The Gold Coast Art School

Only 4 weeks until our next Portrait Drawing Course begins and this is your LAST chance to join for 2026!

Starting Monday July 20th, Jason's 10 week Portrait Drawing Course will guide you through the foundations of portrait drawing, one feature at a time. From proportions and tone to eyes, noses, mouths, ears, hair, and facial expressions, you’ll build your skills step by step and learn how to draw faces with more confidence and realism.

Jason teaches through group demonstrations, one-to-one guidance, and practical reference materials, so you’ll have plenty of support throughout the course. By the end of the 10 weeks, you’ll put it all together in a final portrait of your choice.

📆 July 20th – September 21st

⏰ Choose your session:
Monday Morning (9:30am – 12pm)
Monday Evening (6:30pm – 9pm)

To book your place, email Jess with your preferred session time and whether you’d like full or part payment.

IMPORTANT: CASUAL ADULT CLASSES THIS WEEK. For all of our casual art class adults with Stephen, you will have different tutors this week. Stephen was admitted to hospital on Friday, and had surgery on Saturday. He is recovering very well and should be home tomorrow, but he will not be teaching until further notice.

So who is taking you instead? We're so thankful and pleased that Natasha and Jason are able to cover! For our Tuesday morning and evening classes, you will have Natasha. And for our Wednesday morning, evening, and Thursday morning students, you will have Jason. This does not affect any Intermediate Course students.

We hope you enjoy having a different tutor and perspective this week! We'll see how Stephen progresses and keep you posted.

Beachside Holiday Painting Workshop 🌴 🎨
Get your ticket → https://events.humanitix.com/beachside-holiday-painting-workshop

Diana and GCAS are partnering to deliver this fun kids' painting workshop during these school holidays. Students will learn a variety of painting techniques, including blending and layering, as they paint a beachside holiday scene onto an A3 canvas. Students will get to take home their artwork at the end of the workshop.

📍 WHERE: The Gold Coast Art School, 25 Olympic Circuit, Southport

📆 WHEN: Thursday 9th of July 2026

⏰ TIME: 1-4pm

👦🏼 AGES: 8-14. We don't recommend this workshop for children under 8.

🎟️ COST: $57+bf includes materials and canvas

🥪 WHAT TO BRING: Water bottle, lunch/snacks & creative passion. While we will provide aprons for the event, we encourage kids to wear something they won't mind getting a bit of paint on.

🎨 WE’LL PROVIDE: Light refreshments and art materials, including canvas & paint

We have very limited spots for this workshop, so first in best dressed!

We’re looking forward to seeing you soon!
Diana & Jess

Alexandra just finished this oil painting of a beautiful happy dog in a bathtub. It's a piece she started in February during our Intermediate Course. 🐾 🛁 🍸

She wanted to capture the dog’s playful expression while still keeping that painted look, and we think she’s done a wonderful job. This was a special piece to paint, as the dog sadly passed away last year and was a much-loved pooch.

Alexandra used AI to help build the initial reference image, placing the dog into the scene before bringing it to life on canvas. Well done Alexandra!

A big congratulations to our latest Beginner students on completing their 12-week journey!

Over the past three months, you’ve built strong foundations in drawing and painting. It’s been great to watch your confidence and skills grow each week.

Well done to you all for showing up, putting in the work, and trusting the process. We’re excited to see where your art takes you next. A big thank you as well to our tutors Jason and Natasha for supporting our students along the way.

Thinking of starting your own art journey? Our next Beginner Foundation Course begins this September. Contact us to join our Private Notification List to be the first to know when bookings open.

Portrait Drawing Course is back by popular demand! Jason returns to teach his 10 week drawing course, starting Monday, July 20th

This course focuses on drawing the human face with confidence, breaking down each facial feature, understanding proportions, and learning how to use tone to draw more realistically. Each week includes practical exercises plus plenty of one-to-one guidance from Jason.

⏰ 2 sessions to choose from:
Monday morning 9:30am – 12pm
Monday evening 6:30pm – 9pm

✍🏼 Small class size (max 10 students)

✏️ Beginners welcome!

Limited places available. To book your place email Jess 📧 [email protected]

Allan has just finished this large oil painting of a Pohutukawa tree and what a journey it’s been.

Starting out with drawing, then completing our Beginner and Intermediate Courses, it’s been great to see his skills grow along the way. Completing both courses gave him strong foundational skills and knowledge.

Allan said the process was enjoyable, and the learning continued throughout the painting, with each challenge teaching him something new along the way. He keeps coming back because, for him, the learning process has been the biggest win. 👏🏼

Acrylic or Oil Paint?
As an art student you’ve probably wondered which paint is best for beginners. 🤔 The truth is, both have their advantages.

Acrylic paints are affordable, easy to clean, and dry quickly. Oil paints take longer to dry, blend beautifully, and allow more time to work on your painting.

At our art school, students learn to understand the strengths of both, so they can choose the right one for their artistic goals.

🎨 Let us know which paint you prefer in the comments!