Course details
A large blank canvas can feel intimidating — but it doesn’t have to be. Bigger, Bolder, Braver is a playful, energetic course designed to help you move past hesitation and into bold, expressive mark-making on a larger scale.
Included in the course price is luxury residential accommodation, allowing you to unwind after a day of painting in the studio. You can stroll back to your accommodation, located just above Porthmeor Beach, which is a five-minute walk from the studios. Scroll down for more information.
Step beyond the fear of the blank canvas and discover the freedom of large-scale painting. Using small landscape studies as a starting point, you’ll explore bold, expressive abstraction on various surfaces to include a 1m x 1m canvas. With large tools, generous paint, and plenty of movement, this course invites you to embrace the mess, trust the process, and paint without being precious. This is not about scaling up an exact version of a study but about using the landscape as a starting point to explore abstraction in a free and spontaneous way.
After loosening up, we’ll dive in to underpainting and embrace a layered, intuitive process. Using bigger tools and more paint, you’ll learn to welcome mess, chance, and constant change—drawing back into the paint, experimenting, editing and discovering as you go.
The course is capped at only six students, to give each student enough space around them to step back and evaluate the elements of a painting such as composition, colour, contrast and energy as the process progresses. Please bring with you a sense of humour and positive attitude! This course is designed to inspire curiosity, encourage bold exploration, and support artistic growth. While students may not leave with a fully finished painting, they will gain the confidence to continue developing their painting practice, nurtured by a supportive and enriching studio environment.
NB: We will be working on a larger scale than usual for this course. By the end of the course you will have a 50cms x 50cms and a 1m x 1m size canvas along with various studies on paper to transport home. Please think about how you will be able to transport these pieces home safely before signing up for the course as we will not be able to store large paintings in the studio.
Day to day plan
This is a rough indication of what to expect over the course.
However sometimes the structure of the days may alter depending on the nature of the group and weather.
Day 1
Head out into the landscape to make studies in black and white. Back to the studio, look at our studies and work out which inspire us and which will be good starting points for larger work.
Play and experiment on large pieces of paper, getting used to being more gestural and expressive.
Day 2
Start to think about underpainting on our canvas and discuss colour. Experiment on paper and have a smaller 50cm x 50cm canvas to work on alongside. See how large and small scaled work develops in different ways. Consider composition, contrasts, colour and energy in the work and start to play and make some expressive first gestures…the journey begins!
Day 3
Work all day on our large canvas with a smaller canvas alongside. Work in layers, drawing back into the paint, experimenting, making constant decisions about what to keep in our painting and what to get rid of. What are we trying to achieve? Staying curious, being brave and pushing forward.
What will I learn?
- A more gestural approach to painting that can be very beneficial for your overall painting style.
- To ‘go with the flow’, take risks and enjoy the painting process without overthinking things.
- To be more physical with your movements and gestures and learn to love the feeling of letting go.
- Learn to step back frequently to evaluate your work, a very important practice with all painting.
- Painting on a larger scale helps to develop a more confident approach, even if you primarily work on smaller pieces. It helps you to become freer, overcome challenges and more experimental.
Who would this course suit?
Students who have completed Boo’s ‘Approaching Abstraction’ course and are interested in exploring abstraction on a larger scale.
If you haven’t taken Boo’s course but have experience in working with acrylic paint on canvas and are interested in abstraction and learning to take risks in painting this could work for you. Be prepared to stay curious, open-minded and be pushed out of your comfort zone as you explore painting on a larger scale.
NB: Painting on a larger scale can be quite physically demanding. There will be some walking and carrying of materials to sketch out in the landscape.
Accommodation in partnership with Sail Lofts-St Ives
Brand new for 2026 – recharge and relax in style whilst enjoying the camaraderie of your fellow students. We’ve taken the away the hassle of finding somewhere to stay and partnered with The Sail Lofts luxury accommodation in St Ives.
