Art
- Retreat to our beautiful purpose-built art studios
- Explore art through a variety of mediums and materials, guided by our team of professional artists
- Escape from the pressures of the world, take time out for yourself, meet new friends, and exercise your imagination
- Try something totally new or brush up on existing skills
- Wide range of courses and techniques
- Termly art exhibition
Atelier Conservatoire
Mondays 09.45 - 13.45; Thursdays 09.45 - 15.15
This course is ideal for those who are working to establish their studio practice and would like space and guidance in order to further progress their work. Structured like a continental atelier, the course allows artists with self–initiated projects (at all stages of development) to explore the creative journey from initial ideas to finished pieces. You will develop your visual research methods, technical experimentation, and critical awareness whilst working towards the completion of your own projects in drawing, painting and mixed media. Not suitable for beginners. Mondays 9th September - 9th December (13 weeks, £409.50); Thursdays 12th September - 12th December (13 weeks, £539.50)
Tutor: David Webb
Enquire Now Find out more
Life Drawing
18+, Mondays 19.30 - 22.00
9th September - 9th December (13 weeks, £338 or £29 drop in) Set in our stunning Victorian art building this course is designed for both beginners, as well as those for whom life drawing is already established in their artistic practice. We draw from both male and female models and each evening have poses varying from one minute to two hours. This course is a wonderful opportunity to explore drawing in a variety of mediums from the live model with tuition and guidance tailored to suit each individual according to their needs. All of this comes together to help you build confidence in line, tone and proportion. Basic materials provided.
Tutor: Victoria Rance
Enquire Now Find out more
Life Painting
18+, Tuesdays 09.30 - 12.30 or 13.00 - 16.00
10th September - 10th December (13 weeks, £377 or £31 drop in) Join us for one of the few opportunities to experience Life Painting in South London. You’ll develop confidence and skills in painting directly from the model and explore a range of techniques including colour mixing to capture the effects of light and shadow, spatial qualities and the exquisite forms of the body. These classes offer a chance to paint from both the nude and clothed figure. There will be four nine hour poses across the term. A new pose is set every three weeks alternating between seated, standing and reclining. Tuition is available if required with particular emphasis placed on producing paintings based on strong drawing.
Tutor: Fergus McHardy
Enquire Now Find out more
How To Draw
18+, Mondays 14.00 - 16.00; Tuesdays 19.00 - 21.00
Mondays 9th September - 9th December (13 weeks, £266.50) Tuesday 10th September - 10th December (13 weeks, £266. In the first half of the term the course will cover basic drawing skills and techniques with different materials: using charcoal and rubber; drawing with pencil, line and measuring techniques; hatching with a pencil and other ways to shade and create tone; ways to create a feeling of space using perspective, angles and ellipses. In the second half of the term the focus on subject and materials varies (as students often repeat the class). For example: drawing the figure with watercolour pencils; using different types of pen and inks with still life; and drawing landscapes in colour with soft pastels or ink line and watercolour. Suitable for all levels, including beginners. By the end of this course, you will feel confident about working at home to develop your own style.
Tutor: Victoria Rance
Enquire Now Find out more
Painting Techniques & Materials
18+, Wednesdays 12.30 - 15.30
11th September - 11th December (13 weeks, £364) Painting Materials and Techniques is a course for students of all levels and experience to explore and gain confidence in using a range of media in order to develop their own painting skills and style. The materials we explore include acrylic, watercolour, gouache and ink, as well as a variety of painting grounds and papers, brushes and equipment. During the course, the history, contemporary use and unique characteristics of each medium inform the exercises including colour composition, brushwork techniques and painting from observation.
Tutor: Kirsten Lyle
Enquire Now Find out more
Printmaking
Wednesdays 19.00 - 21.00
11th September - 11th December (13 weeks, £318.50) This course covers a full introduction to lino, mono, photo transfer and dry point printmaking techniques working with full instruction from a professional printmaker. This course can be taken as a standalone course but studying for more than one term allows students to specialise in one or two techniques, to fully explore the process and develop their artwork further. Suitable for complete beginners or those with some knowledge of printmaking.
Tutor: Seán Myers
Enquire Now Find out more
Colour Studio
18+; Wednesdays 19.15 - 21.30
11th September - 11th December (13 weeks, £305.50 or £29 drop in) This evening studio course sets out to embrace the contribution and enjoyment of colour as a key element in visual art. We will explore colour mixing techniques and colour relationships, looking at the work of different artists to generate ideas. The sessions will provide the opportunity to develop drawings with a range of media including pastel, pen and ink; painting with acrylic, watercolour and oil as well as collage and mixed media work. Suitable for those drawing or painting for the first time or if you are returning to improve and develop your practice.
