Art Courses London

Art Courses London Art Courses, Workshops and Masterclasses. Face-to-face teaching in Crystal Palace, London; and on Zoom all over the world. And they are fun too!

Art Courses London was started by Stephen Nicholas and Johanna Kwiat in 2013 and has been growing ever since. Our aim is to make art accessible to everyone, from beginners who have never picked up a paintbrush to professionals who want to deepen their practice. Art Courses London offers art courses specially designed for small groups (maximum 6 students) enabling opportunities to learn traditional

and modern skills, explore personal interests, and learn specialist techniques in painting and drawing. Classes are informative and clear for beginners but challenging and stimulating for advanced practitioners. Continuous support, individual tuition, and enthusiastic encouragement enable each student to build new skills and reinvigorate previous experience. Courses are focused on practical, hands-on learning, creative thinking development, and prompting new approaches to familiar subjects. Stephen refers to art history and contemporary art practice to enrich learning and inspire a wide range of artistic approaches. You might pick up a bit of art history too. All classes are held at Stephen's studio in Crystal Palace, 7 minutes’ walk from Crystal Palace or Gipsy Hill station. Stephen Nicholas is a John Moores prize winning painter and Beacon award winning art tutor with 25 years teaching experience in adult, further and higher education in London. He also teaches individuals on a one to one basis and corporate clients. Stephen's work can be seen at stephennicholas.org

CANCELLATION POLICY: We are only able to offer a refund of 50% on a cancellation made at least 10 days before the course starts. Every place on the course is transferrable, so we would be happy for you to find a replacement to take your spot. Art Courses London started in 2013 as Art Brixton, a project co-founded by Stephen and artist Johanna Kwiat and occasionally collaborating with Gemma Bliss of YogiGems.

Ever wondered what it’s like to paint with oils without the mess, fuss, or considerable expense?Join us for a one-day In...
21/10/2025

Ever wondered what it’s like to paint with oils without the mess, fuss, or considerable expense?
Join us for a one-day Introduction to Water‑Mixable Oil Painting workshop.
MATERIALS SUPPLIED
(just bring any brushes you already have).
Saturday, 1 November, 10:30am - 4:30pm.

Why try oil painting? Because there’s a richness in texture, depth, and luminosity that’s hard to match with other media. The way light interacts with layered oil paint can give your work a luminous, glowing quality, the “painterly magic” many artists chase.

Spaces are limited to just 5 students, so you will get abundant feedback and truly individual attention, whether you’re a complete beginner or a painter wanting to try something new.

To book or learn more visit our website or email/DM us.

Images = examples of varied oil techniques.
1-3 our studnets works
4-5 Sir Matthew Smith
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How did our 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 go this Saturday? Fabolous! It was a vibrant and fun day, made all the more s...
15/10/2025

How did our 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 go this Saturday? Fabolous! It was a vibrant and fun day, made all the more special by a group of students with diverse levels of painting experience and abilities.

In the morning session, we analysed a section of Poplars Autumn by Monet. We curated the palettes based on an Impressionist palette, specifically a 𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 (a warm and a cool of each primary hue). They practised the impressionist language by painting with the colour scheme and brush marks observed in Monet's painting.

In the afternoon, informed by the exercises of the morning session, each participant chose a subject to make their own impressionistic interpretation. Students used either contrasting colours, warm and cold (see beautifully rendered in Alison's painting), or focused on brushmark techniques, which you can see in Ivelina's painting.

Ivelina made use of the stunning Autumn view from our studio window and 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 . She went for the single brushmark for her trees using a smallish, hog hair brush.

Unlike the rest of the group, Mala, a relative 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 concentrated on Monet's section all day. She used the afternoon session to modify the study she completed in the morning, vastly improving her painting. Mala changed the big, harsh marks into much softer ones. By softening the details in the background trees to create a more atmospheric effect. She also corrected the proportions of the background trees, bringing more perspective and depth to her painting.  And, she observed and developed more variations of shades of colour in the darkest areas of the painting - see the bottom part. Wonderful progress!

And you can admire yet another approach in Suzy's vibrant 𝐥𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠! Suzy, who also painted from life, decided to zoom in on a lily. Although Suzy pursued a more personal approach to the theme, she was still using the warm and cool colour palette. Suzy pushed the petals towards the edges of the paper, creating a dynamic, impact-shaped design. All we want is to get lost in this lily!
How do you like the sound of our workshop?

All these varied works in progress, which differ in subject, materials, and techniques, were completed by our students d...
13/10/2025

All these varied works in progress, which differ in subject, materials, and techniques, were completed by our students during the last Friday Painting Club..

That's the incredible advantage of being and learning in a small group. Stephen truly tailor his advice and feedback to your individual needs and with consideration for your level of skills, as well as where you want to take your painting next. It's more than just teaching skills and techniques.

Friday Painting Club allows you to develop your language.