These three bedroomed self-catering apartments are just above Porthmeor Beach, a five-minute level walk from our studios. You will share the apartment with two or three fellow students, each of you will have a private double or king size bedroom with a private bathroom. All with free parking nearby. Accommodation is available from 3pm on Sunday to 10am on Thursday.
Browse the available apartments below.
For more information on our available accommodation or to discuss our course only option, please call us on 01736 797180 or send us an email: [email protected]
Apartment One: Bay
- Luxury apartment
- 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
This luxury apartment boasts an open plan living-kitchen-diner, with plenty of room to relax and recharge. With high-ceilings the space feels spacious and bright.
There is one en-suite kingsize bedroom and two further double bedrooms, one with access to a private bathroom and the second with access to a shower room.
Apartment Two: Slipway
- 5-star luxury apartment
- 3 en-suite kingsize bedrooms
Slipway is the most luxurious self-catering apartment. The private balcony has incredible sea views overlooking Porthmeor Beach and the gabled roofed sitting room provides the perfect area to relax after a days painting.
Slipway offers three luxurious en-suite king size bedrooms with sea-views or overlooking the tranquil courtyard garden.
Taught by
What to Bring
Our studios are fully equipped and we provide you with all the materials you need for your course. However, if you have a favourite set of brushes or any specialist materials that you would prefer to use, please bring them with you.
Timings and Breaks
The first day starts at 10am and finishes at 4.30pm, please aim to arrive ten to fifteen minutes before the start time.
All course days after that start at 9.30am and finish at 4pm and there will be an hour for lunch. There are plenty of nearby places to eat and we will serve tea and coffee at break times during the day.
FAQs
Studio Courses
How can I get help in choosing a course?
Our friendly expert staff are always happy to discuss your needs and our courses in more detail to help you with your decision. Please call us on 01736 797180
How do I get my work home?
Tutors have special techniques for transporting oil paintings and the school has plastic folders available in our shop for £3.50 or do bring a portfolio.
For international students we are happy to arrange transportation of your work back home.
What do I need to bring?
Absolutely nothing! All materials and aprons are provided although some people do like to bring their own set of brushes.
What do I do for lunch?
Courses allow an hour’s break for lunch and there are numerous places nearby or you are welcome to bring a packed lunch into the studio.
What times do courses run?
Most of our courses start at 10am and end at 4.30pm on the first day. Subsequent days we start at 9.30am ending at 4pm.
Weekend Courses run 10am – 4pm on the first day but the final day starts at 9.30 and ends at 3.30 with a short lunch break to enable people to get home that evening.
Do you have to be experienced to come to the School?
The School is a very friendly and welcoming place for all ages and experience. Our drop-in life classes and August half-day workshops are ideal for those wanting to have a go for the first time. Most of our longer courses are also fine for novices.
If any of the courses do need a bit of experience we flag this up in the brochure and on the website.
Booking a Course
How can I reserve a place?
We will hold a provisional reservation for 24 hours if you give us a call whilst you find accommodation. Otherwise please book online or by telephone 01736 797180.
You can reserve a place with a £100 deposit; balance is due 12 weeks before course start date.
About St Ives
Where do I park?
The nearest long stay public car parks are the Island and Barnoon Long Stay Car Park, both a 5 minute walk away. In the peak summer months it may be easier to park at Trenwith Car Park by the leisure centre and walk down into town. If you don’t fancy the walk up the hill at the end of the day there is a shuttle bus which runs from outside the cinema.
How do I get there?
Public Transport: If you are coming from further afield the main train line runs into St Erth which is a 15 min taxi ride away or you can take the St Ives Bay Line which runs approx. every 30 minutes. The School is a 10 minute walk from St Ives station.
Driving: M5 will take you to Exeter where we recommend that you take the A30 across Bodmin Moor and into Cornwall. After passing Hayle, leave the A30 at St Erth roundabout for St Ives. Turn right at the second roundabout. This road will take you through Lelant and Carbis Bay into St Ives.
Where can I stay?
St Ives has a huge selection of hotels, guest houses and self catering accommodation to choose from. Please browse the art holidays St Ives section on our website and give us a call if you would like any help.
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