Tutor: Paula Sanders
Enquire Now Find out more
Drawing Techniques & Materials
18+, Fridays 10.00 - 13.00
13th September - 13th December (13 weeks, £377) Drawing Materials and Techniques is a course for students of all levels and experience to explore and gain confidence in using a range of media in order to develop their own drawing skills and style. The materials we explore include pencil, charcoal, pastels - soft and oil and ink, as well as a variety of drawing grounds and papers. During the course, the history, contemporary use and unique characteristics of each medium inform the exercises including site, measured line, contour, gesture and modelled drawing.
Tutor: Kirsten Lyle
Enquire Now Find out more
Art & Wellness Group for Mums
Thursdays 13.30 - 15.30
Term 1: 12th September - 24th October (£105 or £20 drop in) Term 2: 7th November - 12th December (£90 or £20 drop in) Come along to the Conservatoire’s studio to take part in our new Arts Wellness group for mums. This programme explores themes such as, Self, Self esteem, Self Care, Culture, Compassion and Connection. We’ll do this through the tactile medium of clay, some mixed media and a sprinkle of mindfulness. It will be a space for you to share, relax, recharge and reconnect with yourself and other local mums. People from all backgrounds are encouraged to attend and we especially welcome anyone who is new to the area, including mums from refugee and migrant communities. We are able to accommodate infants and babies in the class, as long as they are not yet crawling.
Tutor: Jacq Lines
Enquire Now Find out more
Blackheath Conservatoire Art & Design
Mondays 14.15 - 15.45 (For asylum seekers & refugees)
9th September - 9th December (13 weeks, Free) Come along to the Conservatoire’s studio to take part in this returning art class for adults. Take some time in your week to explore art and design of all kinds, taking inspiration from across the globe and the whole art world. This is a group class open to asylum seekers and refugees of all nationalities, for participants aged 18+ – bring your friends and meet new people!
Tutor: Dot Young & Lilly Walker
Enquire Now Find out more
Introduction to Oil Painting
18+; Tuesdays 13.15 - 15.45
10th September - 10th December (13 weeks, £318.50) This course is for beginners and experienced students and offers the opportunity to experience this beautiful and versatile medium. We will work from subjects in the studio and in the local landscape which means that in September - October some sessions will be held outside. Oil painting techniques will be presented and ways of developing work from drawings and sketches.
Tutor: Alex Pemberton
Enquire Now Find out more
Exploring Still Life
18+; Thursdays 19.30 - 21.00
12th September - 12th December (13 weeks, £208 or £29 drop in) Still life: Enter into the domestic space of the artist. How do a collection of inanimate objects reflect the identity and inner world of the artist to whom they belong? Bringing in objects and possessions of our own we will examine through close looking what stories these tell about ourselves through their combination or isolation in an image. How does the depiction of space between each element imbue a narrative? How can colour be used to depict light and create atmosphere? Using drawing materials both graphic and colour, we will enter into the still life worlds of Cezanne, Van Gogh and those that came before.
Tutor: Fiona Berry
Enquire Now Find out more
Textiles, Craft & Embroidery Skills for Adults
18+; Thursdays 19.30 - 21.00
12th September - 12th December (13 weeks, £208 or £29 drop in) Create a series of bespoke pieces to your own design and theme to display in your home. You will learn a number of embroidery and textiles craft techniques to create a series of unique hand-crafted textile pieces, with the aim to produce bunting/wall hangings. This course is great for both beginners looking to learn something new and more experienced craft people wanting a new project.
Tutor: Florence Tambini Cooper
Enquire Now Find out more
Working in Watercolour
18+; Fridays 12.30 - 15.30
27th September - 13th December (11 weeks, £308 or £29 drop in) All levels are welcome to come and explore watercolour! Over this course artist Sophie Knight will show you some of her own methods which will help you to really have fun with the medium and work more impulsively. Starting with a few simple exercises for applying washes , Sophie will show you how to achieve amazing things with just four colours. Taking inspiration from photographs of landscape and seascape Sophie will show you some ways to apply the paint quickly using large colour washes and learning to cover the paper quickly so that you can develop a large composition. ‘I will show you some techniques for working ‘wet on wet’ and drawing directly with your brush, we can also create large washes of rich colour by squeezing the paint straight onto damp paper.’ Whether you are a beginner or have a little bit of experience but would like to develop a sense of freedom with watercolour, this course would suit you. Sophie Knight is a member of The Royal Watercolour Society and has her work in The British Museum , The House of Lords and several high-profile collections.
Tutor: Sophie Knight
Enquire Now Find out more