Painting People: The Figure and Portrait – Thursdays 7 Oct 2021 to 30 June 2022

Thursdays 10am to 5pm

Artist-tutors: Melissa Kime, Tim Patrick and Alison Harper

This course aims to explore the elements of portraiture and figure painting and drawing in both systematic and creative ways. During the course we will work from the live model and sources other than life including photographs, film stills, drawings, memory and imagination, traversing both traditional technical methods of creating volume and mixing colour to exploring experimental approaches to making images and conveying ideas. Both diligence and openness to unexpected and expressive results guided by a brilliant and varied tutor team will enable you to build up to completing a body of work and exhibiting in your end of year show in June 2023

Fees for bookings made after the start date will be calculated pro-rata and the difference refunded. Any questions please get in touch with the school.

This course is eligible for the ESOP 15% university student discount (T&C apply click here)

Annual Fee £1925  Term Fee £710

This course is limited to 12 participants only. Please book early to avoid disappointment.

Painting from life at the Essential School of Painting

Course timetable dates
  • Autumn Term: 7 Oct to 16 Dec 2021 – Half Term 28 October
  • Spring Term: 13 Jan to 24 Mar 2022 – Half Term 17 February
  • Summer Term: 21 April to 30 Jun 2022 – Half Term 2nd June
  • Exhibition Week – TBA

About the Artists

Tim Patrick

Tim (b.1988) is an artist based in London, UK. A 2019 awardee of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant for emerging figurative artists, he previously studied in Florence, Italy, the Royal Drawing School, and the University of Brighton.

Exhibiting in London and around the UK, Tim’s work is in many private collections and the Priseman-Seabrook Collection of 21st Century Figurative Painting. A frequent tutor at Draw, Brighton, West Dean in Chichester, and Camden Arts Centre, London, Tim is active both as practitioner and tutor.

Recipient of Elizabeth Greenshield Foundation Grant

Artist in Residence: Trinity Buoy Wharf Aug 2020-Jan2021. >>> read more >>>

Home I, Monotype, Ink on paper
Melissa Kime

Melissa was born in Wiltshire UK in 1989 and currently lives and works in London. She graduated with a BA Fine Art in 2011 from Falmouth University, with a postgraduate diploma in drawing from the Royal Drawing School in 2013 and with an MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art in 2015.

Superman has delivered Oil on canvas

She exhibited in Bloomberg New contemporaries, 2014 at the ICA London which was selected by Enrico David, Goshka Macuga and Marvin Gaye Chetwynd and won the Arts Club award at The Royal Academy Summer Show, 2019. She has exhibited widely in the UK and abroad in both solo and group shows, she has won numerous prizes for both drawing and painting and her work is in many private collections. Melissa is represented by C&C Gallery.

>>> read more >>>

Alison Harper
Bhupen Khakhar

Alison is the Artistic Director and co-founder¹ of The Essential School of Painting. An exceptional multi-talented artist, Alison is a graduate of the prestigious Glasgow School of Art and is known as one of ‘The Glasgow Girls’. Alison is credited with being one of the youngest lecturers to have taught in the Painting and Printmaking departments of the Glasgow School of Art teaching there over a period of ten years before founding TheESOP in 2004.

Bhante by Alison Harper

The holder of multiple awards including the Commonwealth Scholarship, Alison has exhibited widely both in the United Kingdom and abroad. She has been the invited artist to the Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition (2016), a contributing author to ‘Drawing and Painting: Materials and Techniques for Contemporary Artists’ and the Art Consultant to the BBC ONE Show ‘The Big Painting Challenge (Series 1 & 2) 

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About The Essential School Of Painting

The Essential School of Painting (ESOP) is an alternative art school based in Wood Green, London, specialising in painting and drawing classes taught by leading contemporary artists. The ESOP offers exciting, intellectually rigorous courses with the intention of advancing painting. Classes are available for all levels of experience.