South West Art Courses

04/08/2026

There’s still time to join this Wednesday’s Perspective Drawing Workshop.

If you’ve ever struggled to make buildings look convincing, this friendly morning workshop will simplify the principles of two-point perspective and give you the confidence to draw accurately. We’ll cover the basic rules before putting them into practice with a pen and wash drawing on watercolour paper.

Wednesday 5th August
10.30am – 1.30pm
All materials and refreshments included
Small group, ensuring plenty of individual tutor support.

Drawing is the foundation of so much in art, and understanding perspective will help you create more convincing sketches and paintings while making it much easier to spot and correct perspective mistakes in your own work.

Read more and book here:-

https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/perspective-drawing-5th-august?referral=service_list_widget

25/07/2026

Drawing buildings can seem daunting, but once you understand the principles of perspective it all starts to make sense.

On Wednesday 5th August I’m running a half-day workshop that takes the mystery out of two-point perspective. We’ll work through the process step by step, learning how to draw buildings and key landscape features accurately and with confidence.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll find it much easier to spot and correct perspective in your own sketches and paintings. We’ll finish by putting those new skills into practice with a pen and wash drawing on watercolour paper.

All materials and refreshments are included.
Only 8 places are available, so everyone has plenty of individual support.

Whether you’re just starting out or would like to strengthen your drawing skills, I’d love to see you there.

Wednesday 5th August | 10.30am–1.30pm
South West Art Courses, Compton Court, Sherborne DT9 4AG

Click here to read more and to book a place.

https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/perspective-drawing-5th-august?referral=service_list_widget

19/07/2026

Printing Techniques (City & Guilds)
11 week course
Starting Monday 28th September

Printmaking is a wonderfully varied and rewarding art form, offering endless opportunities to experiment with texture, pattern, line and colour.

Over 11 weekly sessions you’ll be introduced to a range of printing techniques, learning how to develop ideas from your sketchbook into beautiful original prints. With a maximum of just six participants, there’s plenty of time for individual tuition, encouragement and feedback as your confidence grows.

Whether you’re completely new to printmaking or looking to build on existing skills, this course provides a supportive and creative environment in which to learn.

Starts: Monday 28th September
Maximum of 6 places

Click the link to read more:-

https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/11-week-course-printing-techniques-sept?referral=service_list_widget

13/07/2026

For further information or to book your place on this course, go to:
https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/11-week-course-printing-techniques-sept?referral=service_list_widget

Course will run weekly in term time, on Mondays 10.00AM - 3.00PM Starting September 28th 2026

Discover the magic of printmaking in this richly varied 11-week course, where complete beginners and experienced artists alike are guided step-by-step by our highly experienced tutor, Barbara. With just 6 places available, you’ll enjoy plenty of individual attention as you explore monoprint, lino, drypoint, collagraph, screen printing and more — creating beautiful, frame-worthy prints to treasure, gift, or submit for City & Guilds assessment.

City & Guilds Unit 208 (7516) Using Printing Techniques
This 11 week course looks at the material, processes and techniques to create prints.
Processes include, monoprint, linocutting, drypoint and etching.
Techniques include intaglio, and relief, screenprinting and collagraphs.
We will cover the elements involved in print making, line, mark, layers, texture, tone and colour.
Finishing with the design and production of 12 prints for an exhibition.

09/07/2026

Our 11-week City & Guilds Using Printing Techniques course is a wonderfully creative challenge. Printmaking is fascinating, rewarding and, at times, surprisingly physical too! You’ll be carving, inking, printing, experimenting and discovering what each technique can do.

Held on a Monday at Compton Studios in Sherborne and starting on Monday 28th September, this comprehensive course is suitable for complete beginners as well as those wanting to develop their skills or work towards the City & Guilds Level 2 Unit 208 – Using Printing Techniques qualification. (C & G registration fee applies)

Over the 11 weeks you’ll explore an exciting range of printmaking processes including:-

Monoprint
Linocutting
Drypoint
Etching

And techniques including:-

Intaglio
Relief
Screenprinting
Collagraphs

As you progress, you’ll learn how to combine line, texture, tone, colour and layering to create original prints full of character. By the end of the course you’ll have produced an impressive collection of work and discovered which printmaking techniques inspire you most.

