The Abstract Studio | 6 week course | Starting 27 January

THE ABSTRACT STUDIO | STARTING WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY

A 6-Week Experimental Painting Course - Evening Studio 6.30-9pm

Loosen up and let the paint lead!

The Abstract Studio is a six-week course exploring what paint can do: colour, gesture, texture and experimentation. Rather than painting what you see, you'll treat painting as a process of discovery. Guided exercises, demonstrations and plenty of studio time will help you create bold, personal work.

You'll work mainly in acrylics, using brushes, palette knives and some less conventional tools to build layers, textures and movement. Along the way we'll look at contemporary abstract painters for inspiration and new ideas.

Curiosity and risk-taking are encouraged, in a friendly, supportive studio where there's no wrong answer.

What you'll gain

• Confidence working with paint
• A deeper understanding of colour and composition
• Experience experimenting with materials, tools and surfaces
• New approaches to abstraction and mark-making
• A small body of experimental paintings made during the course
• Connection with a supportive creative community

Week by week

Week 1: Paint as Material. Quick experimental exercises in colour, gesture and mark-making with brushes, palette knives and unconventional tools.

Week 2: The Language of Colour. Colour relationships, building a palette, and how colour shapes mood and composition, through a series of small studies.

Week 3: Surface & Texture. Layering and building textured surfaces on paper, board and found materials.

Half-term break: no session

Week 4: Gesture, Movement & Sound. A music-led session working large and responding to rhythm, with a collaborative group painting.

Week 5: Painting & Place. Abstract responses to the colours, textures and architecture of South Leamington, worked in the studio from photos and film.

Week 6: Studio Exhibition & Reflection. Refine your strongest pieces, hang a small studio exhibition, and reflect on what you've discovered.

Your painting kit, included

Every participant receives a basic painting kit worth over £40, included in the course fee:

• A3 folder to keep and carry your work
• A4 sketchbook for ideas, colour notes and studies
• A4 oil painting pad, which also works brilliantly with acrylics
• Tear-off palette
• Palette knife
• Colour wheel

What to bring

Please bring acrylic paints and a few brushes. We suggest:

• Paints: Titanium White, Cadmium or Primary Red, Ultramarine Blue, Primary Yellow, Burnt Umber, and a favourite colour of your own
• Brushes: small, medium flat, and a large brush for expressive marks
• An apron or old shirt

Shared studio tools and experimental materials are available in every session.

While you're on the course, you'll get 10% off any additional art materials you buy in Stoneleigh Arms shop. It's the perfect time to stock up on paints, brushes and canvases as your practice grows.

Who it's for

• Beginners who want to explore painting
• Painters wanting to loosen up their practice
• Anyone curious about abstraction

No experience is needed.

The details

Duration: 6 weeks, 2.5-hour sessions
Fee: £295, including a basic painting kit worth over £40
Location: Stoneleigh Arms Arts Space, Leamington Spa CV31 2DP

Wednesday evening group: 6.30-9pm
27 January · 3 February · 10 February · half-term break · 24 February · 3 March · 10 March 2027