The Pencil Room will be on hiatus throughout 2026. You’re welcome to register your interest in specific classes or workshops using the Waiting List button under each workshop. I will be in contact if the workshop is offered again in the future. Thanks for all your support over the past 10 years! Emily
PAINTING CLASSES
Learn to paint with acrylic and watercolour painting workshops for beginners and improvers. Workshops introduce a range of useful painting skills in a fun and practical way.
Maximum of 14 students per workshop. Spaces are limited and a minimum number of students is required to go ahead.
WORKSHOP
9.30AM – 3.30PM, SATURDAY TBC
Tutor: Emily Armstrong (MA&D)
Watercolour paint is a wonderfully fresh and fluid medium to work with but it comes with some technical challenges. In this beginner workshop Emily will take you through short painting exercises to introduce you to key watercolour painting techniques. By the end of this course you’ll be equipped with the skills needed to start your own watercolour painting projects.
You’ll learn:
- how to mix watercolour paints
- wet-in-wet painting technique
- layering and glazing
If you’ve always wanted to try watercolour but you don’t know where to start, this is the workshop for you!
All materials provided. Tea, coffee and snacks provided throughout the day. Please bring lunch for a half hour lunch break – or take advantage of the local food venues in town.
WORKSHOP
9.30AM – 3.30PM, SATURDAY TBC
Tutor: Emily Armstrong (MA&D)
Have fun exploring colour and brush strokes to create fresh watercolour paintings with flowers and botanicals as your subject.
You’ll learn:
- key watercolour painting techniques (wet in wet, wet on dry)
- experimental techniques
- advanced colour theory you can use to enhance your paintings
Best suited for people who have some basic painting experience and an understanding of the colour wheel. (or have taken the intro watercolour workshop).
All materials provided. Tea, coffee and snacks provided throughout the day. Please bring lunch for a half hour lunch break – or take advantage of the local food venues in town.
WORKSHOP
9.30-3.30pm SATURDAY TBC
Tutor: Emily Armstrong (MA&D)
In this one day workshop you’ll learn how to take your painting to the next level through careful consideration of form and colour. We’ll cover:
- how to create a realistic sense of 3D form
- how to paint effective shadows
- planning and using colour combinations
In the morning we’ll experiment with practical painting techniques and in the afternoon we’ll work on creating a ‘still life’ painting (objects) from a photograph of your choice.
This course is suitable for people who have taken workshop 1 or who have a basic understanding of mixing and applying paint and want to refine their skills.
All materials provided. Tea, coffee and snacks provided throughout the day. Please bring lunch for a half hour lunch break (or take advantage of the local food venues on Hastings St!)
This workshop will run on demand so please register your interest via the waiting list.
WORKSHOP
9.30-3.30pm SATURDAY TBC : Emily Armstrong (MA&D)
Always wanted to give painting a go? In this one day workshop you’ll learn everything you need to get started including:
- what paints and brushes to use
- colour mixing
- how to apply paint and create different brushstrokes
- how to start and finish a painting
We’ll spend the morning learning through practical exercises and in the afternoon we’ll put it all together and paint a simple landscape painting.
More than just a ‘watch and learn’ experience, this workshop will give you the confidence and knowledge to start painting on your own. Suitable for complete beginners or people who want to get back into painting after a long break.
All materials provided. Tea, coffee and snacks provided throughout the day. Please bring lunch for a half hour lunch break (or take advantage of the local food venues on Hastings St!)
This workshop will run on demand so please register your interest via the waiting list.
ALL CLASSES & WORKSHOPS HELD IN THE MODERN AND SPACIOUS WORKSHOP ROOMS AT CREATIVE ARTS NAPIER, 16 BYRON ST, NAPIER
