Ai will be supporting all students to the next level after completing the “Foundation in Oils” and “Gaining Confidence in Oils” classes. This will assist students to paint independently and to feel more comfortable as they develop their practice at home. In 7 weeks, students can do one or more paintings, depending on their own individual progress.  

What will I learn:

All students will bring their own subject to class. Through guidance with their painting progress Ai will be helping them to develop their own voice and to keep working on their paintings in their own space and progress in between classes.

Ai will be encouraging discussion about each student’s work and consider many aspects of interest including painting subject, focal point, message, composition, and style. She will also advise on their own workspace set up at home and talk about how to maintain their practice. Many other aspects of being an artist will be raised in discussion including the use of social media and much more.

As each student improves, the class will be encouraged to observe the progress of their class mates and share ideas. This engenders goodwill, support and friendship.

Your own painting project:

• Choosing the right support from a variety of options (canvas, board, paper, etc)
• The process of composition
• Choosing a subject
• Planning the development stages from beginning to completion of your painting

Who is this course suitable for

While priority is given to students who have completed the 8-week Foundations in Oils course and Oil Painting with Confidence, this course is suitable for anyone with a basic practical understanding of Oil colours and their application

This course is suitable for students who are keen to dedicate a weekly time to paint in a supportive and encouraging environment. This is to encourage all the students who are new to oil and wish to practice and develop their oil painting skills. 

What do I need to bring?

• An old large towel to cover your table
• Oil colours and hog hair paint brushes from Foundations in Oils Course. Art materials also available to purchase if needed.
• A notebook and pen are optional for note-taking
• Apron (Bienarte Aprons are available for purchase from our on-site shop)

What is provided

All the materials you will need for this course will be provided, including:

• Digital Certificate of Attendance.
• PDF booklet, packed with painting tips and tricks.
• Access to reference photos to practice at home.
• Tables, chairs, easels
• Tea and coffee (bring your own mug)
• A friendly and supportive environment
• Connection to the Bienarté art community.

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"Anyone can paint if they are given the right instructions.” - Marcel Desbiens, Master Artist and Principal Tutor

Offering:

Morning classes with Ai Shah

Evening classes with Marcel Desbiens

If you have never picked up a paintbrush before, this course will give you the technical skills and knowledge to help fast-track your painting process and produce stunning works of art of your own. All in a friendly and supportive environment.

The Course has been designed by Marcel Desbiens and is also available online with lifetime access HD videos for those that cannot attend our in studio classes in Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast.

All materials are included. All you need to do is turn up!

What will I learn?

• how to set up your workstation to minimise mess and maximise your painting time
• understand basic principles of colour mixing and paint consistency
• learn how to control tone to create the optical illusion of reality
• how to choose the right brushes and develop effective brush techniques
• how to clean and care for your brushes
• learn to paint in the traditional glazing techniques of the old masters

In each class, your tutor will give a step-by-step demonstration, and then it’s your turn for hands-on painting exercises. Each exercise builds on the previous one so that each week your skills and confidence will grow a little more.

Who is this course suitable for?

This foundation course is perfect for absolute beginners or for those who want to brush up on the fundamental techniques of oil painting. 90% of students who enrol in this course either have never picked up a paintbrush or have minimal painting experience. However, others who have painted before have also come along and found that they learned so much more about oil painting techniques.

The Foundation in Oils course is a prerequisite for the Gain Confidence in Oils course.

If travel time is an issue for you, consider the Live Online Via Zoom workshop that runs in a similar way but without your needing to leave your home!

And if fixed learning times are an issue for you, consider the Self-Paced Learning | Foundations in Oils course that has easy-to-follow videos for you to watch at a time to suit you.

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What do I need to bring?

• An old large towel to cover your table
• A notebook and pen are optional for note-taking
• Apron (Bienarte Aprons are available for purchase from our on-site shop)

What is provided

All the materials you will need for this course will be provided, including:

• prepared paper for painting exercises by a master artist.
• Digital Certificate of Attendance.
• PDF booklet, packed with painting tips and tricks.
• Free professional-quality oil colours
• Free pack of paint brushes
• Access to reference photos to practice at home.
• Tables, chairs, easels
• Tea and coffee (bring your own mug)
• A friendly and supportive environment
• Connection to the Bienarté art community.

Receive a FREE GIFT PACK of 5 Schmincke professional quality oil colours!

Receive a FREE PACK of Paint brushes!

Oil Painting Starter Kits also available for enrolled students

Once enrolled, every student will receive their FREE GIFT PACK of 5 Schmincke professional quality oil colours as well as their pack of brushes.
To practice at home, we have made it easy for you by putting together an Oil Painting Starter Kits which contains everything you will need to get started! Save time and money and pick up your art pack.