Clockwise from right upper corner:
Alison
Water-mixable oil on board. Painted from life.
You can see wet into wet mixing and negative space awarness in the composition 
Alison joined us as a beginner and has been coming for over a year now.

Theresa - work in progress
Theresa's portrait of Stanley Green, the Protein Man!
With a double-decker red bus coming in the background. 

Kathy
work in progress, fluid painting, the first stage.
Oil on prepared board.
Kathy is a practising painter with vast experience in watercolour and inks. She came to us specifically to develop her oil painting skills, having identified different techniques in two of Stephen's paintings that she particularly wanted to learn.  

Moonscape by Aideen in soft pastel on pastel paper
Aideen vividly captured the light illuminating the green gate, making it the off-centre focal point.

Anne's Seascape - Work in Progress. Oil on board from a photograph.
Anne worked on a purple ground and used a variety of brushes for shading the clouds: round, filbert, and flat.
She used the impasto technique for the snow on the mountains.

And now, for the first time in ten years, Friday Painting Class is open to book on our website!
So you can experience the wonders of painting (or drawing) in a dedicated, supportive group. You can book one session or a series.

Head straight to our website to book or email/DM any questions.
Most sessions have 5 participants, some with a maximum of 6).
Limited spaces left. Cost: £60 per Friday or £250 for 5 booked at once.

Autumn evenings! A perfect time to pick up a paintbrush. Have you ever thought, “I’d love to try painting but I don’t kn...
04/10/2025

Autumn evenings! A perfect time to pick up a paintbrush.

 Have you ever thought, “I’d love to try painting but I don’t know where to begin”? Our Painting for Beginners course is made just for you.

💬  ''Stephen is a very engaging, patient teacher which really helps. Highly recommended'' 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗿𝘆𝗻, 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀

🍁 “𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗜’𝗺 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.” James, former student

🎨 “Stephen made each session fun, informative… now I’m hooked.” Lizzie, former student 

These are just a few of the voices of people who've walked into the studio as total beginners and walked out with new confidence, new skills, and new joy in creating.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
Small class sizes (max 5 students) so you get plenty of individual guidance. 
Step‑by‑step instructions inc mixing colours, tone & values, composition, use of brushes, palette knives, and different surfaces. 
Ideal if you've never painted, or want to build confidence and foundational skills. 

Trying something new opens up new perspectives, new friendships, and gives you something wonderful that’s just for you.

Book on our website or DM/email us.

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🌿𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗯𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 🌿Have you ever looked at a tree, a face, a landscape and wondered what happens whe...
02/10/2025

🌿𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗯𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 🌿

Have you ever looked at a tree, a face, a landscape and wondered what happens when you let go of what you see? When the shape, line, colour and texture become more alive than a literal depiction?

That’s exactly where our upcoming 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 course takes you. 

Representing nature is powerful, but so is abstracting from it: you find the rhythm, pattern, colour, gesture behind the surface.

We will focus on four different themes over the four weeks with the first week looking at 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻/𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

It’s the art of transforming what’s familiar (nature, still life, figurative objects) into something new: distilled, essential, emotional.

Think Hilma af Klint weaving spiritual resonance into shapes drawn from botanical or natural forms. Mondrian letting the geometry of trees become grids.  Kandinsky allowing colour and form to speak without concrete reference.

You’ll experiment with reduction, distortion, simplification, moving from reality towards the abstract, not to erase, but to re-interpret.

Over 4 weeks (Tuesdays, 6‑9pm) we will dive into four different approaches to abstraction:
1. From nature/representation
 2. Improvisation
 3. Inspired by other artists
 4. From the figure

EXPLORING ABSTRACTION
4-week course
starts 7th October
Tuesdays, 6-9pm
5 studnets maximum in the group!
£216

You will have a chance to explore a range of media, whether you are an experienced painter or simply curious about painting and abstraction. We will  get inspiration from the works of pcontemporary and modern atuists Helen Frankenthaler, Matisse, Mondrian, Bridget Riley, Hilma af Klint, and many more!

Images:
1 Hilma af Klint: The Ten Largest, Group IV No 1, Childhood
2. Spiderweb and geraniums spotted at the Secret Garden, Crystal Palace
3. Cy Twombly, details
4. details of our studnet painting

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Another 5-star review just landed! Thank you, Kathryn!Swipe to see Kathryn's bold and vibrant still life. Yes, it was p...
29/09/2025

Another 5-star review just landed! Thank you, Kathryn!

Swipe to see Kathryn's bold and vibrant still life. Yes, it was painted by a complete beginner, and just in their second week of our course! 

Here’s what Kathryn had to say:
“The beginners painting course was great and the small group size makes it more fun, and a comfortable environment in which to be a novice! Stephen is a very engaging, patient teacher which really helps. Highly recommended.”

Whether you've never picked up a brush or haven't painted in years, our Beginners Painting Course is designed to build your confidence, skills, and creativity.

