Kieran Stiles - Weekly classes & tutorials

Weekly life drawing classes A regular, daytime opportunity to learn how to make observation drawings, prints and paintings from the figure in a wide range of traditional and experimental media. Feel free to work individually or try new techniques with practical demonstrations. Overlooking the river and the inspiring setting of Folly Bridge, work in a friendly atmosphere with classical music and real coffee.

Kurt Jackson- how to paint waves in oils By turning the board on its side and allowing the thinned oil paint to dribble across the surface of the painting, learn how to achieve an expressive interpretation of crashing waves and light refracting on turbulent water. Bring a photograph of a seascape. (All materials provided)

Emil Nolde ink figure workshop In 1937 over 1,000 works of Nolde were confiscated by Hitler from museums and Nolde was forbidden to paint. During this time he worked in secret producing over 2,000 beautiful and poignant paintings. Working from observation of the figure, learn how to use watercolour and vivid ink dripped in puddles and layers. (You will need to bring A3 watercolour paper)

Chinese ink wash painting East Asian ink wash painting may be regarded as an earliest form of expressionistic art that captures the unseen, and greatly influenced modernist artists in the west. In these workshops learn about brush movement and ink flow. A single stroke can produce astonishing variations in tonality. Bring in a favourite landscape photograph to work from. (Bring A2 or A3 watercolour paper)

Charcoal and ink wash at Woodstock, Oxfordshire Museum Working from direct observation of the figure, discover how versatile and expressive charcoal can be when applied onto a coloured ink background. Once the charcoal drawing is complete, lighter tones can be suggested by fading the ink with diluted bleach. The workshop will be held in the museum’s education rooms. (Bring A2 cartridge paper)

Norman Acroyd watercolour landscape Acroyd’s compositions are simplified, just suggesting hills and trees only very sparingly. By tilting the paper on its side and allowing the paint to dribble over wax resist marks, and across on the surface of the painting, learn how to achieve an expressive interpretation of landscape. Bring in a favourite landscape photograph to work from. (Bring A3 watercolour paper)

Portrait sessions, oil on board This is an opportunity to develop a ‘worked’ painting. In a structured series of classes suitable for all levels of experience, discover the many elements of portraiture. Learn how to draw the features in diluted oils and observe the ‘foreshortening’ of proportions across a tilted face. We will also be looking at brush technique and skin tone colour mixing. (All materials provided)

German expressionist all day figure painting workshop The ‘Expressionists' Mueller, Kirchner and Jawlensky, used extreme distortions and expression to show an inner emotional reality rather than what is on the surface. In this class, working from observation of the figure, learn how to manipulate vivid, thickly applied oil colour on A2 board. Lunching at the restaurant on the river, below the studio. (All materials provided)