Drawing & Painting Studio

Learn to develop your drawing and painting skills with our arts short courses in Sydney!

Take your drawing or painting skills to a higher level in this combined Drawing and Painting Studio.

Under the guidance of an experienced tutor and practising visual artist, you can practise your skills in an informative but flexible setting. The tutor will support your individual projects through discussion addressing form, technique and content. There are also optional projects designed to help you move your work forward and to challenge established patterns in your practice. Join this course to improve your drawing and painting skills, and your ability to creatively express yourself.

About the drawing and painting studio

Studio workshops are a small group, allowing for plenty of individual attention from the tutor, and the opportunity to exchange ideas, tips and knowledge with others. There is free tea and coffee for students, parking on-site and it is easily accessible by public transport.

Who is this drawing & painting studio for?

Studio sessions are designed for beginners and experienced students - all welcome.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd in the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

If driving, there is no entry into Gordon Street from Victoria Road. Last block on your right before Victoria Road. Pedestrian access is opposite Prince Street.

What to bring to class

It’s your choice what medium you want to work in.

Choose from the lists below depending on what you would like to achieve in class.

Students with no prior experience may bring some basic drawing materials to their first studio class before deciding on oils/acrylics, after discussing with the tutor.

This list is a basic guide to what you might buy if you are starting from scratch. If you have materials already, please feel free to bring what you have to start with and you can add to your kit as you go.

Drawing materials

• A sketch book or loose sheets of cartridge paper: A2 / A1 - useful for painting and drawing
• Pencil, around 4B
• Willow charcoal stick (if wanting to focus on charcoal drawing)
• A firm white eraser

Painting materials

• 37ml tubes of paint (Acrylic brands such as Matisse, A2, Golden have a decent pigment load and are worth the $7-10 per tube. Oil brands such as Winton student range or Art Spectrum are decent affordable brands). A basic set of at least the following colours (or close enough) in your choice of oil or acrylic will suffice to start:
  • Spectrum Red
  • Primary Yellow
  • Ultramarine Blue
  • Raw Umber
  • Titanium White
• Palette: Bring either a large china plate, a flat plastic tray, or a disposable paper palette pad. (Note - Watercolour palettes with divided sections are not good for acrylic/oil painting)
• Brushes: As a start, size 4 and 6 round or filbert bristle (expect to pay around $5-$7 each for these in an art shop)
• Canvas or other surface for painting on: around the 30cm size for beginners (Acrylic painters can work on either paper or canvas. A canvas paper pad is an option for both oils and acrylics)
• Paint rags: pieces of old sheet/shirt or towel
• Solvent: for oil painters only. You can use recycled solvent from our container in the studio, or buy low toxic solvent from art shop.

Subject matter

Some students choose to work from photographs (please print as it is easier than working from a phone screen). You may bring your own still-life objects, or use our studio props and/or the tutor’s photographic reproductions.

What we provide

• Studio
• Easels

Additional information

• Closed-in shoes required
• Please wear old clothes
• Long hair should be tied back