PAINTING
Classes & Workshops in Leeds
Learn to paint with professional artist tutors
Discover the joy of painting at Northlight Arts Centre with a range of inspiring workshops led by professional artists. Our art centre in Leeds offers painting classes for all levels – from beginners picking up a brush for the first time to experienced artists looking to refine their techniques. Our courses cover a variety of styles and mediums, including acrylic, oil, abstracts and palette knife painting.
Learn expressive acrylic techniques with local artist Heather Burton, whose palette knife workshops explore texture, colour, and bold mark-making. Or explore the world of oil painting with Tessa Houghton and Royal Academy Schools trained painter Adam Stone. Each workshop provides expert tuition in a friendly, supportive environment, helping you to grow your skills and create artworks to be proud of.
Whether you’re interested in oil painting workshops, trying your hand at palette knife painting, or joining our popular watercolour courses, there’s something for all interests. Explore our upcoming painting workshops below:
Oil Painting Course
Methods, Materials & Studio Practice
with Royal Academy Schools–trained painter Adam Stone
9 May – 23 May 2026 | Saturdays, 10am–1pm
£170 + £3.50 booking fee
Join Royal Academy Schools–trained painter Adam Stone for a practical three-session workshop exploring the materials, surfaces and techniques that underpin oil painting.
Across three half-day sessions you will experiment with different painting surfaces, learn how to prepare them using acrylic primer, and explore how oil painting mediums change the character of paint.
Rather than focusing on one finished painting, this workshop is designed as a hands-on introduction to how painters actually work — testing materials, preparing surfaces and building a series of small studies using a range of techniques.
Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of oil painting materials and the confidence to continue experimenting in their own practice.
About Adam Stone
Adam Stone studied Painting, Drawing and Printmaking at the Royal Academy Schools in London, where he received the Vincent Harris Prize in Painting and the Edna Rose Weiss Prize for Figurative Painting. He later completed a practice-led PhD at the University of Leeds exploring painting, place and memory.
What we will explore
Over three weeks, you will:
Preparing painting surfaces using acrylic primer (gesso)
Working on canvas and prepared boards
Understanding and experimenting with oil painting mediums
Mixing mediums with oil paint to achieve different effects
Developing a series of experimental studies and small paintings
No previous experience with oils is required
Who this course is for
This workshop is suitable for:
Beginners curious about oil painting
Artists wanting to understand materials and studio practice
Painters interested in experimenting with different surfaces and mediums
Expressive Landscapes in Oil
6-Week Oil Painting Course in Leeds
With artist and tutor: Tessa Houghton
30 May – 4 July 2026 | Saturdays, 10am–12pm
£197 + £2.50 booking fee
Looking for an oil painting course in Leeds that will help you grow your skills with confidence?
Expressive Landscapes in Oil is a hands-on, artist-led course at Northlight Arts Centre designed for anyone who wants to explore expressive mark-making, colour, and atmosphere using traditional oil painting techniques.
Taught by professional artist Tessa Houghton, this six-week course gives both beginners and developing painters a practical, supportive environment to deepen their understanding of oil paint and discover their own creative voice.
Whether you’re completely new to oils or ready to refresh your skills, this course offers a grounded but exploratory approach to creating dynamic, atmospheric landscape paintings.
What You’ll Learn
Over six weeks, you will:
Gain confidence using oil painting materials, tools, mediums, and surfaces
Explore mark-making, texture, layering, and other expressive techniques
Study colour mixing, composition, depth, and light in landscape painting
Experiment with abstraction, energy, and mood inspired by contemporary and historical artists
Develop a personal landscape project using your own sketches or photographs
Receive individual feedback and support throughout the course
Finish with a completed oil painting that reflects your own interpretation of the landscape
No previous experience is required—just curiosity and a willingness to play, experiment, and explore.
Why Choose This Oil Painting Course?
Perfect for beginners and improvers
Small group size with personalised guidance
All materials, paints, brushes, and canvases included
Run by experienced painter Tessa Houghton, known for expressive, atmospheric landscapes
Ideal for anyone wanting to begin their journey with oils in a supportive setting
Who is this course is for?
This course is ideal for:
Complete beginners wanting a structured introduction to oil painting
Improvers looking to develop expressive techniques
Artists who want to explore landscape painting with more freedom
Painting with Knives
Palette Knife Painting
Join local artist Heather Burton for a dynamic workshop in palette knife painting, where you’ll create a bold and expressive acrylic painting from start to finish. Heather will guide you through the process step by step, showing you how to correctly apply and layer colour on canvas to achieve strong composition, tonal value, and striking texture.
This workshop is perfect for both beginners wanting to try something new and experienced painters looking to loosen up their style. By the end of the day, you’ll leave with a magnificent finished painting to take home.
All materials are provided – including paints, canvas, and palette knives – so all you need to bring is yourself and an inspiring subject matter. Work from a favourite photo or a meaningful object to make your artwork personal.
Dates coming soon — join our mailing list to hear first when booking opens.
