Intermediate One-off sessions - oil paints
Master the Mechanics of Realism using Oils.
Move past the guesswork.
Refine your eye, perfect your technique, and master the exact mechanics of representational form. Designed specifically for adult and senior painters, this structured curriculum transitions you from casual painting to professional, lifelike rendering. Through targeted, single-session workshops, you will absorb the precise technical concepts needed to control your medium and achieve true-to-life depth.
Instead of painting identical classroom setups, you are encouraged to bring your own subject material. This ensures every breakthrough you make is directly relevant to the art you love to create.
The Focus:
Master Proportions: Apply comparative measurement to translate real-world dimensions flawlessly onto canvas.
Sharpen Perception: Elevate your observational skills to build intuitive, precise hand-eye coordination.
Control Tonal Values: Expand your understanding of colour theory to master subtle shifts in light, shade, and atmospheric tone.
Sculpt Dimensional Depth: Utilise deliberate edge control—manipulating soft and hard edges—to make forms pop or recede smoothly.
$75 (2 hours)
Bring Your Own Inspiration: Work from your own selected reference materials. To support your growing independence as an artist, students at this level are asked to supply their own painting kits. An overview of the standard painting kit can be found below.
Held 6.30pm to 8.30pm - Wednesday evenings.
Intermediate Course.
4 lessons - oil paints
Master the illusion of depth, texture, and atmosphere through advanced oil painting techniques.
Ready to move past guesswork? Our 4-Week Intermediate Oil Painting Class is designed for artists who know the fundamentals and are ready for a technical, disciplined approach to realism. Moving beyond a standard one-off workshop, you will be guided step-by-step through a self-chosen project to achieve specific breakthroughs:
Master Optical Mechanics:
Learn the precise science of edge control to create genuine depth and dimension.
Sharpen Observation:
Train your eye to look beyond the surface and decode your source material.
Refine Wet-on-Wet Techniques:
Perfect traditional oil blending methods for seamless tonal transitions.
$300 (2 hours x 4 weeks)
Choose your own subject: Work from your own selected reference materials. To support your growing independence as an artist, students at this level are asked to supply their own painting kits. An overview of the standard painting kit can be found below.
Held 6.30pm to 8.30pm - Thursday evenings.
The Painters Kit
A large range of pigments is not always necessary. When learning to paint, it is crucial to master a basic colour palette, understand how different pigments interact, and learn to mix a wide array of colours from standard options. While artists’ preferences vary, a standard split-primary palette typically includes:
• Warm Red & Cool Red
• Warm Blue & Cool Blue
• Warm Yellow
• Warm Brown & Cool Brown
• Black & White
The Pigments:
Paint series numbers indicate relative cost and rarity, typically ranging from Series 1 to 5 for oils and Series 1 to 4 for watercolours. Series 1 contains economical pigments, while higher numbers represent more expensive minerals or complex manufacturing processes. For oil or acrylic painting, a highly effective standard palette includes:
• Cadmium Red (Warm / or a Series 1 hue equivalent)
• Magenta (Cool)
• Ultramarine Blue (Warm)
• Phthalo Blue (Cool)
• Cadmium Yellow (Warm / or a Series 1 hue equivalent)
• Burnt Umber (Warm)
• Raw Umber (Cool)
• Titanium White & Ivory Black
Additional pigments that are helpful include:
• Lemon Yellow (Cool / recommended to complete the split-primary mixing system)
• Indian Red Oxide
• Orange
• Raw Sienna
• Emerald Green
• Olive Green
Where to buy
Dedicated art stores carry both student-grade and professional-grade paints. While personal preferences vary, several reputable brands offer distinct advantages depending on your budget:
Art Spectrum: High-quality, artist-grade paint offered at an accessible price point.
Gamblin: Premium quality with exceptional pigment loads and excellent formulation.
Winsor & Newton: An industry standard providing world-class consistency and premium archival quality.
A sample of stockists include:
https://seniorart.com.au/
https://www.artshedonline.com.au/
https://www.melbourneartsupplies.com.au/