Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to paint portraits
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
A portrait asks you to get the structure of a head right, then the subtle features and expression that make a likeness, and then the colours of skin. In classes such as City Lit's you paint from a live model, who holds the same pose across two sessions.
Gentle£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
What you learn
City Lit in London says its life painting and portraiture courses build on life drawing and move on to painting figures and portraits from life. Beginners cover the structure and volume of the head and how to mix naturalistic skin tones. Its portrait weekend keeps the model in the same pose across two sessions.
At Heatherley's School of Fine Art in Chelsea, one all-levels oil portrait course runs over 12 Saturdays, with each pose held for four weeks, so students paint three portraits. Courses do not always use a sitter. The Minneapolis College of Art and Design's oil portrait course works from portraits by past and present artists, and asks for drawing and painting experience first.
Portrait courses differ from life drawing, where you draw the whole figure, and from a general oil painting course, where the subject varies. Some, like City Lit's evening course, start with drawing and move on to paint.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Portrait painting: two session pose; weekend with a model | £249, or £199 senior and £162 concession |
| City Lit, London | Drawing and painting portraits: traditional techniques; evening course from drawing to painting with a life model; all levels | £349, or £279 senior and £227 concession |
| Heatherley's, London | Portrait Painting All Levels and other part-time portrait courses | £296 to £790 |
| North Seattle College, Washington | Acrylic Portrait Painting for the Absolute Beginner: six Thursday mornings (summer 2026) | $225 |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Portraiture in Painting 1: weekly evening class in oils; experience required (summer 2026) | $507, including a $12 material fee; supplies about $250 to $275 extra |
Check the materials list before you book. The Heatherley's all-levels course asks students to bring ten oil colours, brushes, a palette and canvas, and does not allow turpentine or white spirit in the studio.
How to start
- Choose a medium; beginners' portrait courses are taught in both oils and acrylics, so check each course's materials list or supplies requirement.
- Check the level: some courses are for absolute beginners, others ask for some drawing or painting experience first.
- Book a course with a live sitter if you can, or a weekend that keeps one pose over two sessions.
Where to go
- City Lit, London: life painting and portraiture courses UK
- Heatherley's, London: portrait painting courses UK
- North Seattle College: Acrylic Portrait Painting for the Absolute Beginner US
We opened these links on 10 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Can a beginner take a portrait painting class?
Yes, at some schools. North Seattle College runs a course for absolute beginners, and City Lit's evening portrait course is open to all levels, though some drawing experience helps.
Do portrait painting classes use a live model?
Some do. City Lit's portrait weekend keeps one model in the same pose for two sessions, while some, such as MCAD's, work from portraits by other artists instead.
How long does it take to paint a portrait in class?
It depends on the course. City Lit's portrait weekend gives two sessions to one pose, and one Heatherley's course holds each pose for four Saturdays.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Life Painting and Portraiture courses in London; Heatherley's, Portrait Painting Courses; Heatherley's, Portrait Painting All Levels; North Seattle College Continuing Education, Acrylic Portrait Painting for the Absolute Beginner; Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Portraiture in Painting 1 (In Person). Opened 10 November 2026.
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