Portrait Drawing & Painting
A progressive programme of observational portrait drawing and painting, from the foundations of likeness and form to sustained portraits in oils.
Three ten-week terms · Small groups · Working from life
Term I
Portrait Drawing
Graphite and charcoal
Develop the foundations of accurate portrait drawing through sustained studies from life. Working in graphite and charcoal on toned paper, students explore proportion, structure, likeness and tonal modelling, building their understanding and confidence through practical demonstrations and individual guidance.
£425
10 weekly sessions · 3 hours per session
Term II
Painting Fundamentals
Monochrome to limited-palette colour
Learn the fundamentals of portrait painting in oils, building on the observational principles of drawing. Beginning with monochrome studies, students progress through warm and cool colour relationships to limited-palette painting, developing their understanding of form, colour, and paint handling through sustained studies from life.
£475
10 weekly sessions · 3 hours per session
Term III
The Sustained Portrait
Larger portraits and expanded palette
Build on the skills developed in earlier terms through two substantial five-week portrait paintings. Working on larger surfaces with an expanded palette, students explore composition, colour relationships, the figure, and its surroundings, while developing greater confidence in the practical challenges of sustained oil painting.
£525
10 weekly sessions · 3 hours per session
Learning through observation and practice
My classes combine practical demonstrations, individual guidance, and sustained work from life. Rather than following rigid formulas, students learn to observe more accurately, understand what they're seeing, and develop the skills to translate those observations into convincing drawings and paintings.
With a maximum of eight students, there's plenty of opportunity for individual attention, discussion, and feedback throughout each session.
Joining the Programme
Flexible enrolment
Each term can be booked independently, allowing students to join at whichever stage suits their interests and experience.
The programme offers a natural progression from drawing to painting, but there are no formal prerequisites. I'm happy to advise anyone unsure where to begin.
Returning student discounts
Students continuing into the following term receive 10% off their course fees, increasing to 20% from their third consecutive term onwards.
Discounts apply across both Foundations and Portrait courses. Returning students receive priority booking and a personal discount code by email when enrolment opens for the following term.
What my students say:
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“Lewis is a fantastic teacher: approachable, adaptable and extremely generous with his knowledge.”
— Kirstin MacKinnon, Artist
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“Lewis’s mentorship was invaluable for both my personal growth and artistic practice.”
— Innes MacLellan, Artist
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“Lewis’ teaching was of the highest calibre. His mix of practical demonstration coupled with one-to-one instruction was mightily impressive — he certainly put himself in the frame!”
— Eva Hewitt, Artist
Interested in joining us?
Use the links below to learn more about individual courses, or to book your place.
Term I — Portrait Drawing
8 January–19 March 2027
Bookings open
View details / Book
Term II — Painting Fundamentals
23 April–25 June 2027
Enrolment opens March 2027
View details
Term III — The Sustained Portrait
3 September–19 November 2027
Enrolment opens August 2027
View details
Practical Information
Classes take place at:
The School, House of Toad
23 Park Circus, Glasgow G3 6AP
Fridays, 6–9 pm
Ten weekly sessions per term
Maximum eight students
Working from professional live models
Materials lists are supplied before each term.
Stay in the loop about future classes, demos and workshops
Fill out the form below and I’ll keep you up to date about future classes, workshops and live demonstrations.