Oil Painting Workshop

Learn painting skills and how to use oil paints with our painting short courses in Sydney!

This one-day workshop is designed for students who already have experience with painting and are confident with basic colour mixing and paint handling. It is particularly suited to students who have experience painting landscapes and still life in acrylics and would like to explore working with oils. Previous experience with oil painting is not required.

Step into the creative and expressive world of oil painting as you explore the unique qualities and possibilities of the medium. You will be introduced to working with oils and solvents, explore oil painting techniques and learn how to handle the medium confidently.

The workshop is structured around two practical painting exercises: a still life study of an apple and a small landscape based on a reference image selected by the tutor. The landscape image has been chosen specifically to support the learning outcomes of the workshop and will be broken down into stages, with demonstrations from the tutor as you work.

To ensure everyone gets the most from the day, the workshop follows a structured group approach, with all students working through the same exercises and demonstrations. This allows the tutor to provide guidance and demonstrate techniques at each stage. 

Through demonstrations, practical exercises and individual guidance, you will build on your existing painting skills and learn how to apply them to the oil painting process.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this workshop, you will have explored concepts and techniques such as:

• Developed an understanding of the key characteristics and techniques of oil painting
• Explored colour mixing, colour matching and paint handling with oils
• Applied oil painting techniques through structured still life and landscape exercises
• Explored the use of oils and solvents and how they work together
• Developed an understanding of working from observation, including shapes, light and shadows
• Applied composition and painting techniques through tutor-led demonstrations and practical exercises

Course content

During the workshop, participants will work with techniques and ideas such as:

• Working from observation
• Understanding and painting shapes, light and shadows
• Colour mixing and colour matching
• Oil paint handling and techniques
• Solvent selection and use
• Composition and developing a painting in stages
• Still life: painting an apple from observation
• Landscape: working from a tutor-provided reference image selected to support the workshop learning outcomes

Intended audience

Who is this painting with oil paints course for?

This workshop is for students with some painting experience who are confident with colour mixing and paint handling, but new to oil painting.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd in the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Course materials

Materials provided

What we provide for use in the workshop

• 1x A3 Canvas Paper
• 1x Stretched Canvas
• Oil Paints
• Grey lead pencils
• Paint brushes

What to bring to class: 

• 1 Pencil for drawing 
• 2 whole sharpener
• 4 x paint rags (not towels not chux cloths)
• 3 sheets ordinary cartridge paper
• Box to carry wet artworks away (this is important)

Oil paints:

• Spectrum Vermilion
• Alizarin Crimson
• Raw Umber
• French Ultramarine Blue
• Titanium White
• Lemon Yellow

If you are buying paints, we recommend 40ml tubes of oil paint from either the Winton range (cheapest at about $8 each) or Spectrum or Windsor & Newton. (The tiny tubes of Reeves or Maries brand are not recommended).

You may wish to bring source images to work from or choose from a selection in class. If you bring your own please print 2 copies (don't bring on a device). You'll be adding a grid over the image so it needs to be something you can draw on.

Additional information

Please note the following:

• Please bring a cardboard box or something to transport your wet paintings home
• Closed-in shoes required
• Please wear old clothes
• Long hair must be tied back
• Lunch can be purchased on Darling Street (10 min. walk) or bring your own lunch (Fridge and Microwave available)