Abstract Painting in Acrylics - Beginners - Southwell Library - Adult Learning

About this course

Dive into the expressive world of abstract painting in this inspiring 5-week acrylics course designed for adults of all skill levels. Whether you're a beginner or looking to explore a more intuitive, personal way of painting, this course will help you discover the freedom and creativity of abstract art.

Over the five sessions, you’ll experiment with colour, texture, form, and composition while learning a range of techniques to help develop your own visual language. You’ll explore ways to loosen up your approach to painting, using brushwork, layering, mark-making, and mixed media to express mood, energy, and emotion on the canvas. Each week will focus on a different theme or technique—from bold colour palettes and dynamic compositions to exploring contrast, rhythm, and surface texture. You'll be encouraged to try new methods and take creative risks in a supportive, relaxed environment.

By the end of the course, you will be able to: - Experiment with and evaluate the use of colour, form, and line to express mood or emotion in your artwork, showing development of a personal visual style. - Use sketchbook or preparatory work to plan, reflect on, and refine ideas for final paintings, demonstrating an ability to move from experimentation to intention. - Create a range of new colours based on 2 complementary colours and white - Apply a minimum of 4 different abstract painting techniques, - Develop and implement a marketing plan using at least 3 different channels (e.g., social media, email marketing, and local events) to promote their products.

What you will need to bring to the course:

Acrylic paper/sketch pad

A4 canvas

white gesso

a range of synthetic paint brushes

acrylic paint (student grade):

- Red (Magenta, Cadmium Red)

- Yellow (Lemon and Cadmiun Yellow)

- Blue (Ultramarine, and Cerulean)

- Titanium white

Booking your place and fee information

If you receive certain benefits you will be offered the course for free, however if you have a financial barrier which may prevent you from enrolling on the course, please visit our funding page for further information.

Residency in England

To book and enrol on one of our courses, you must be living in England permanently and live outside of the devolved areas listed below or live within the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) devolved area (Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire).

• Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield 

• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

• Greater London

• Greater Manchester

• Liverpool City Region

• Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland

• Tees Valley

• West of England

• West Midlands

• West Yorkshire

Residency Eligibility – other criteria

If you are living in the UK on a visa we will require evidence of this in order to be funded for the course, you can upload this evidence when you apply for the course. (completion of a questionnaire will be required).

Some exceptions may apply for example

• Your visa expiry date must be beyond the end of your course

• Asylum seekers must have lived in the UK for 6 months or longer while their claim is being considered by the Home Office

• You are receiving local authority support under section 23C or section 23CA of the Children Act 1989 or the Care Act 2014

Any learner who is not funded full cost fees would apply to these courses.