercises build essential skills in drawing, composition, tonal values, colour mixing, brushwork and paint application.

As your technical control and confidence improve, you can progress to more advanced subjects such as landscapes, portraits, interiors or more complex still-life arrangements. Your personal interests are always taken into consideration, and in some cases you may be encouraged to copy a carefully selected painting by a master artist to study colour, composition, technique and brushwork.

Yes. Although these are group classes, each student follows an individual study plan and receives personalised guidance from the tutor.

Your tutor may provide demonstrations, technical advice, feedback and corrections throughout the lesson. Because classes are limited to a maximum of 10 students, tutors can spend time supporting each student individually.

Our adult oil painting courses are suitable for students aged 17 and over.

Younger students can join our dedicated children’s and teenagers’ art courses or arrange private tuition, subject to age requirements and availability.

Depending on your level and chosen course package, you may study:

• How to use oil paints, brushes, palettes and painting mediums
• Colour mixing and colour theory
• Tone, form, proportion and composition
• Preparing a canvas and creating an underpainting
• Layering, blending, glazing and scumbling
• Impasto and expressive brushwork
• Alla prima and traditional painting methods
• Still life, portrait, landscape and figurative painting
• Techniques inspired by the Old Masters

Your tutor will develop a study plan suited to your experience and help you apply these techniques to your own artwork.

Beginners typically learn colour mixing, blocking in, layering, blending, glazing, scumbling and working "fat over lean," plus brush control and palette-knife work as you progress. At Sunny Art Centre, your tutor demonstrates each technique individually and applies it to your own chosen subject within your personalised study plan.

"Fat over lean" means each new oil layer should contain more oil (be "fatter") than the layer beneath it, so upper layers stay flexible and the painting dries without cracking. In practice you start with paint thinned by solvent and gradually add more medium or oil in later layers — a core rule your tutor will demonstrate.

Yes. We offer private oil painting tuition and bespoke programmes for beginners, experienced painters and students working towards particular artistic or academic goals.

Private lessons can focus entirely on your chosen subject, technique or project. A free consultation can be arranged to discuss your level, availability and preferred learning outcomes.

Yes. Oil painting can help you demonstrate technical ability, observation, colour understanding, composition and personal development within an art portfolio.

However, a successful portfolio normally needs to include more than finished oil paintings. Students preparing for university, foundation courses, scholarships or other applications may benefit from our dedicated portfolio preparation programmes, which can include project development, experimentation, selection, presentation and interview preparation.

We cannot guarantee admission, but our tutors can help you create and present work that reflects your skills, ideas and individual direction.