Art, Design and Crafts

Portraits in Oil and Acrylic for Improvers

Start date: 23rd Feb 2026

Time: 14:30 - 17:00

Cost: £103

Day: Monday

Duration: 5 weeks

Tutor: Martin Kerrison

Course code: 26SP006

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Learn how to use oil and acrylic paints to create portraits. Learn how to create portraits, working from historical and contemporary artists, demonstrations and group discussion. This course explores approaches to portrait painting and may use either oil or acrylic paints. They will be encouraged to exploring the representational and expressive potential of oil or acrylic. The course builds directly on the experiences on last term's course and would suit continuing students and new students with some art experience.

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Martin Kerrison

I am an artist and educator, having extensive experience as a senior school and adult education teacher. I teach drawing, painting, life and portraiture classes to all ages and abilities, exploring a wide range of materials and approaches. I believe art benefits all and everyone has creative potential.
My art practice focusses on figurative and magical realist painting and I have exhibited widely, most notably at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions in 2022, 2020 and 2015.
Graduating from Northumbria University with a degree in Fine Art, I took a PGCE at Oxford and an MA in History of Art at the University of London. I taught art for many years in the London area, working as a Teacher of Art and Art History, Adult Education Tutor and Head of Art and Photography, before relocating to Yorkshire in 2021.
When not at the easel or in the classroom, I can often be found enjoying countryside walks, historic buildings, singing in local groups or playing cricket.

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