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Welcome to Bienarté and our friendly team.

Discover the artist within you. In small, inspirational and carefully structured classes.

Every single person has the ability to create art and under the guidance of a skilled and attentive teacher, your talent can flourish.

Master Artist Marcel Desbiens has years of experience teaching students to find their own artistic voice and to gain and strengthen their technical skills. Hear what past and current students say about us.

Learn from award-winning local, interstate and international guest artists who offer courses and workshops for all skill levels in Oil colours, Acrylic, Watercolour, Drawing and Pastels in various specialty subjects. We also offer private lessons for intensive training in any technical area you need.

And all this, in the comfort of our purpose-built air-conditioned art studios.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bienarte is proud to have nurtured the development of over 15,000 new artists, 

There are so many courses and workshops to choose from. Book in early to save disappointment.

Starting Soon

      • Colour Confidence | Marcel Desbiens

        Do you ever struggle in mixing the right colours? Do you guess and end up wasting paint? Take the guess work out of colour mixing and learn the easy and simple way of mixing the colours you are trying to make. Marcel will show you his easy and simple method that will take away the frustration and give you the confidence to get it right.

        What will I learn?

        • How to mix many different colours with a limited palette
        • How to mix colours the simple and easy way
        • An introduction to the colour wheel
        • Opaque and transparent pigments
        • Primary, secondary, tertiary, complementary colours
        • Hue, saturation, value
        • Sfumato, cooling and warming effects
        • Lighting effects on coloured object
        • Colour strength

        Who is this course suitable for?

        This workshop is suitable for anyone who wants to find the easy and shortcut methods of colour mixing
        This is a hands-on practical guide for beginners and experienced artists.
        Ask our friendly team for advice if you are not sure if this workshop is for you.

        What do I need to bring?

        All materials supplied

        • Bring your lunch and snacks or you can purchase from cafes close by. We do have a fridge and microwave at the studio for your convenience.

        What is provided?

        • paints and brushes
        • boards
        • easels, tables and chairs
        • tea, coffee and biscuits (please bring your own cup)
        • a friendly, supportive and encouraging learning environment
        • connection to the Bienarte art community

      • Dramatic Seascapes in Oils | Lyn Diefenbach

        Learn to create seascapes that are full of luminosity and life. All aspects of seascapes will be covered. This workshop will assist you to a greater understanding of the relationships of line, tone, colour and edge to enable you to infuse your work with dimensionality and to give the illusion of surface quality. One seascape will be done from a photograph of your choice.

        What will I learn?

        Through demonstrations and a series of ‘hands-on’ exercises, you will learn easy methods for painting seascapes.

        Who is this course suitable for?

        This workshop is suitable for all skill levels.
        Ask our friendly team for advice if you are not sure if this workshop is for you.

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        What do I need to bring?

        Please click on the link below for the materials list:

        VIEW MATERIALS LIST

        What is provided?

        • Easels, tables, chairs and aprons.
        • tea and coffee (you might like to bring your own cup)
        • a friendly, supportive and encouraging learning environment
        • connection to the Bienarte art community

      • Oil Painting with Confidence | Marcel Desbiens

        Now that you have acquired the basic knowledge for painting in Oils, it is time to apply those techniques in real time on a subject you might want to paint at home.

        The challenge at this stage of your learning is to keep the motivation going and not fall into procrastination.

        The best way is to enrol in a further six consecutive weeks to keep the momentum going as it is fresh in your mind. This is the best way to secure enough confidence before flying out of the nest, at home in your own painting space.

        Goals

        • To complement your acquired learning from the 8-week Foundation in Oils course

        • To gain confidence and be ready to paint on your own

        What will I learn

        Learn the basic technique for painting still life and fabric:

        • Painting a subject containing fabric in monochrome
        • Opaque and transparent colours
        • Applying Oil colour layering and glazing

        Starting a new 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

        Content

        • Painting a subject containing fabric in monochrome from a photo provided
        • Applying colour over the monochrome fabric with glazing
        • Learning about varnishing and framing

        Who is this course suitable for

        This course is suitable for anyone with a basic practical understanding of Oil colours and their application.

        Terms & Conditions

      • The Oil Portrait - Getting the WOW Factor | Lyn Diefenbach

        There is the option to rent the oil colours and solvent should you need to for $50

        One Stretched Canvas – approx. 16 x 20 inches (40 x 50cm) for the portrait.

