Introduction to Oil Painting
Beginner Course · 4 Weekly Classes
Date and time
Friday, 23. October 2026, 15.30
Further dates
Overview
Beginner
No previous knowledge required for this event.
DE & EN
Our Instructor speaks fluent English and German.
Studio Zürich
4 × 2.5 hours
Weekly classes over 4 consecutive weeks
Multi-day Course
A structured learning journey over multiple sessions, where you'll learn new techniques and develop a solid foundation in the chosen art form.
Guide: Valeri
Valeri is our Kursentwicklerin & Kunstlehrerin
Description
Rich colours. Timeless techniques. Paintings that only get more beautiful with time.
There’s a reason the world’s greatest masterpieces were painted in oils. Rich colours, incredibly smooth blending, luminous light effects and the freedom to keep refining your work make oil painting one of the most rewarding artistic mediums to learn.
In this four-week course, you’ll discover everything you need to start painting with confidence. Whether you’ve never touched a tube of oil paint before or would like to build a stronger foundation, we’ll guide you through the essential techniques step by step.
Unlike acrylic paint, oils stay workable for much longer, giving you time to blend colours seamlessly, soften transitions and gradually build beautiful layers. Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to mix colours, understand light and shadow, work with brushes, palette knives and painting mediums, and create paintings with depth, atmosphere and personality.
Every class combines live demonstrations with plenty of hands-on painting time, allowing you to immediately apply what you’ve learned while receiving individual guidance from your instructor. Along the way, you’ll also become familiar with the materials, tools and studio practices that artists have used for centuries.
✏️ What to Expect
- A carefully structured four-week learning journey
- Weekly guidance from a professional artist
- Live demonstrations introducing each new topic
- Plenty of individual painting time with personal feedback
- Practical tips, techniques and professional workflows
- A relaxed, encouraging atmosphere where you can experiment and grow
🧠 What You’ll Learn
- Colour mixing and the unique properties of oil paint
- Brushwork, palette knife techniques and painting mediums
- Creating depth through light, shadow and colour
- Layering techniques and understanding drying times
- Choosing the right materials for your artistic goals
- Building confidence to continue painting independently
🤔 Is This Course Right for Me?
Absolutely.
Whether you’re completely new to oil painting or would like to revisit the fundamentals with professional guidance, this course offers the perfect introduction to one of history’s most celebrated artistic mediums.
More Infos
Not at all.
This course is designed specifically for beginners and anyone curious about discovering the world of oil painting.
Your instructor will guide you step by step through every technique, explain all materials and help you build confidence with each session. All you need to bring is curiosity and a willingness to experiment.
Throughout the course you’ll work with traditional oil painting materials, including professional oil paints, brushes, palette knives, palettes and various painting mediums.
You’ll learn how each material behaves, when to use it, and how artists combine them to create depth, texture and rich colour.
No. We provide all the materials and equipment you’ll need throughout the course.
If you already own high-quality art supplies or would simply like to learn using your own brushes, paints or other materials, you’re very welcome to bring them along. Otherwise, just turn up and we’ll take care of the rest.
Oil paint is more difficult to remove from clothing than water-based paints.
We provide aprons, but we recommend wearing clothes that you don’t mind getting a little paint on—just in case inspiration gets carried away.
Yes.
During this course, you’ll work with turpentine, one of the traditional solvents used in oil painting.
Turpentine is an important part of classical oil painting, but it also requires careful handling. Don’t worry—we’ll teach you all the essential dos and don’ts, explain how to use it safely and responsibly, and show you the correct studio practices from day one.
Your safety is very important to us, and we’ll guide you through every step.
Since oil paintings require significantly longer drying times than acrylics, we’ll safely store your paintings at the studio between classes.
At the end of the course, we’ll make sure they’re ready to travel home safely.
The date shown during booking is the first class of your course.
All remaining classes take place on the same weekday, at the same time, over the following consecutive weeks, and normally at the same location.
Should there ever be an exceptional change of location, everyone in the course will be informed well in advance.
Our courses are generally scheduled on consecutive weeks, including public holidays. We find this creates the best learning experience and helps everyone maintain momentum.
Unless stated otherwise in the course description, classes will take place as scheduled, even if one of the dates falls on a national or public holiday.
Don’t worry.
If the same course is offered again and there are free places available, you’re welcome to join the missed class. Simply let us know by email beforehand.
In many cases, an even better option is to attend one of our Studio Classes. There, you can continue working on the project you missed while receiving support from the tutor. As Studio Classes are designed for independent projects, the tutor will assist you alongside the other participants working on their own artwork.
Our courses are taught by highly trained, active artists who combine their own artistic practice with teaching at Paint It Easy.
They’ll guide you through the course, share their knowledge and techniques, and help you develop your artistic skills in a relaxed and encouraging environment.
To ensure plenty of individual attention, our courses are limited to a maximum of 12 participants.
There is no homework.
That said, as with any creative skill, the more you practise, the faster you’ll improve. If you enjoy creating between classes, we can only encourage it!
Our courses are all about developing your creative skills, but we wouldn’t want to lose the Paint It Easy atmosphere.
Tea, coffee and water are always available during your classes, and before the very first session we usually celebrate the start of the course together with a glass of Prosecco—or a non-alcoholic alternative.
Cheers!
The natural next step is joining one of our Studio Classes. Studio Classes are designed for hobby artists who want to continue developing their skills while working on their own projects in a creative community. Your tutor is there to support and guide you whenever needed.
If you’d like to explore a different artistic medium, you’re also welcome to join one of our introductory courses. Or, if you’d like to continue in the same medium, our intermediate and advanced courses are the perfect next step in your creative journey.
What are PIE multi-day course?
Learn art in 4-6 weeks for sustainable learning
Learn more about PIE multi-day courses
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