*Small group sizes
*Supportive, patient instruction
*Fun, relaxed atmosphere
* No experience needed, just curiosity!

Next Painting for Beginners starts 8 October and 5 Novwmber.
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𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫.We weren't going to teach beyond the Beginners course this November, ...
25/09/2025

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫.

We weren't going to teach beyond the Beginners course this November, but who doesn't need c o l o u r when grey and griege take over London? 
So this November, we're offering our last painting course of the year: 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐢𝐥.

If you've been waiting for just the right moment to deepen your colour work, this is it.

🗓 Wednesdays, 6‑9 pm • 4 weeks • starts 5 Nov
📍 Crystal Palace, London
 £216

Some of w𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞:
Colour theory in action: warm/cool contrasts, complementary, analogous, triadic schemes
Understanding the tactile and expressive qualities of paint
Mixing neutrals, working shadows & mid‑tones
Impasto & texture, expressive brush work
Planning compositions using light/shadow & colour opposites
Inspiration from influential masters and contemporary artists, both well-known and more obscure (Vincent van Gogh, Sonia Delaunay, Henri Matisse, Chris Ofili, Bridget Riley, Patrick Heron, and others). 

𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐬: Just five students per group means personal feedback & supportive guidance, whether you're a beginner or advanced painter. 

Booking via wour website www.artcourses.london
Or DM us :)
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As the air turns crisper and the evenings stretch longer, it’s the perfect moment to turn your passions into colour. Whe...
20/09/2025

As the air turns crisper and the evenings stretch longer, it’s the perfect moment to turn your passions into colour. Whether it’s acrylics, oils, abstraction or learning the basics, we have you covered! Two of this term’s courses are already underway, a few workshops are sold out, but we still have some spaces available:

𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗦
𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, Wednesdays 6‑9pm, 3 weeks, starts in October
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, Tuesdays 6‑9pm, 4 weeks, starts in October

𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣𝗦 10:30am-4:30pm
𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗢𝗪, Saturday 27 September
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿‑𝗺𝗶𝘅𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗢𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, Saturday 1 November

🌿 Book your place now at  Art Courses London

Images:
1. Mark making in oils, Charlotte on Exploring Colour course
2. Landscape in oils by Ivy, Friday Painting Class- more coming soon
3. Watermixable oils by Sarah on Improvers course
4. A collage of artists work.
5. Johanna's annual obsession
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Let the shift in season inspire a change in perspective.September, the time of changing seasons. Turning of one state in...
16/09/2025

Let the shift in season inspire a change in perspective.

September, the time of changing seasons. Turning of one state into another. The space in between. Isn’t it just 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? Following a sold-out session in spring, we’re bringing this workshop back, and we couldn’t be more excited.

Join us for a one-day immersive workshop where we dive into the expressive, the intuitive, and the unseen. No experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to let go of form.

𝗔𝗕𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗢𝗪
𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽
On Saturday 27th September, we’ll look at giants like Joan Mitchell, Lee Krasner, Po***ck, de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, Gerhard Richter and others, and how their work and abstraction reshaped figure-space relationships.

What makes it special?

·    𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: strong negative space, corner-to-corner all‑over composition, multiple focal points.

·     𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: large brushes, working on both wall & floor, mark‑making, varied tools.

·    𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿-𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 & 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱: no pressure, no ego. Just support, guidance, and creative freedom.

·     𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Wherever you're starting from, you’ll be met right there.

We run with small groups, a maximum of five students,  so you’ll get tailored support.

·       You’ll make one complete painting (or several smaller ones) by the end, with your personal style emerging.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞.  𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.

If abstraction has been calling you, now is the time.

Saturday, 27 September
10:30am‑4:30pm with an hour break for lunch
Tea and coffee  served throughout the day.
***2 places left***

We also have an Exploring Abstraction course starting in October - 4 weeks, evening classes, all details on the website. 
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𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹 In our 3-week Beginners Painting Course, the very first task we take our students thr...
10/09/2025

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹 

In our 3-week Beginners Painting Course, the very first task we take our students through is simple but powerful: painting the colour wheel. 

Why? Because understanding how colours work together is the ABC of painting. If it was good enough for Van Gogh, it is good enough for us! 

Learning to mix colours 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗸𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀  (hello, mysterious brown blobs ) is a skill that unlocks so much freedom later on. It helps you understand tone, contrast, value.

Yes, you can buy a colour wheel. But when you make one with your own hands, something magical happens. The theory becomes real, the knowledge sticks, and let's be honest, it's fun too! Some of our students tell us the experience feels therapeutic. 

We believe nothing beats practical learning. That's why our students walk away not only with their own hand-painted wheel, but with a confident grasp on how to mix colours intentionally, not accidentally.

And our class size stays at five students. Want to build a strong foundation in painting? Start with us.

Our next course begins in October. DM or comment to book or learn more! Or, book on our website. Two places remaining. 

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Address

Farquhar Road
London
SE191SS

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+447886422702

Website

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