Caroline Brooks Atelier is offering a 12-week programme in observational oil painting for adults who want to develop their understanding of colour and build strong representational painting skills.

Based at East St Arts in Leeds, the course takes a structured atelier-inspired approach to painting, combining careful observation with progressive exercises designed to develop colour perception, value, form, edges and confident brushwork.

What will we study?

The course introduces a systematic approach to working in oils, with students learning to observe and interpret colour rather than simply relying on formulas or preconceived ideas about what colour “should” look like.

We will explore:

• Seeing and mixing colour accurately
• Value and colour relationships
• Understanding warm and cool colour
• Colour intensity and chroma
• Simplifying and organising colour
• Form and three-dimensionality
• Edges and transitions
• Brushwork and paint handling
• Working from observation
• Developing a cohesive, limited palette

The emphasis throughout is on learning to see, rather than simply learning a set of painting techniques.

Who is the course for?

This course is intended for adults who are genuinely interested in developing their painting skills through structured, sustained practice.

It is not a casual drop-in art class. The three-hour weekly sessions are designed for students who want to commit to developing their skills over a 12-week period.

The course is suitable for motivated beginners who are prepared to work systematically, as well as artists with some existing experience who want to strengthen their observational and colour foundations.

The course Sundays, 27 September – 13 December 2026, 1.00 – 4.00 pm, 12 weekly sessions · 3 hours each

Founding Cohort Rate

£165 per month

This special rate is available to students joining the inaugural Caroline Brooks Atelier cohort.

About Caroline Brooks Atelier

Caroline Brooks Atelier is a new Leeds-based art school offering structured training in observational drawing and representational painting.

The Atelier has been created around a simple principle: strong drawing and painting skills are developed through systematic study, careful observation and sustained practice.

The aim is to provide focused, progressive training for adults who want to take their artistic development seriously.

Ready to begin?

If you've been looking for a more structured approach to oil painting — and want to develop your ability to genuinely see and understand colour — I'd love to welcome you to the inaugural Caroline Brooks Atelier cohort.

Places are now open for booking.