With just six places, there’s plenty of individual tuition from our experienced tutor, Barbara, in a friendly, supportive studio. Whether you’ve never picked up a roller before or are ready to take your printmaking further, you’ll be warmly welcomed. Most materials are supplied.

Starts Monday 28th September 2026

For full details and to book your place, visit our website using the link below:-

Course will run weekly in term time, on Mondays 10.00AM - 3.00PM Starting September 28th 2026 Discover the magic of printmaking in this richly varied 11-week course, where complete beginners and experienced artists alike are guided step-by-step by our highly experienced tutor, Barbara. With just 6 p...

29/06/2026

A sketchbook is so much more than a place to make drawings, it’s somewhere to capture ideas, explore possibilities and let your creativity grow.

Join Jenni this Saturday at Compton Studios in Sherborne, for Mixed Media for Creative Sketchbooks, where you’ll discover a range of mixed media techniques and explore how working in a sketchbook can become an enjoyable, inspiring and much less daunting part of your creative practice.

Experiment with different ways of recording ideas, exploring motifs, testing colour combinations and developing your own visual language in a relaxed and supportive environment. Whether you’re new to sketchbooks or looking for fresh inspiration, you’ll come away with new techniques, greater confidence and plenty of ideas to continue at home.

Saturday 4th July, 10.30am–3.00pm
All materials included. Our studio stays very cool and is definitely the best place to be in the hot weather!
There are still a few places available – we’d love to welcome you!

Click the link below

https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/mixed-media-for-creative-sketchbooks-jul?referral=service_list_widget

or visit our website southwestartcourses.co.uk

CREATIVE SKETCHBOOKS: A introduction for beginners to learn to use a sketchbook to develop ideas, that you can later use as a starting place for an art piece. A storyboard is the process of gathering and collecting to create a palette which will then help to inform your work. This process will help....

21/06/2026

Discover the exciting combination of lino printing and stitch in this creative one-day workshop!

Whether you’re a crafter looking to add a new skill to your repertoire, a textile enthusiast searching for fresh ways to create unique fabrics, or simply someone who loves making things by hand, this workshop is packed with possibilities.

Learn how to design, carve and print your own simple lino blocks, then explore how printed surfaces can be transformed with hand stitch. The techniques you learn can be used in quilting, embroidery, textile art, mixed media projects, handmade books, cards, home décor, garment embellishment and so much more.

If you already enjoy textiles, printmaking opens up a whole new world of creating your own patterns, motifs and fabric designs. If you’re a printmaker, stitch can add texture, detail and personality to your work.

Suitable for beginners and those with some experience. Come along, experiment, and leave with new skills, creative inspiration and ideas you’ll want to use again and again.

Monday 6th July
10.30am – 3.00pm
£65

All materials supplied, and refreshments. Please bring a packed lunch.

https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/print-and-stitch-july?referral=service_list_widget

Print & Stitch This workshop combines two skills, lino cutting and stitch to create a piece of textile art. In the morning we will carve a design onto a lino tile which we will then ink and transfer to fabric. In the afternoon we will embellish the design with stitches in embroidery threads and bead...

20/06/2026

Discover exciting mixed media techniques and learn how to turn a blank sketchbook into a rich source of ideas, inspiration and finished artwork.

On this one-day workshop, we’ll explore ways of combining paint, collage, stencils, stamps, repeated motifs, mark-making and layered colour to create vibrant, expressive sketchbook pages. You’ll experiment with a range of materials and processes, building rich surfaces and developing ideas through play, exploration and creative discovery.

Many of us have bought a beautiful blank sketchbook with the best of intentions, only for it to sit on a shelf because we’re not quite sure where to begin. If you’d like to be more creative, start painting, or develop your artistic ideas but feel a little daunted by that first blank page, this workshop is a wonderful place to start.

