Jump to main content

Portrait Masterclass - Spring 2027

Saturday 23rd Jan 2027, The Lookout Studio, The Base

Price with lunch £121 / Price without lunch £111 (Including booking fees)

Book Tickets

Join Base Resident Artist and Portrait Artist o f the Year contestant Ellie Kerr-Smiley in this full-day portrait masterclass.

Suited for all skill levels, this masterclass will delve into how to create a compelling portrait, from the basic the building blocks of constructing a sketch to understanding how to use oil paint to mix skin tones, recreate light and shape, and to find an accurate likeness in a fun and laidback atmosphere.

What to expect: Within this laid-back one-off workshop, you will be given the tools to construct the composition of a portrait, mix skin tones and recreate a likeness.

You will have the option of inlcuding lunch with your workshop. There will be selection of sandwich / toastie options to choose from with any hot drink or bottled cold drink from Honesty cafe. Sandwich/ toastie options are as follows:

Ham & Cheese
Cheese
Tuna
Harissa chicken
Vegan cheese

Benetfits: You will learn or improve your close obversation skills and explore a varity of painting techniques along with colour mixing to capture the likness of your subject.

Who is the Tutor: Ellie is a portrait artist with a focus on the depiction of women but also extends her subjects to pets and things that inspire her. Ellie works in both acrylics and oils and is a big believer in not needing expensive items to create art. She paints on paper, plywood or occasionally found materials. Ellie's main philosophy is to just create, no matter what. Ellie is a Base resident artist and alongside commission work, Ellie teaches all ages from her studio at The Base, in schools and at local venues.

Duration: 10am - 4pm

What to wear/ bring: All materials necessary will be provided, including picture references to work from, however participants are welcomed to bring their own pictures and preferred materials if they so wish

Age Guide: 16+ (under-18s must be accompanied by a paying adult)