Acrylic Painting Class (10 Weeks) with Jess Portsmouth T4

Create a painting that is meaningful to you in this relaxed, supportive and student-led 10-week acrylic painting course.

Rather than everyone completing the same project, each student chooses an image, subject or idea they would genuinely like to paint. You might bring along a favourite photograph, landscape, artwork reference or personal image, then work on developing it into your own finished acrylic painting.

Jess will guide you through the entire creative process, helping you plan your composition, choose an appropriate surface, sketch or transfer your image, mix colours, build layers and refine the details. Because every student works on an individual project, the demonstrations, techniques and one-on-one guidance are tailored to the needs of each artwork.

This class is beginner friendly but is not limited to absolute beginners. It is also suitable for painters with some experience who would like support developing their ideas, improving their technique and creating a more resolved finished piece.

THIS CLASS IS FOR: All ability Levels
TIME: Tuesday 6-8 pm
DURATION: 10 weeks
WHEN: 13th October - 15th December
TUTOR: Jess Portsmouth
COST: $270

What will be covered in this course?

Throughout the course, you will explore the practical stages involved in taking a painting from an initial idea to a refined finished artwork. Depending on your chosen project, this may include:

• Selecting suitable reference imagery and planning your composition

• Choosing an appropriate painting surface

• Sketching or transferring an image onto your surface

• Colour mixing and developing a suitable palette

• Blocking in the main shapes and colours

• Building layers to create depth, tone and atmosphere

• Creating texture with different brushwork and paint applications

• Using acrylic mediums, gels and modelling paste

• Refining details, highlights, edges and focal points

• Making creative decisions that strengthen the finished artwork

The class combines demonstrations, practical advice and individual guidance. You will be encouraged to experiment with techniques that suit your own subject and painting style rather than follow one rigid method.

By the end of this course students will: 
Understand how to plan and approach an acrylic painting of their choice

• Feel more confident selecting references, surfaces, colours and materials

• Have explored a range of acrylic painting techniques and mediums

• Understand how to build depth, texture and visual interest through layering

• Have developed stronger problem-solving and creative decision-making skills

• Complete a refined acrylic painting they can feel proud of

REQUIRED MATERIALS

• A variety of coloured Paints 

• Acrylic Paint brushes in various sizes

• A3 Canvas Pad 

• Palate or Plastic Plates

• A Surfaces to paint on such as a camvas, canvas board, plywood, mdf, cardboard (These can be sourced later in the course)

* Mont Marte Dimension Acrylic are great quality for their value but their Premium Satin Acrylic range is ok for those on a budget. More Professional Artist quality paints can be purchased from Kadmium Art + Design Supplies in Coffs Harbour such as Jo Sonja's, Atelier & Matisse. 

*Please ensure you have a selection of round brushes and small detail brushes in various sizes. A fan brush and some flat shaders would help too. 

(If in doubt you can wait until the first class where all materials will be available from the tutor)

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Jess is a professional artist, face painter and published author. She has exhibited and sold her works both locally and internationally. She studied a Bachelor of Fine Art and has a Diploma of Visual Arts at Tafe NSW. 
She has been working with children and teaching  the arts for over 5 years. She founded Woolgoolga Art School in 2023, is a professional face painter on the weekends and runs private Paint & Sip parties. 
In her personal arts practise she primarily works with acrylic paints, graphite, charcoal & pastels, depicting the human form. 
As a mental health advocate, Jess is passionate about the therapeutic benefits of art making. She has a certificate in Art Therapy and her approach to teaching is a mixture of technical tuition, encouraging creative experimentation and building self esteem. 
Her classes focus on establishing the foundations of art theory and then applying that knowledge to artworks.