Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to paint in acrylics
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Acrylic is a water-based paint that dries fast, and with more or less water it can look like watercolour or like oil. That makes it a forgiving first paint, and many beginners' painting courses start with it.
Gentle£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
Someone who has done it
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What it's really like
Tate describes acrylic as a water-based, fast-drying paint, first made in the 1950s, that uses a synthetic resin to bind the pigment. Thinned with water it can look like watercolour; used thick it can look like oil. Once dry it is waterproof. David Hockney was an early champion and used it for some of his best-known 1960s pictures.
Beginners' classes are mostly about looking and mixing. Morley College's Painting for Beginners starts with acrylic and also covers watercolour and oil, and has you practise different brushes and marks while painting objects, images and portraits from observation. 92NY's beginners' class covers basic forms, perspective, value and tone, texture and the basics of colour theory.
Most courses expect you to bring your own kit. Morley's list asks for red, yellow and blue plus black and white, hog or synthetic round, flat and filbert brushes in several sizes, a water jar, kitchen towel, a B pencil and a pad of A3 acrylic paper or canvas boards.
Ways in, side by side
| Where | Course/format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Painting for beginners, including acrylic from still life; four dates from January 2027 | £179, or £143 senior and £116 concession |
| Morley College, London | Painting for Beginners, ten Wednesday evenings of three hours, starting with acrylic; from January 2027 | £450, or £340 concession |
| 92NY, New York | Acrylic Painting for Absolute Beginners, weekly classes from November to December; no experience necessary | $350 for the two-hour evening classes, $420 for the two-and-a-half-hour daytime ones |
Check whether materials are included. Morley's page lists everything as something to bring; 92NY links to a separate supply list.
How to start
- Find a beginners' painting course that uses acrylics: an adult education college such as City Lit or Morley College in London, or an art centre such as 92NY in New York.
- Ask for the supply list before you book, and check whether paint, brushes and boards are included in the fee.
- Buy a small set of paints (the three primaries plus black and white is a common list), a few round and flat brushes, and a pad of acrylic paper or some canvas boards.
Where to go
- City Lit: beginners' painting courses (London) UK
- Morley College: Painting for Beginners (London) UK
- 92NY: Acrylic Painting for Absolute Beginners (New York) US
We opened these links on 7 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
Is acrylic easier than watercolour for beginners?
They behave differently. Tate says acrylic dries fast and is waterproof once dry, and that with water it can be made to look like watercolour or oil. Morley College's beginners' course starts with acrylic before watercolour and oil.
What do I need for an acrylic painting class?
A typical list from Morley College: red, yellow and blue paint plus black and white, round, flat and filbert brushes, a water jar, kitchen towel, a B pencil and A3 acrylic paper or canvas boards.
Do I need any experience for a beginners' acrylic class?
No. 92NY's Acrylic Painting for Absolute Beginners says no experience is necessary, and Morley's course suits beginners and people wanting a refresher.
How much does an acrylic painting course cost?
As last listed, City Lit's Painting for beginners is £179 (less for seniors and concessions), Morley's ten-week course is £450, and 92NY's beginners' class in New York is $350 to $420.
Where this comes from: Tate, Acrylic paint (art term); City Lit, Beginners painting courses; Morley College London, Painting for Beginners; 92NY, Acrylic Painting for Absolute Beginners. Opened 7 November 2026.
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