Choose from a variety of creative art courses

Explore your creativity through painting and drawing and choose from a variety of creative art classes. With a huge range of subjects to learn from, you can choose from online or in-person options.

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Our creative arts courses will get you working with pastels and pencils, exploring fine art and even get you out and about discovering new galleries in your spare time. 

Paints to pastels

Delivered by experienced art tutors, why not try getting creative with clay, or getting hands-on painting your very own masterpiece. 

If you’re interested in drawing, you won’t be disappointed either. Collage making, oil painting, pastel painting and printing are just some of the subjects that have proved popular in recent years.  

Many of our arts courses are delivered for different levels of experience too, so whether you’re a beginner or a little more advanced, you’ll be able to choose the art course that’s right for you. 

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This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Creativity for Calm

Are you looking for a relaxing hobby to help you unwind? Creating moments of calm in the day is essential for our emotional well-being and mental health. Step into the world of mindful crafts with this course and enjoy art for relaxation. This creativity course allows you to explore your art and craft skills to find practices that soothe you. Whether you enjoy drawing, painting, origami, or craft-making, art courses can help you find a relaxing hobby.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 26/03/2025
Times:
11:30am - 1:30pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Rebecca Spear
Course code:
Q00015873
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £92.40

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Learn to Draw Portraits

For many prospective art students, the thought of learning to draw a portrait is quite daunting, in fact some would say it is their nemesis! However, challenging yourself to confront this can be incredibly rewarding. The first time you achieve something akin to a real, convincing likeness is quite thrilling, and rest assured, it is a taught skill. This course is structured so you will learn skills of proportion, perspective, line, tone, and colour and be able to clearly analyse requirements for the task. This course is for complete beginners and those looking to improve their skills and develop their own style.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 15/01/2025 -
Wed 19/02/2025
Times:
9:00am - 10:30am
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Abi Kremer
Course code:
Q00013174
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.30

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Introduction to Abstract Art

Learning about Abstract Art is fascinating and rewarding. This course covers its evolution from 19th-century pioneers like JMW Turner to movements such as Impressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Modernism, and up to the 21st century. It also highlights lesser-known female artists who have been overlooked by the art world. Each lesson starts with an interactive visual presentation featuring these examples. You’ll learn and practice using various drawing and painting materials, including inks, chalk, oil pastels, watercolor, acrylic, collage, and mixed media. This course is suitable for complete beginners and those wanting to improve their skills and develop their own style.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 15/01/2025 -
Wed 19/02/2025
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Abi Kremer
Course code:
Q00013199
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.30

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Abstracting Winter Landscapes

Learning about Abstract Landscape Art is a fascinating and rewarding topic; it tracks an evolving story looking at different ages, from 19th Century innovators such as JMW Turner, through to Impressionism, Cubism, Futurism and Modernism in general, right up to the 21st Century. This course will also introduce you to some lesser known female artists who have been formerly neglected by the art establishment. Inspired by these examples, shown at the beginning of each lesson in an interactive visual presentation, we will develop skills in a range of drawing and painting media, including drawing inks, chalk and oil pastels, watercolour, acrylic, collage and mixed media. This course is for complete beginners and those looking to improve their skills and develop their own style.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 15/01/2025 -
Wed 19/02/2025
Times:
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Abi Kremer
Course code:
Q00013201
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.30

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
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  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
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Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Drawing and Introduction to Painting for the Terrified

Would you like to draw and paint but think you can't? Do you lack confidence in beginning your artistic journey? This course is suitable for anyone who wants to have a go but doesn't know where to start. Working with our experienced and friendly tutor you will explore the fundamentals of drawing and basic painting techniques. This is a beginners course where no prior experience is needed. Each week we will take a step by step approach to exploring the fundamentals of drawing, building up to experimenting with some basic techniques, that will pave a way into painting.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 15/01/2025 -
Wed 19/03/2025
Times:
2:15pm - 4:15pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Karen Davies
Course code:
Q00012874
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Practical Art: Watercolours for Complete Beginners (Part 2)

Do you want to learn the basics of watercolours? Have you tried before and given up in frustration? Why not join this course for support and encouragement? Watercolour, simply put, is water mixed with pigment which is then applied to paper. But painting with watercolours is something entirely different. It can be complex, confusing, and fun at the same time. While not a medium to be controlled or manipulated, part of the very beauty of working with watercolours is learning to let go! Come and join us to find out more.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 27/03/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Deborah Crofts
Course code:
Q00017575
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Wonderful Watercolour

This course is an introduction and recap of watercolour painting skills working from objects and the natural world. You'll get an introduction to watercolour painting techniques suitable for beginners and intermediate level. Including covering colour mixing, layering glazes of watercolour to build up depth; we will cover some techniques to paint still life, clouds and trees; drawing with different shaped watercolour brushes and dropping colour into water, dry brush work and using salt as a resist working both from observation and imagination.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 07/02/2025
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Joy Girvin
Course code:
Q00009459
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Abstracting Spring Landscapes

