Discover the world of painting in Los Angeles, where a myriad of classes suited to every level of skill and interest exist. From specialized programs in watercolor landscapes to courses that blend social activities with art, there are endless opportunities to nurture your inner Rembrandt in LA.
Key Insights
- Los Angeles offers a vast range of painting classes catering to different styles, from watercolor portraits to abstract oil paintings.
- Several studios, such as Water Media by Rea, Ako Eyong, and Nan Rae Art Studio, offer individualized instruction and professional critiques to both beginners and advanced learners.
- Brushstrokes and Beverages, Painting & Vino offer low-stakes, sociable paint-and-sip classes, blending learning with leisure.
- The Gallery Girls provide opportunities for students to practice live model painting, with models often doubling up as art instructors.
- Los Angeles City College and Santa Monica College are continuing education institutions offering a broad range of art classes taught by professional artists.
- The Art Studio and The Art Process offer a wide range of classes and studio sessions, including children's art classes and mixed media offerings.
Training your inner Rembrandt, however, is an easy and accessible way to start learning fine arts, and with practice, you’ll be able to start painting unique and vibrant paintings to hang in your home or give as personalized gifts. Grab your brushes and get a canvas ready as you learn one of the most accessible and enjoyable art forms in the world.
If you live in Los Angeles, there is no shortage of schools that aim to nurture the brilliant painter inside of you. Whether you are looking for a professional art education or to attend a paint and sip course with some friends, you’ll be able to find the class that suits your needs in Los Angeles. From watercolor portraits to oil-painted abstract art, no matter what you want to paint, there is a course for you in Los Angeles.
If you are interested in learning more about the painting classes available in Los Angeles, visit CourseHorse to learn more. You can also visit CourseHorse to learn about all of the fun things you can do in Los Angeles.
Water Media by Rea
Students looking to explore the beautiful natural landscapes of southern California may want to enroll in one of the mixed media watercolor classes offered by Rea Nagel at their Los Angeles painting studio. In these classes, students will work with different paints and learn techniques they can apply to all their painting projects. If you are a beginner, you can expect to receive individualized instruction and assistance, and advanced painters will benefit from Rea’s professional critique and assistance.
Ako Eyong
If you are interested in learning the absolute basics of acrylic painting, Ako Eyong’s studio offers introductory courses to help start your painting career. With step-by-step instructions and guided assistance on every aspect of painting, this is an ideal place to start learning the fundamentals of painting. Students can be confident that, regardless of their skill level, they will leave the course with a completed painting to take home with them, and they’ll be ready to tackle more advanced projects.
Brushstrokes and Beverages
Painting doesn’t have to be a solitary activity, as evidenced by the rising popularity of paint and sip classes. At any of the courses offered by Brushstrokes and Beverages, you’ll be able to learn the basics of painting (on a pre-sketched canvas) while socializing with friends and like-minded artists over a bottle of wine. These very low-stakes courses allow students to practice painting in a sociable and welcoming environment. You can enroll on your own or with a date or a group of friends, making this a great way to spend an evening.
Nan Rae Art Studio
Located in Burbank, Nan Rae Art Studio aims to introduce students to the styles and techniques associated with brush painting. In these classes, you’ll get one-on-one attention from Nan Rae, and you’ll receive a focused introduction to this East Asian inspired painting style. These classes are designed with complete beginners in mind, but Rae promises that every student will leave their first lesson with a brush painting worthy of display. With only a few lessons, you’ll be amazed how easily you can paint all manner of subjects using this impressive set of techniques.
The Gallery Girls
Live model painting is one of the most practiced kinds of painting, and students looking to learn how to paint anatomy and figures should consider a course with The Gallery Girls. Courses offered through this school include guided professional figure painting classes and more laid back paint and sip style live model painting classes. No matter what your experience level is, there is a course offered to help you learn the fine art of live figure painting and many of the models are themselves art instructors who are ready to assist you on your painting journey.
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College is a continuing education college that offers courses in everything from accounting to Ikebana. Students looking to learn how to paint can enroll in hands-on art classes taught by professional artists, and course offerings range from simple face painting lessons to watercolor and acrylic painting instruction. These classes are not for credit, but they do give students the opportunity to learn painting skills in hands-on art studios from skilled instructors. No matter what kind of art (or other skills) you are trying to learn, you can be confident that Los Angeles City College has the course you are looking for.
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College is another school of continuing education for adults looking to learn new skills, including painting. In their Paint Anything class, students will be able to pick their own medium, style and subject matter, so regardless of whether you want to paint a watercolor landscape or an acrylic portrait, you’ll be able to get guided instruction and hands-on support you need to make your dream come true. Beyond their wide range of painting classes, students can also learn art skills in a range of different mediums, including courses in jewelry, stoneworking and dance.
Painting & Vino
True to its name, Painting & Vino aims to give students a place to combine their love of painting and their love of wine. In these paint-and-sip classes, students will learn the fundamentals of acrylic painting in a low-stakes, sociable environment. Each course will have students learning to paint a specialized subject (like an “old red shed” or “Paradise Island”) through step-by-step instructions from a master artist. Students of all skill levels are encouraged to enroll in classes, as the school emphasizes the therapeutic and calming qualities of learning to paint in a fun and inviting atmosphere. Plus, all of the supplies are provided for you, so all you need to do is show up ready to learn how to paint while enjoying a few glasses of wine.
The Art Studio
If you are looking for a place to learn painting that is welcoming to families and children, The Art Studio in Westminster may be the place for you. This full range art studio offers portrait and figure painting classes for artists of all ages, and they offer classes in oil painting and watercolor projects. Students enrolled in these classes will be able to take advantage of The Art Studio’s studio space and their painting supplies, making it a great place for novice painters to try their hand at portraits or still life painting. Students looking to branch out in their artistic endeavors may also want to enroll in one of The Art Studio’s introductory sculpture classes.
Pastimes for a Lifetime
Founded by Linda Wehrili in 1989, Pastimes for a Lifetime has been a significant part of the Los Angeles artistic scene for more than three decades. Students looking to learn painting at this school will start by learning figure drawing techniques that let them sketch out the plan for their painting. Then, once they are comfortable with life sketching, students will move on to learning the art of oil and acrylic painting techniques that add depth, color, texture and shading to their creations. If you want to learn all the important steps to creating a unique and evocative painting, this school likely has the course track that suits your desires.
The Art Process
The Art Process, located in Brentwood, offers a range of art classes and studio sessions for artists of all ages and experience levels. Whether you want to enroll in a one-day workshop or a week-long training camp, there will be something for everyone at The Art Process. The Art Process also offers a wide range of children’s art classes and summer camps for kids as young as six to start exploring the world of art and exercising their creative muscles. Some of The Art Process’s most popular offerings are mixed media classes that use recycled material and California’s natural resources to create more complex and unique pieces.