Oil Painting: Build your Skills (Previously Oil Essentials)

Suitable for: Beginners to Intermediate

Build a strong foundation in oil painting through supportive, guided sessions designed to help you grow in skill and confidence. You’ll explore materials, colour mixing, composition and essential techniques such as underpainting, layering and blending. Working from a range of subjects — including still life, landscapes and simple portraits — you’ll learn how to approach a painting from first marks to final details.

About the tutor:

Livvy Stainer is a Hampshire-based artist and tutor specialising in portraiture and figure painting. With 30 years of professional experience, she trained at Heatherley’s School of Art in London.

She has been teaching adult art classes for the past 10 years, sharing her knowledge and passion in a welcoming and accessible environment. Her classes focus on building confidence and helping students develop their individual style.

Our adult workshops are open to participants aged 18 and over.

Materials list
Click here to download the materials list.

Course Information – Summer 2026
These workshops take place on Fridays, 10:15am – 12:15pm

Term one: 17th April to 22nd May.
Half term: One week break on 29th May.
Term two: 5th to 10th July.

Course fees
Participants can either book for a full or half term.
£150 per term (full 12 sessions)
£81 first term (6 sessions) £81 second term (6 sessions)