The City Workshop Edinburgh

A wee Sunday afternoon sketch. A bit grey outside.... the perfect excuse to stay home and scribble for an hour.

Finding my happy place again ✨

After a lengthy period of time off, I am slowly emerging 🐌.
I'm fortunate to be showing a few paintings alongside this talented group. The show is on until 23rd - if you're in Edinburgh come check it out 🎨

It’s been a really busy week, juggling masters assignments with teaching all my fabulous students and packing up art packs for online classes starting in January. So busy that I haven’t posted to let you know that I have discounted all art classes starting in January! So, I’ve extended the discount for one extra day - if there is a class you’d like to join or if you would like to book a course as a gift for a loved one, you can still take advantage of the reduced price.

✨All details are on my website ✨

It has been such a pleasure to relax, paint and chat with these fab folks over the last few weeks and I'm really missing these Thursday night classes 🎨

The Art for Wellbeing painting classes are available online as well as face-2-face and we have been sharing the fab paintings in our online group 🖌️

Art for Wellbeing classes are all about enjoyment and relaxation- and through this you'll find your art skills improving and you'll become more confident in painting 🎨

Can't wait for more classes in the new year 💕

Wow 😯😯😯 the new Art for Wellbeing painting course sold out in a weekend!!

🎨I'm looking forward to welcoming students both in-person and online, to the course - I can't wait to see your fab paintings coming along and to spend some time relaxing and enjoying putting paint to canvas along with you.

🖌️If you'd still like to join the online course - just message me and I'll add you to the waitlist (if I can get more supplies for art packs - you're in)

✨Feeling super grateful guys - fun arty times ahead 🎨🎨✨✨

I love seeing young children draw just for the wonderful feeling they get from creating, with no care for what anyone thinks of their work. If I could achieve just one thing when teaching my classes it would be to help you find that freedom again 💕🎨

- my week has been transformed!

It's been so busy lately, balancing study and assignments with business admin and of course teaching all my lovely students.... and I've really struggled to find the time (and the headspace) for anything creative.

At the start of this week I was feeling overwhelmed by all the things on the 'to-do' list and on a bit of a downer.

If you've been to one of my drawing classes you'll likely have heard me say that just a couple of minutes of drawing each day can really help your well-being (as well as your drawing skills).

Time to practice what I preach - and I have found 10 minutes each day to put pencil, pen or brush to paper - no plan, no preconceptions .... and what a difference! Taking a moment to think about how I'm feeling and put that down on paper has made me feel so much better.

I've been sharing a wee sections on my stories and can't say thank you enough for the lovely comments.

Hope I can inspire you to have a go too.

I have moved!
This weekend I have been busy with a bit more painting (of the DIY kind- see my stories for details) and a bit more unpacking.

It's been a wonderful juggle of teaching online art classes and taking part in online lectures/study for my masters over the last few months but it's going to be great to see people in real life too!

opens to the public again tomorrow so you may find me taking my tea breaks in the awesome cafe!

I'd like to send you a heartfelt thank you. When lockdown first hit us early this year, I had no idea how this very small, very new, entirely face-to-face business of mine could survive.

The move to teaching art classes online certainly involved a steep learning curve and it's entirely thanks to all the likes, comments, shares and recommendations, on my social media posts and beyond, that I've managed to reach so many people and keep going.

So here I am in December still going, and what has been most meaningful has been hearing from so many of you through emails, comments and conversations....

-to those of you who have worked through my classes as a family, young and old drawing and painting together,
-to those of you who have completed classes with friends - although you may be hundreds of miles apart; sharing your work with each other and connecting through my classes,
-to those of you who have found a bit of peace and relaxation away from worries through my classes....

..thank you for taking the time to let me know. Because you took the time to send me a message, I have kept going.

And a huge thank you to everyone who has bought a class or course or made a donation through my website; it's what has allowed me to keep going.

So - the only way I can say thank you...here's a 40 minute class for you to try. I'll put the details below.

This isn't for 'arty' people - this is for everyone! Anyone can do this - age 5 to 105! No prior drawing experience is required, you can take part even if you haven't drawn anything for years or are totally new to drawing. You can find the class and all the details here.

