Author Archives: The Essential School Of Painting

About The Essential School Of Painting

The Essential School of Painting (ESOP) is an independent art school in London, built on our belief that painting is a living discipline, progressed through sustained practice. We are a place where painters teach painters, carrying a painter from first steps, through year-long courses, to our postgraduate two-year Advanced Painting Course. For over twenty years, painters of the first rank, Academicians and artists of international standing, have taught, exhibited and spoken in our studios. We openly welcome all to join our community. That welcome is encapsulated in our motto, Animus ad Creandum, the courage to create.

Developing Your Art Practice — Alternate Fridays Online, 9 October 2026 to 2 July 2027

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This year-long course, taught by Annie Cattrell RSA and Bob Matthews, is for artists who may be working across media, disciplines or stages of development where a single medium course would not fully serve them; they want to give their work the sustained attention and critical structure it deserves Continue Reading →

Approaches to Abstraction — Alternate Sundays In Studio, 4 October 2026 to 4 July 2027

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Artist-Tutor:  Johanna Melvin Format & Frequency:  In Studio — Every other Sunday, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm Fee:  £545 per term  |  Annual fee £1,420 Group Continue Reading →

The Narrative Painting Year | Thursdays  8 October 2026 – 1 July 2027

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This course invites you to work from the people, places and everyday journeys that make up your daily life. Fee: £795 per term | Annual fee £2,175 Continue Reading →

Painting the Contemporary Figure (studio) — Mondays Oct to Dec 2026

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Six evenings in the studio with the figure, working from the living model for four of them and from everything Continue Reading →

Painting Techniques in Oil or Acrylic (studio) — Thursdays Oct to Dec 2026

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Six evenings on paint itself, how it is mixed, laid down, layered and left alone, worked across still life, portrait Continue Reading →