Have you always wanted to paint but haven’t known where to start? Designed for complete beginners this course will give you a solid and practical foundation in painting using acrylics and oil paints. Kevin McKay will lead you step-by-step through the basic techniques, showing you how to prepare a ground, compose a painting with correct proportion and perspective, and how to build tonal relationships that brings surprising 3-dimensional illusion to your works.

You will learn how to paint directly from life with still-life settings in the studio. Kevin shows you how to structure the composition of a painting, and reference the techniques used by traditional and modern masters. He introduces you to the magical world of colour theory with simple processes for colour mixing, to produce a suite of finished paintings; all the time furthering your skills and building your confidence as a painter.

* Please note: There will be NO class on: Monday 8 June due to the King’s Birthday public holiday. Class will continue on 15 June.

* NAS Short Courses are open to students of ages 16 years and over. The NAS Art Club is open to students between 15 - 17 years of age. 

*Drawing and painting short courses may be held in upstairs studios. If access to stairs is not suitable, please contact us at [email protected] 

* What to bring? Please refer to the list of required materials in the Art Materials field below. 

Students must supply their own art materials, please refer to the list below.

For Week 1 of the course, students should only bring basic materials as listed below. Kevin will discuss more specific needs with everyone on the first night. Experienced students may bring along their paints and an assortment of brushes and tools.

Basic materials:

• A4 Visual Diary
• HB - 4B pencil
• Rubber eraser
• A3 pad of canvas paper
• White acrylic gesso
• Raw umber acrylic paint
• A range of bristle brushes