Please share this with anyone you think might enjoy the class. I hope that these 40 minutes of creativity bring you a bit of peace amidst the craziness of current times.

As always, I'd love to see your work and you can send me photos on Facebook messenger, by email, or by tagging on Instagram.

I'm looking forward to bringing you more online classes next year (more news on this in January) and keeping my fingers crossed that face-to-face classes may be back up and running in 2021.

I'm sending you my very best wishes for the Christmas season.

x Tamar

Thank you to everyone who has booked a course over this past weekend - I'm so excited to get started in the Spring! The discount ends tonight and there are a couple of spaces left for each course. Here's to sunnier times ahead ☀️

Blimey - is your inbox also full to the brim with Black Friday discounts? I can’t compete with the huge companies out there, but as a way to say a massive thank you for sticking with me this year there are some fab discounts on my online classes today. The number of discounted spaces are limited and the offer prices are only until Monday. So if you have been thinking about an online art class, either for yourself or as a gift, now is a great time to check out the classes on my website (I’ll put details below). Thank you for shopping small this year when you can, you are a hero!
P.S Am I the only person who still says ‘blimey’?

I have loved virtually connecting with students in this term's online classes, many of whom wouldn't be able to come to face-to-face classes. It's been great for students to connect, share and comment and chat in our Facebook group.

Check out just a wee selection of the fab work by some Art for Wellbeing students, shared in our FB group after our most recent class...

The Art for Wellbeing ANYTIME Course is available to purchase now on my website but WAIT - tomorrow there will be an amazing offer price (limited spaces) so if you’re thinking about a gift for you or a loved one- get there early. More details below 👇👇👇

Are you thinking of buying an art course as a gift? I take great care in selecting the art materials for each pack and packing them so they are a pleasure to open and use.

You can choose to have the art pack delivered directly to the recipient; it will be wrapped in eco friendly twine and there is the option to add your own message to the gift tag. All this is FREE of charge - making gifting easy for you.

Remember - there will be some amazing one-off class discounts coming on Friday. Stay tuned or sign up to my mailing list to be the first to know 🤓

Have you started Christmas shopping yet? What sort of gifts would you like to give this year? Perhaps rather than another ‘lovely thing’ you might be thinking about giving a gift of a different kind.

When you buy an online art course as a gift, not only will the recipient receive a beautiful art pack with all the art materials required but you are also giving the gift of time for themselves, a way to connect with a supportive community of like-minded people and a means to find confidence and a sense of accomplishment by creating artworks from the comfort of home.

Maybe you know someone who’d love that as a gift (and perhaps that’s you)!

I want to thank you for sticking with me this year. If you’ve ‘liked’ a post, commented, shared, if you’ve bought a class or a course from me, if you’ve written a review or told a friend… I just want to say the biggest thank you; it’s what has kept me going.

I’m not sure how I feel about Black Friday but I do want to thank you all, so there will be some amazing one off class discounts coming on Friday. Stay tuned or sign up to my newsletter to stay updated 👇👇🤓

- looking at a fantastic acrylic painting by one of my lovely ‘after school’ students. I can’t quite believe this photo was taken almost one year ago. Since then we’ve worked in watercolour, acrylic, marker, pencil and oil pastel...looking at portraits, landscapes, animals, mythical subjects, manga, surrealism….

We’ve worked together in the real classroom, the Zoom classroom and now the physically distanced classroom!

Like so many of my young students, I’m so proud and impressed with the amazing work she has created. What a 12 months it has been ✏️💪

In tonight's Art for Wellbeing Class we’ll be working with oil pastels. Many of you will remember these from school and perhaps not with fondness, I’m on a bit of a mission to change perceptions of these humble sticks. Do you love them or hate them?

Made a trip over to my new studio after my classes today. Amazing painter Dave is doing a great job. My next job is to start making it cosy and inviting. It’s a blank canvas at the moment - what would you love to see in here?

