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.

ONLINE: The Super-power of a sketch book with Guy Allott: 20 May to 8 July 2021

£220 8 Week online Course – The aim of this course is to develop the skills required to produce sketchbooks which are an inspiration, and which contain all the nuts and bolts of experimentation… Continue Reading →

Online: Ordinarily odd; the everyday with Archie Franks – 19 May to 7 July 2021

£220 – 8 week course Online Course on Wednesday Evenings.
In this course we will look at artists who examine the everyday. We will look at our own everyday, our immediate surroundings and situations… Continue Reading →

ONLINE: Intuitive Abstract Painting: Exploring process and narrative with Alexander James Pollard and Johanna Melvin: Sundays 18 Apr – 27 June 2021

Prepare yourself for full immersive days incorporating experimentation, playfulness, technical guidance and discussion designed to develop you as an abstract painter. Continue Reading →

Dazzle – Hide and Seek painting with Vicky Wright: 20 Apr to 29 Jun 2021

The course will be conducted over 10 weeks in three hour sessions and will, amongst other things, look at artists who invented the dazzle technique. Vorticism was an art movement that broke with the past and expressed the dynamism of the machine age, exploring pattern and geometry as a means to make paintings. Continue Reading →

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

This course aims to explore the elements of portraiture and figure painting and drawing in both systematic and creative ways. Continue Reading →

ONLINE: Contemporary Fine Art Practice: 01 Oct 2021 to 01 July 2022

The Contemporary Fine Art course is aimed at a broad range of artists and levels of experience and seeks to develop a community where practical and theoretical skills can be explored and established with emphases on making, presenting, talking and thinking about art. Continue Reading →

Dazzle – Hide and Seek painting with Vicky Wright: Tuesdays 9 – 30 Mar 2021 6-9pm

Vorticism was an art movement that broke with the past and expressed the dynamism of the machine age, exploring pattern and geometry as a means to make paintings. Continue Reading →

Online Course: Ordinarily odd; the everyday with Archie Franks – 13th Jan to 24th Mar: 6-9pm

In this course we will look at artists who examine the everyday such as Wayne Theibaud, Alex Katz and Eduard Manet. We will look at our own everyday, our immediate surroundings and situations. Continue Reading →

Painting People: The Figure and Portrait – Thurs 14 Jan to 25 Mar 2021

This course will be taught by Alison Harper and visiting artists including National portrait award winner Rosemary Beaton. The course aims to explore the elements of portraiture and figure painting and drawing in both systematic and creative ways. Continue Reading →