        All students will receive Lyn's Portrait Drawing video 2 weeks before the class commences. This will be available for students to access for two weeks. Come to the workshop with your portrait drawn.

        Do you want to create portraits that breathe character and life? Portraits that convey a presence? Let Lyn show you how…

        The workshop covers all aspects of portraiture, focussing on capturing a good likeness.

        Included in your workshop is a FREE video introducing you to the fundamentals of technical know-how valued at_ $30._

        • Please come with your portrait pre drawn for class, we will spend time at the beginning of the class helping you with any adjustments. If you are totally overwhelmed, trace it :)

        Once you have booked in, please log in to your student portal to see the free video from Lyn that you must watch before coming to the workshop. THIS IS ESSENTIAL VIEWING!.

        What will I learn?

        You’ll learn how to manipulate relationships of line, tone, colour and edge to infuse your work with dimensionality and impact.

        Lyn’s workshop will enable you to work on your own individual subject. Enjoy clear, informative demonstrations and individual attention at your easel.

        One portrait will be done from a photograph of your choice. Learn how to use a photograph as a painter’s tool and to go beyond its limitations. The techniques that you learn in this class will keep you in good stead when painting from life.

        Who is this course suitable for?

        This workshop is suitable for all skill levels

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        What do I need to bring?

        Materials List

        Canvas:

        ** Please come with your canvas stained with a thin wash of raw umber (oil with a lot of solvent) **

        ** This needs 2 days to dry before the workshop starts**

        Oil Colours – Winsor & Newton Artist quality or equivalent:

        Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow

        Titanium White, Ivory Black, Alizarin Crimson

        Naples Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Sap Green, Prussian Blue

        Other Brands:

        Winton Soft Mixing White

        Old Holland Red Umber

        Art Spectrum Cobalt Violet

        Schmincke Burnt Ochre Light (previously known as Flesh Tint)

        Brushes:

        Rosemary & Co Filbert Series 276, Sizes 6,8,10 & 12 OR

        Art Basics series 877KF Sizes 6, 8, 10 & 12 

        For drawing the portrait and for fine detail, please bring a round pointed brush

        NB: Lyn uses soft brushes, not bristle. You are welcome to bring your own favourites.

        Miscellaneous:

        Paper Towels

        Large Palette (eg white painted MDF) approx 18 x 24 inches

        Odourless Solvent

        Pastel Pencil - Burnt Sienna

        Mixing Palette Knife (metal)

        Archival Classic Medium

        Photographs for Portrait:

        Make sure these have excellent clarity, a good play of light and dark and are large enough to work.

        from. If you are using computer printed photos, use photo quality paper NOT PLAIN.

        You are welcome to bring your Ipad/tablet.

        Access to table easels and stand-up easels are available at Bienarté

        Pre orders of canvases available from Bienarté

        What is provided?

        • Easels, tables and chairs
        • Tea and coffee (you might like to bring your own cup)
        • A friendly, supportive and encouraging learning environment
        • Connection to the Bienarté art community

        Student Feedback

        Lyn, thank you so much. You have given me a gift that will last a lifetime

        **…opened a whole new reality of seeing things **

        A great inspiration and a great teacher

        …Not only is her work beyond words, but Lyn's caring personality, and approach to life equals her work…

        Thank you so much for such a wonderful informative class. Your teaching was so clear and easy to follow.

        Many thanks for your generosity, patience, humour and talent

        Thank you for your generosity in passing on skills and knowledge. Truly inspirational

        Useful Information

        For Visitors FAQs

        About the Artist

         I don’t think my feet have touched the ground this year. In summary:
        . 4 international conventions - 2 on the ground, 2 online
        . 7 international online demonstrations (often at obscure hours)
        . 4 judging gigs that I remember
        . 2 major commissions in oil (one huge!)
        . 59 (ish) days teaching, 5 more to go
        . Award of Excellence at the International Association of Pastel Societies Convention
        . Selection for International Guild of Realism Exhibition in US
        . First professional teaching video released internationally

         In between I’ve somehow managed to find time to produce over 30 paintings – studio work, plein air. And I’ve kept up my journals because too much painting is never enough!

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Marcel Desbiens | Master Artist | Principal Tutor