A really fab Art for Wellbeing class last night; taking time out and creating pastel landscapes with a lovely bunch of people💕 Now looking forward to Week 2 with the Drawing for Beginners students this evening - what will we be drawing......🤫

Exciting news - I have the keys to my new studio! Is this a good move in the current climate?....Who knows 🤷‍♀️ ....
Awesome keyring by

I'm really looking forward to cosy nights in, spending time drawing and teaching drawing with a cup of tea in hand.

What better way to spend the colder, darker evenings than in the company of likeminded folks; drawing, relaxing and sharing ideas.

The Art for Wellbeing course closes at midnight tonight. If you've been thinking about joining, there's (only just) still time.
I'll put the details below 👇👇👇

The Drawing for Beginners art packs have been arriving on doormats over the last few days and I can’t wait for the course to start.

I take great care with every part of the course and that includes putting together an art pack that is a pleasure to open and unpack, with art materials that are a joy to learn to use.

Tomorrow I’ll be packing the art materials for the Drawing for Wellbeing course. There are still a couple of spaces if you want to join in … book before Tuesday.

It’s Friday evening and in keeping with my rockstar lifestyle (🤣🤣🤣) I’ve added a final few details to this sketch (and started another).

I have a fascination with the wonderful strangeness and beauty of the natural world (🦩🦒and apparently long necks as there’s a giraffe sketch a couple of pages before🦩🦒). This drawing also reminds me of Alice in Wonderland - I loved those illustrations as a child and I suddenly want to read that book again.

It’s been a busy week and I’m feeling much more chilled after a bit of sketching. Happy Friday everyone.

Thanks to everyone who has booked their spot on the upcoming Drawing for Beginners course; I can’t wait to get started!

Tomorrow I’ll be packing up the last few packs of art materials and sketchbooks and heading to the post office.

Doors close tonight at midnight - there’s still one space there for you, if you’ve been thinking about joining.

Send me a message if you have any questions.

When most of my Drawing for Beginners students begin the course they haven’t drawn anything since they were at school. Often they are nervous - what if they are “terrible” and everyone else is “really good”?

The course is carefully structured with lots of demonstrations and guidance throughout each class, so you never feel lost or unsure.

I love it when at the end of a class students are pleased (and surprised) by what they’ve achieved; creating things they didn’t think they could do.⁠

This portrait is by a previous student - and I’ve included this project again in the upcoming course.

Spaces for the Drawing for Beginners course close tomorrow - I’ll put all the details below 👇👇👇

There's no right or wrong way to draw - and in the Drawing for Beginners course you'll be encouraged not to fear mistakes.

This isn't a course where you'll slavishly copy an image, you’ll learn skills that you can apply to any subject.

As you discover which techniques and media you enjoy using most, you'll begin to develop your own unique style.

Towards the end of the course you will select objects/subjects that are meaningful to you and you'll be confident in tackling any subject. Most importantly of all, you'll be on your way to developing a creative hobby that you'll love spending time on.

Today I’ve been busy organising the sketchbooks for the Drawing for Beginners course and getting art packs ready to post out to new students.

There’s still time to join us and I’d love to welcome you along. I’ll put all the details below 👇👇👇

What do you find the most difficult subject to draw?

I love this drawing by a Drawing for Beginners student (from the final class of the course). The course enables you to explore a range of drawing materials; developing your skills with pencil, charcoal, water soluble graphite and pen and you'll learn how to draw a range of "difficult" subjects. Every week there are new things to learn and try, and as your confidence grows, you’ll begin to develop your own style.

You will start to tackle subjects you’d never have thought you could draw, like this student did. Tricky perspective, the reflective glass, the complex textures of the dried petals in the jar and the delicate petals of the flower… she was up for having a go at all these challenges!

Doors are now open for the Online Drawing for Beginners course and they’ll close on 20th October (until next year).

Details below 👇👇👇

Looking to find more beauty in the world?

As you learn to draw, everything becomes a possible subject and you start to look everywhere for interesting things to study.

You'll see beauty in the most ordinary of places; the slightly mouldy orange, the crumbling wall, the pile of clothes on the floor and your half-eaten slice of cake.

More than that, as you observe and draw, the right side of your brain takes over. The shapes, lines and spaces of your subject become easy to see and draw, and all other thoughts and worries fade away.

