Introduction To Life Painting

Fri 18 Sep-4 Dec (10 wks) | 1.45-4pm  | 16+ yrs

An opportunity for those with some life drawing experience to develop skills in painting the life form, beginning with acrylics and moving into oils. Through a series of exercises you will explore paint handling, mark making and limited colour palette.

What will the course cover, and how will it be taught?

Drawing boards and easels will be provided.

During the course you will learn to:

• Appreciate basic measuring techniques in relation to the life model.
• Learn the basics of acrylic and oil paint.
• Mix colour and tone with purpose and meaning.
• Understand and represent colour, tone and structure of the human form.
• Develop mark-making with paint.
• Appreciate the works of other artists in relation to painting and the human form.

Within the sessions you will partake in practical work painting from a life model, follow demonstrations and engage in group work and discussion.

There will also be a combination of one–to-one tutoring, looking at work by other artists, peer learning, self-assessment and tutor assessment.

What do I need to bring with me?

Drawing boards and easels will be provided.

To the first session please bring:

• Acrylic paint – yellow ochre, Burnt Umber and Titanium White
• 3 non expensive surfaces like paper, lining paper or card (you can reuse old surfaces by priming them in white acrylic primer). It is best to prime these surfaces beforehand, but not necessary when using acrylic paint.
• A selection of different size brushes.
• Small sponge.
• Water pots
• A tray to use as a palette.
• Water spray bottle.
• Grease proof paper.
• Material rags.
• Masking tape or clips to attach your paper to a board

For future lesson you will need (this is not exclusive as you can add different colours or mediums if you have them):

• A basic range of acrylic colours (suggestion – Cadmium red, yellow ochre, lemon yellow, light Red, Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Umber)
• A basic range of oil colours (same as acrylic colours)
• Palette knife
• Solvent (Sansador or Zest It)
• White spirit for washing brushes.
• Gesso Primer

When using art materials your clothes could potentially get dirty so you may wish to bring an apron and/or dress for mess.

Are there any additional costs?

No

Important Information

This course will be held in Studio 3. There are no sessions during half term 26-30 October & 16-20 November.

About the tutor

Catherine MacDiarmid brings over 30 years of teaching experience to her role, combining extensive classroom practice with the insight of a dedicated, practising artist. She has exhibited widely, including the BP Portrait Award (2001/02), the New Light Art (2021/22 and 2023/24), and regularly at the Mall Galleries. Her work has received numerous accolades, most recently the Watercolour Materials Award at the Jackson’s Painting Prize in 2023 and the People and Faces Award 2025 at the Lake Artists Society. She is an elected member of the Lakes Artists Society and the Contemporary British Portrait Painters. Catherine has also appeared on Portrait Artist of the Year (2014 and 2018), reaching the semi-finals in 2019.Alongside private portrait commissions, her work is collected internationally, and she is based in her home studio in Kendal.