Good Venue and inspiring tutors
The Essential School of Painting London 2015
“Venue good with good light, big space, free access to tea, coffee and biscuits, no interruptions. Tutors are excellent, encouraging and supporting. Good in boosting confidence to develop and try new skills and processes. If things were not going well, picked up and supported to make amendments and clarifications were given to develop from where you are. Rosemarie’s and Alison’s have slightly different approaches; this too is helpful and good to learn all the way around! I will be back, good developmental experience, supporting and educational. Thank you so much. Pearl Brown
More than I expected
Dr Leonard McComb RA giving a lesson in portraiture at The Essential School of Painting
“I was expecting a disaster and to throw away what I have done – as has happened previously on other courses. I actually want to keep what I have done as it captured the feeling that I wanted.”
“More than I expected even – a great deal of food for thought.”
I wasn’t expecting such a high standard of teaching – thanks.”
“I have been to different art schools and I keep coming back to The Essential School of Painting. I have done weekend classes with difference tutors and I learn something new each time, something changes in my painting and its always a pleasant surprise. Thank you Alison and your team at The Essential School of Painting” JD
On The Essential School of Painting
“I attended The Essential School of Painting ( a whole Saturday every week) for one year and one term. The school is held in a large light studio with plenty of room for the students to expand around their easels. The classes are small enough for each student to feel cared for, the atmosphere is informal and relaxed, and the students are serious about developing themselves as artists. As a teacher Alison is positive, supportive, intelligent and relaxed. She is highly experienced in drawing out the best from her students and guiding them in their preferred direction. She can quickly spot a problem or explain why something is not working, then suggest a solution for it. She never imposes her own ideas but discusses with each student what it is they want to achieve, and works with them to achieve it. Prior to this course I had painted for a number of years and attended a variety of classes. However, it was clear to me that my work needed pushing, and that I needed to be more aware of what I was doing. I wanted to be able to make informed decisions about colour choices, composition and style. That was why I chose this class. It has lived up to my expectations, and I now feel more confident and assured about what I do. 
In the first term Alison gives all students a thorough grounding of the basics—of colour theory, colour harmony, arbitrary colour, tonal values, composition, planes, mark making, imaginative self expression, and ways to generate ideas. This was extremely valuable as it set us thinking outside our previously established “boxes”. It made us all aware of just how many different elements go into creating successful painting. For each “element” we did a series of exercises to increase our awareness of what was possible to achieve, and we looked at how other artists had achieved it.”