What's best of all, is as you develop your drawing skills, you feel the benefits even when you're not drawing. You start to notice wonderful, beautiful things everywhere – the rust on the gate, the tiny buds of crocus appearing, the way the light hits the side of a building.

And you’ll start to feel that our world is a beautiful place after all.

If you'd like to learn to draw, why not join my Drawing for Beginners online course - doors close 20th October.

A gorgeous watercolour sketch by a student age 11; completed during one of our Zoom classes earlier this year.

I’ve been back tutoring my after school students for a whole term now! I’ll try to share more of the amazing pieces completed by my young students in our virtual and face-to-face classes - I’m so proud of what they’ve achieved this term.

A fab afternoon of classes. Loving the progress of this red panda painting by one of my students (age 10).

Nothing better than an hour spent painting and putting the world to rights.

Why do I love pastel drawing?

Pastels are the ideal step between drawing and painting. You have some of the familiarity of drawing (similar to using a pencil), but you can use mark-making, blending and dilution techniques to create painterly effects.

This is why I chose this medium for my upcoming Art for Wellbeing course. Pastels are so versatile but still easy to manage and ideal if you’re a beginner.

There are three projects to try in the course and I'll take you through each drawing step-by-step. So take time out from the hurly burly of life, stay cosy at home with a cuppa (or something stronger) and join me for three relaxing classes.

One of the nicest things about attending a drawing class is that lovely community vibe. I’m always there to guide and support you but it’s so helpful to be able to chat with your classmates each week, share in each other’s successes and encourage each other.

So it was important that this was also a feature of my online classes. There will be time in our live class each week to share our work but also to have a chat and catch up with your classmates. There is also our private Facebook group where you can ask any questions that come up between classes, post your work, share your thoughts and give each other loads of support.

It’s been a busy week so took half an hour to sketch and chill, feeling so much better - Happy Sunday

Mentalhealth.org.uk -
“Arts can make a powerful contribution to our mental health.
Engaging in the arts seems to be growing in popularity as a way to improve your wellbeing.
Arts can create a feeling of community.”

There are so many benefits to your wellbeing by taking part in a creative activity.

You can read the full article below 👇👇👇

website has a list of helpful tips for improving your mental wellbeing. They include the benefits of creative activity and how learning a new skill in a group can be enjoyable and boost confidence.

Sitting down to draw, paint or make something always makes me feel better. Losing myself completely in a creative activity not only provides a focus away from my other worries but the feel-good benefits last long after I’ve finished the activity.

Saddle stitching leatherwork is one of my most favourite activities when I’m feeling stressed. What's yours?

Looking to get your teeth into some fun art projects this Winter? Doors are now open for the Art for Wellbeing Course.

These classes are all about enjoyment and relaxation- and through this you'll find your art skills improving and you'll become more confident in drawing. Join me and your classmates from the comfort of your own home, broaden your drawing skills within a small encouraging group and find a sense of accomplishment as you create each piece of art.

This term we’ll be exploring pastel drawing and we will create three fab pieces.

Got a question about the course? Send me an email or FB message with any thoughts.

Doors are open! 🎉

If you’ve been waiting for my Drawing for Beginners course to open again, the wait is finally over! The Winter Term course will be taught via live Zoom classes so you can now learn to draw from the comfort of your own home.

You’ll also receive a gorgeous pack with all the art goodies you’ll need for the course.

You’ll get loads of support and encouragement from me and your classmates in our live classes, and through our community page.

Got a question about the course? Send me an email or FB message with any thoughts.

I have been in my temporary 'new' home for six weeks now!  Just a stone’s throw (if you’re good at throwing) from my space in St Colme Street is my roomier room in Young Street.

Changing and adapting to the current times, I’m teaching from a classroom within ECS Scotland who have some excess capacity due to Covid. Small, local businesses supporting each other is so important right now.

Do you know of a small business who needs support right now? Let us know about them.

Six weeks ago I was taking some time out; sitting by lochs, walking, cycling and relaxing. I returned home rested and full of ideas and... I have been quietly busy, planning ways to get back to what I love - helping you to find joy in creating and making. I'm looking forward to sharing these with you....💡