Course FAQ

Read through the most common asked and answered questions here. For any further questions, don’t hesitate to Get in touch.

Is this course suitable for beginners?

Yes, the course has been created to support beginners, or for those who haven’t sketched a portrait since school.

On this course, we will have a deep dive into creating two contemporary colourful portraits, using soft pastels and acrylic paint.

Is this course suitable for intermediates, returners or already practicing artists?

Yes, returning or advanced students will be set intermediate or extension tasks to challenge, further expand your skillset and explore artistic identity.

Will I be able to access the course whilst juggling a busy schedule?

Yes, each task has been designed for you to complete during the class, or alternatively you can further access the week’s aims & objectives by working on your work outside of class.

What will I learn?

How do Artists know where to apply bright colour to a portrait? How can I practice key techniques of contemporary portraiture, whilst creating something visually impactful?

On this course, we will have a deep dive into creating two contemporary colourful portraits, using soft pastels and acrylic paint.

Subject Matters Include:

1.    Soft Pastels I, Proportions & Background.

2.    Soft Pastels II, Establishing Value & Form.

3.    Soft Pastels III, Details & Finishing Touches.

4.    Acrylic Paint !, Proportions & Underpainting.

5.    Acrylic Paint II, Blocking In.

6.    Acrylic Paint III, Details & Final Touches.

Where can I find out the course content?

When you enrol onto the course, you will be sent a Welcome Pack, which will contain a full breakdown of the course. It will outline what to expect each week, what the tasks will be and what materials you will require for each class.

For the course curriculum, click here:

How much is the course?

Online:
Tuition Fee ONLY: £120

Tuition Fee & Artist Kit: £200 (including postage & packaging).

In-Person:
Tuition Fee & shared materials: £180

Do you have a Payment Plan?

Yes we do! We have a flexible Payment Plan that ensures art remains accessible to everyone.

All we require is a 20% Deposit as an upfront down payment which unfortunately cannot be refundable to cover costs.

Select to then pay either:

20% each week over 4 weeks,

OR

20% per month over 4 months.

Click here for more information on our Payment Plans

If neither of these work for you, then please don’t hesitate to Get In Touch to tailor a payment plan that suits your needs.

Can I purchase the materials needed?

Yes, either purchase a Takeaway Artist Kit when you register, or Get In Touch for bespoke kits/individual items.

Online students will be sent an in-depth shopping list with all materials for the course listed to purchase online or at your local art supplier.

In-Person students will be provided with all materials to use in class.

Can I use my own materials?

Yes, you will be emailed out a Welcome Pack with a shopping list of all materials & equipment needed throughout the course. For a full list of the materials, click here

Are the materials included the in-person Bristol Class?

All the Teaching Resources & Reference Images for the class will be provided in class.

To be sustainable and reduce waste, print outs of all the resources needed for the course will not be provided to take home.

Instead, all resources will be emailed out before each class for students to print off at home. If you are unable to attend a class, or wish to work on you art after the session, but don’t have a printer, you are welcome to borrow any resource to take home.

Can I Use My Own Reference Images?

Yes of course, however please make sure you read through the below copyright notice as infringement of copyright law may result in Brushstrokes Courses Ltd classes being forced to close and face legal action.

Artist Studies: In a personal setting, you can only copy the work of another artist if they have been deceased for over 70 years. In a commercial setting, we can only study the work of an Artist (that has been deceased for 70 years), if the photograph of the work is owned by Brushstrokes Courses Ltd. This is UK Copyright Law and must be abided within any Brushstrokes Courses Ltd art class.

You must own the copyright license for any found image. If you do not have the copyright permission you can use the below websites to search for copyright free images to use:

https://pixabay.com/

https://unsplash.com/

What day and time is the online classes?

Online classes run on:

Monday evening, 18:30PM - 20:00PM GMT

There is also an optional Wednesday evening online Q&A Seminar to ask further questions, check in and see your classmates responses to the task.
It runs from 19:00PM - 20:00PM GMT.

The dates are:
Monday 5th January 2026
Monday 12th January 2026

Monday 19th January 2026
Monday 26th January 2026

Monday 02nd February 2026

Monday 09th February 2026

When/where is the in-person Bristol Class?

The evening class is on Thursdays 18:30PM - 20:30PM.

The address for the studio is:

The Westcott Studio,
The Kingswood Estate,
Britannia Road,
Bristol,
BS15 8DB

There is free parking in front of The Wescott Studio at The Kingswood Estate which has Disabled Access. The studio also includes tea and coffee making facilities.

The dates are:

Thursday 8th January 2026

Thursday 15th January 2026

Thursday 22nd January 2026

Thursday 29th January 2026

Thursday 5th February 2026

Thursday 12th February 2026

If I can’t attend my registered online class one week, can I switch to the in-person Bristol group?

If you cannot make an online class and are local to Bristol, you are welcome to join the in-person class on Thursday evenings, 6:30pm – 8:30PM at The Kingswood Estate, Bristol (Please enquire as to space availability).

The Course starts each week with the online Monday session, with the in-person on the following Thursday. Please let me know as much in advance as possible if you wish to switch online.

If I can’t make an in-person class, can I attend the online class instead?

If you cannot make an in-person class and wish to attend the Monday evening online class 6:30pm – 8:30pm on Zoom, you are very welcome to do so.

The course starts each week with the online Monday session, with the in-person on the following Thursday. Please let me know as much in advance as possible if you wish to switch online.

What’s your refund policy?

• If a course is cancelled by Brushstrokes Courses Ltd and cannot be re-arranged, you will be fully reimbursed for any classes that have not been delivered.

• If a student misses a class due to sickness, holiday, or any other reason, no refunds or discounts can unfortunately be given. Course notes, guides and materials will be distributed for missed sessions. 

• If a student wishes to drop out of a course and an artist on a Waiting List can fill the space, a refund may be possible. Due to upfront materials costs, admin costs, lesson planning and staff costs, refunds without being able to fill any missing spaces may not always be possible.

What’s your Covid-19 Policy for In-Person Classes?

For our full Covid-19 Policy, click HERE