Adult Summer Workshop

Paint and Pencil - An Introduction to Drawing and Painting

Name: Hereford College of Arts
Price range: $

Cost

£210
Tutor

Lexi Strauss
Duration

4 Days
Dates

29th July - 1st August

A relaxed, hands-on course for beginners to explore the basic techniques of drawing and painting, build confidence, and discover their own creative style.

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Overview

This dynamic 4-day course is designed to boost your confidence in both drawing and painting while helping you build a unique body of work. Each day focuses on a different technique — from line, tone, and mark-making to colour theory, perspective, and composition. You’ll experiment with a variety of materials including pencil, charcoal, acrylic, and water-based oils, exploring everything from life drawing and still life to abstract and expressive approaches. Through guided exercises and playful experiments, you’ll develop your creative skills in a relaxed, supportive environment — ideal for beginners or those looking to refresh their artistic practice. Basic materials are provided, with advice on optional extras as your projects evolve.

A girl with blonde hair crouching down and painting a large piece of paper on the floor. She is focussed and her arm is outstretched holding the paintbrush. She is painting with blue paint and wearing a bright red t-shirt, showing a butterfly tattoo on her arm.

A loose sketchy pencil drawing of a man holding a cigarette.

A woman with long dark brown hair standing at an easel. Her arm is outstretched and she is looking off-camera towards her subject.

Introduction to Painting short course student work hca

Photo of Lexi Strauss painting a colourful painting. She is wearing a neon pink beret and is smiling at the camera.

About the Tutor

Lexi, an MA Painting graduate from the Royal College of Art (2014) and Fine Art graduate from Hereford College of Arts (2011), is a painter and performer known for her unique paintings, theatrical installations and art clown performances. Her work bridges art, theatre, and comedy, often exploring themes of humour and trauma—a focus recently supported by Arts Council England funding.

See more of Lexi's work

FAQs

All materials will be provided including inks, paints, paper, pencils and sketchbooks. You will also have the opportunity to buy your own materials in our on-campus shop if you want to.

Make sure to bring some water, and wear clothes that you can get messy.

This course will be held at our College Road campus.

This masterclass will run across four days, starting on 29th July and finishing on 1st August.

The workshop will start at 10am and finish at 4pm each day. You may need to arrive earlier than 10am on the first day of the course for registration. You will be emailed about this once you have booked onto the course.

This course is suitable for anyone over the age of 16.

We recommend that attendees between the ages of 16 and 18 are accompanied by a parent or guardian who is also a paying participant.

This workshop is suitable for complete beginners or people with some drawing and painting experience who may want a refresher.

We keep our class sizes small so that you benefit from a lot of contact time with the tutor. There will be a maximum of 15 people attending this course.

Yes, there will be a 45 minute break for lunch. Unfortunately, our on-campus cafe won't be open during this time, but there is a corner shop just down the road from the campus where you can buy lunch, or you can bring your own.

Light refreshments such as tea and coffee will be provided.