Service Description

🎉 Cheshire Art Classes is Expanding! 🎉 We’re excited to announce our brand-new 4-week Oil Painting Course at The Five Villages Hall — a gorgeous venue on the other side of Chester! This new location lets even more art lovers experience our friendly, relaxing oil painting classes. 👉 Good news: Our popular Farndon Morning & Evening Oil Painting Classes are continuing as usual. Who’s It For? This course is designed for beginners and amateur artists eager to explore oil painting in a sociable, supportive setting. You’ll be guided by professional artist Dan Bethell, who has over 8 years of experience teaching adults a range of mediums. What You’ll Learn Over 4 weeks, we’ll work together on an oil painting on the theme of Interiors & Light — a fantastic project for practicing: ✨ Capturing atmosphere – how light transforms an indoor space, from soft morning glow to dramatic shadows. 🎨 Color harmony – mixing warm and cool tones to convey mood and depth. 📐 Composition & perspective – arranging objects, furniture, and architectural elements within a scene. 🖌️ Edges & detail – balancing sharp focus with softened transitions to lead the viewer’s eye. 📖 Storytelling in painting – creating a sense of place and inviting the viewer into the scene. By the end of the course, you’ll have a completed oil painting that captures the beauty of light in an interior space — and the confidence to apply these techniques to future works. Techniques We’ll Cover 🖌️ Underpainting & value studies – setting up a strong tonal foundation before adding color. 🎨 Glazing & scumbling – layering translucent or textured paint to build depth and luminosity. 💡 Light & shadow handling – controlling contrasts for mood and realism, including cast shadows and reflected light. 🌈 Colour mixing for atmosphere – balancing warm vs. cool light What’s Included ✔️ A2 Standard Canvas - Optional 60x40cm Linen canvas (smooth surface ideal for soft blending) ✔️ All essential painting materials* *Please bring your own oil painting brushes and an apron. (Recommended brush lists are on our blog.) For this course I would recommend a mixture of synthetic and natural bristle brushes to experiment with mark-making. 📍 Location: The Five Villages Hall, Station Rd, Backford, Chester, CH1 6NT 📅 When: Wednesday mornings, 10 am – 2 pm ✨ Spaces are limited — book your spot now! If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dan directly. We can’t wait to paint with you! No experience is needed.