Learning about Abstract Landscape Art is a fascinating and rewarding topic; it tracks an evolving story looking at different ages, from 19th Century innovators such as JMW Turner, through to Impressionism, Cubism, Futurism and Modernism in general, right up to the 21st Century. This course will also introduce you to some lesser known female artists who have been formerly neglected by the art establishment. Inspired by these examples, shown at the beginning of each lesson in an interactive visual presentation, we will develop skills in a range of drawing and painting media, including drawing inks, chalk and oil pastels, watercolour, acrylic, collage and mixed media. This course is for complete beginners and those looking to improve their skills and develop their own style.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 05/03/2025 -
Wed 09/04/2025
Times:
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Abi Kremer
Course code:
Q00013205
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.30

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Creativity for Calm

Are you looking for a relaxing hobby to help you unwind? Creating moments of calm in the day is essential for our emotional well-being and mental health. Step into the world of mindful crafts with this course and enjoy art for relaxation. This creativity course allows you to explore your art and craft skills to find practices that soothe you. Whether you enjoy drawing, painting, origami, or craft-making, art courses can help you find a relaxing hobby.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 09/07/2025
Times:
9:00am - 11:00am
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Rebecca Spear
Course code:
Q00015874
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £81.40

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Creativity for Calm

Are you looking for a relaxing hobby to help you unwind? Creating moments of calm in the day is essential for our emotional well-being and mental health. Step into the world of mindful crafts with this course and enjoy art for relaxation. This creativity course allows you to explore your art and craft skills to find practices that soothe you. Whether you enjoy drawing, painting, origami, or craft-making, art courses can help you find a relaxing hobby.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 09/07/2025
Times:
11:30am - 1:30pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Rebecca Spear
Course code:
Q00015875
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £81.40



The courses below have already started, but are still available to book.

Craft: Mini-Albums and Memory books

Explore the exciting world of paper-crafting on this comprehensive course on creating beautiful mini-albums and journals. Unleash your creativity as you engage in the art of combining paper, embellishments and various techniques to craft unique and personalised keepsakes. Join other like-minded crafters and our enthusiastic tutor on this creative course and learn how to showcase and preserve cherished memories for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a family member or friend. Gain confidence and experiment with different skills, and materials to craft beautiful and meaningful keepsakes. On this course you will: Gain proficiency in basic paper-crafting techniques, such as accurate measuring, cutting, scoring and layering. incorporate different styles of pockets, tuck-spots and tags. Learn how to add found objects and ephemera pieces to your journal Look at ways to include scraps from your stash, including paper, fabric scraps, buttons, ribbon and lace This course is for beginners and for those who are creating mini-albums and memory books for the first time or would like to add to their existing skills. The only requirement is that you have some basic paper- craft supplies on hand, such as card, patterned papers and glue. A full resource list will be available on Canvas for each project.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/06/2024 -
Mon 22/07/2024
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Tracey Broomfield
Course code:
Q00015500
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
In progress
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Craft: Paper-craft for a Peaceful Mind

Do you find yourself tired and stressed out at the end of the day? Are you looking for a hobby to relax you and help you unwind? Join me and discover the therapeutic art of paper-crafting and benefit from its profound impact on promoting a peaceful mind and lower stress levels. This course combines creative expression with mindfulness techniques to help you achieve a sense of peace and calm through the varied world of paper-crafts. On this course we will explore various paper-crafts from the clean and simple arts of origami and card-making to the messy randomness of collage, painting and mixed media. On our journey of exploration we will look at different mindfulness practices as we immerse ourselves in the joy of creating and crafting to help our general and mental wellbeing. On this course you will: v Practice basic paper-crafting techniques v Look at ways to be mindful while crafting v Engage in hands on projects designed to foster creativity and aid relaxation.. This course is anyone whether you are a long term crafted, a beginner or maybe you are new to crafting and are looking for a new hobby to engage in to help you deal with the stresses of life in the today's world. Everyone is welcome.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 25/06/2024 -
Tue 16/07/2024
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Tracey Broomfield
Course code:
Q00015498
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
In progress
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Craft: Diorama, Pop-Ups and Fun Folds (online)

Come and join our enthusiastic tutor and a group of likeminded crafters as we immerse ourselves into the world of paper-crafting and greeting card making. This engaging course will focus on transforming flat pieces of card and paper into captivating 3 dimensional scenes and pop-up surprises. On this course we will discuss dioramas in general, we will look at suitable themes and the basic materials and tools needed. We will also create simple pop-up mechanisms to surprise and delight our recipients. Craft in general is known to have a positive effect on the mental health of those that do it, and card-making is fun, productive and very rewarding: you create lovely, personalised cards for the special people in your life. Boost your confidence and build your skills as we experiment with some new designs and techniques. This course is suitable for those with some experience of card making and a well-stocked craft room.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 28/06/2024 -
Fri 19/07/2024
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Tracey Broomfield
Course code:
Q00015499
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
In progress
Fee range
Free to £37.00