Working in a sketchbook removes much of the pressure of creating a finished piece, allowing you to experiment, explore and build confidence. Many artists use sketchbooks as a stepping stone, developing ideas and techniques that can later grow into larger paintings and finished artworks.

Perfect for anyone who enjoys colour, texture, pattern and mixed media, whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced artist looking for fresh inspiration.

Saturday 4th July
10.30am – 3.00pm
South West Art Courses, Sherborne
£95

All materials are included, so simply bring yourself, a packed lunch and enjoy a relaxed, friendly day of creative experimentation.

https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/mixed-media-for-creative-sketchbooks-jul?referral=service_list_widget

CREATIVE SKETCHBOOKS: A introduction for beginners to learn to use a sketchbook to develop ideas, that you can later use as a starting place for an art piece. A storyboard is the process of gathering and collecting to create a palette which will then help to inform your work. This process will help....

14/06/2026

Half Day Workshop - Learn 2-Point Perspective Drawing!

A single incorrect perspective line can throw an entire painting off balance.

Whether you’re painting cottages, streetscapes, villages or buildings in the landscape, understanding a few simple principles of 2-point perspective can make a huge difference to the success of your work.

In this practical workshop, we’ll look at how perspective works, how to construct buildings accurately from the start, and how to spot the common errors that can make a painting feel “not quite right” even when everything else is working well.

Ideal for anyone interested in drawing, watercolour, pen and wash, sketching on location, or painting architectural subjects.

Wednesday 5 August
10:30am–1:30pm
South West Art Courses, Sherborne
£65

Suitable for beginners and more experienced artists who would like to strengthen their drawing skills and gain confidence when tackling buildings in their artwork.

To book, please visit our website or click the link.

https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/perspective-drawing-5th-august?referral=service_list_widget

04/06/2026

FOUNDATION ART COURSE.
Fridays, 10am–3pm
14 weeks from September 4th 2026 (half term 30th October)
Small, supportive groups
Suitable for both beginners and those with previous experience
Optional City & Guilds Level 2 qualification

For many of us, art was something we loved at school. But life, careers, family commitments and curriculum choices often meant it was left behind.

Years later, we find ourselves wanting to pick up a pencil, paintbrush or sketchbook again — not necessarily to become professional artists, but because creativity is an important part of who we are.

At Southwest Art Courses, many of our students return to art later in life. Some haven’t studied art since school, while others have been painting for years but would like a deeper understanding of the building blocks that underpin successful artwork.

Our 14-Week Foundation Art Course provides a rich and structured introduction to the visual elements of art and design, including colour, line, shape, form, texture, tone and composition. It’s also an excellent way to fill in gaps in knowledge and gain confidence in your creative practice.

Although the course runs for just one day a week, we fit an enormous amount into the 14 weeks. Previous students have gone on to degree-level study, while many others simply enjoy the opportunity to develop their skills, understanding and creativity in a supportive environment.

One day a week can fit surprisingly well around work, family life, caring responsibilities and grandparent duties — while still giving you a regular space to focus on your own creativity. If you miss the occasional session due to holidays, medical appointments or other commitments, you can make use of our weekly Studio Time sessions (free of charge) to catch up and stay on track.

We also offer a 14-Week Foundation Textiles pathway for those drawn to stitch, textile art, surface design and mixed-media textiles. Like the Art Foundation, it provides a strong grounding in the elements of design and creative development.

At the end of the course, students have the option of submitting their work for City & Guilds Level 2 assessment*. Assessment is entirely optional and does not change the content or experience of the course.

ART FOUNDATION - link
https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/c-g-foundation-art-14-week-sept-2026?referral=service_list_widget

FOUNDATION for Textiles - link
https://www.southwestartcourses.co.uk/service-page/c-g-foundation-art-for-textiles-14-week-1?referral=service_list_widget

We'd love to welcome you at our Sherborne studios in September.

*City & Guilds registration and assessment fee £100