Acrylic Animal Painting Short Course

During this 3-week course, you will recreate a photograph of a treasured pet, farm animal, or other animal for yourself or a present for someone using acrylic paints.

You will learn to develop your acrylic painting skills, adding smooth base coats, mixing appropriate but surprising colours, and learning about depth and detail along the way. An important start to the course is understanding proportion, scaling up and sketching an image accurately. Please bring along a portrait photograph of an animal, either a paper copy or a digital copy on a phone or iPad. If possible, downloading the app Grid# would be helpful, but not necessary. An apron, pencil, sharpener, ruler, and eraser are essential.

By the end of the course, you will have completed an animal portrait painting on a canvas board to take away with you. You will also have developed your confidence and skills using acrylic paints.

About the workshop leader:

The course is led by Lynne Mackay, an artist and secondary school art teacher for over 20 years. As a farmer’s daughter growing up on the Somerset Levels, she has always had a huge passion for natural beauty. Lynne is inspired by the surrounding landscapes, flora and fauna of the Somerset Levels and Cornish seascapes.

Lynne loves to capture treasured memories in pencil, acrylic and watercolour painting, reduction lino printing, hand embroidered felt appliqué and machine embroidery.