To purchase, see further below under "Related Products" and click on "Oil Painting Starter Kits" and "click "Buy Now"
You can also view all items that are included.

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What Our Students Say About Foundations in Oils

"A great art course! Highly recommended for beginners or those that want to learn more skills. I did the 8-week oil painting course and was surprised with the quality produced by the class (including myself : ). A great teacher. Well-paced and a good atmosphere. Paint on!"

• Mark Allen, Bienarte regular student

If you’re looking for a weekend workshop to spark your creativity for the first time or looking to re-engage with your creativity then this is the art workshop for you! 

About this workshop

Running over two days this course is broken into two parts:

The first day is learning drawing techniques and warm up techniques (a fast track way for getting in the creative zone) and having fun with mixed media such as watercolour, acrylic, gouache, inks plus and paint markers + learning collage techniques. Students will create small artworks on heavy watercolour paper.

The second day will be creating two medium to large scale collages on board, using patterned papers that Beth has made herself with paint, mixed media, charcoal, fabric etc.

What will I learn?

Students will learn how to get into the creative zone, plus:

• How to draw what you see
• How to use mixed media such as paint markers, paint mediums, ink, gouache and acrylic paint 
• Learn collage techniques from an expert

Who is this workshop suitable for?

This is suitable for all levels of experience including absolute beginners.

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What do I need to bring?

• Patterned papers and fabrics that you like to incorporate into your collage artworks 
• Snacks and lunch (there are cafes nearby too) 
• A mug
• A visual diary for notes (optional)

What is provided?

• 2 x light weight boards per student to create collages 
• Hand painted papers that Beth has painted
• Charcoal
• Mediums (binder, spreader, gloss)
• Acrylic colours 
• Inks
• Paint markers 
• Acrylic gouache 
• White gouache
• Good quality watercolour paper 
• Easels, tables, chairs
• Tea and coffee (please bring your own cup)
• A friendly, supportive and encouraging learning environment
• Connection with the Bienarté art community

About Beth Kennedy

Beth Kennedy lives and works in Brisbane and has a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the Australian National University. She has held seven solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group exhibitions. Beth is represented by Anthea Polson Art GC, The Artling (Singapore) and Adaro Art (Florida).  Beth's work has appeared in Australian House & Garden, Belle magazine and The Age’s Melbourne Magazine and she has collaborated with Endota Spa for their Mothers' Day 2023 range.
The essence of Beth’s paintings is the dynamics of patterning. Even at their most colourful, there is a quiet and enigmatic beauty to her work.
Pattern, colour and composition all work together to present a snippet of an emotional narrative in the floating worlds she creates. She works intuitively with colour, at times allowing it to flow across the canvas in washes, and at others using it in bold opaque area. Amongst this, wavering patterns move in and out of focus, eventually finding their place and adding depth and beauty to the paintings.
Each of Beth's paintings is the result of a sustained process of transcription: from sketches, to watercolour, to paint on canvas.

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Do you find it hard to devote time to your painting practice?
Do you get stuck with a painting and don’t know where to take it next?
Do you have technical questions about your painting?
Are you looking for a group of likeminded artists to paint with?

The Painting Practice course provides:

• uninterrupted time to focus on your own work in a studio setting
• an expert tutor to help you extend your skills
• a small group of passionate likeminded artists

What will I learn?

Everything you need to know to complete your own painting project.

Who is this course suitable for?

Those who have completed Foundation in Oils and ‘Gain Confidence in Oils’ courses, or who have the equivalent skills and experience.

What do I need to bring?

Bring your painting materials with you. Limited art supplies are available for purchase at the studio if you need a top up.

Please bring odourless solvent only and avoid any strong smelling mediums.

What is provided?

• easels
• backing boards
• chairs
• tables
• tea and coffee (please bring your own mug)
• a friendly and supportive environment
• connection to the Bienarte art community.

About the tutor.

Bronwyn enjoys the challenge of taking ordinary, everyday scenes and interpreting them in her own inimitable and increasingly widely recognised style. Working in oils on canvas, she loves to explore the technique of chiaroscuro.

Bronwyn has recently returned to still life painting, while continuing to explore the detail found in leaf litter and textures in the urban world. She is drawn to the unique beauty found in ordinary settings. This direction suits her technique and eye for detail.

Born in Brisbane and trained at the Brisbane College of Art, Bronwyn worked professionally in the art field for more than 25 years, starting as a graphic artist and moving on to exhibition design and illustration.

In 2012 Bronwyn was invited to be represented by the Lethbridge Gallery, Paddington, Brisbane after winning first prize in the Lethbridge 10000 Small Scale Art Awards. She exhibits a new collection of works there each year.

Her paintings are held in a number of private collections, in Australia and overseas.

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