Discover the energy and atmosphere of city life in this dynamic 6-week acrylic painting course inspired by contemporary painting techniques. Urban Scenes focuses on painting loose, expressive street scenes while capturing the effects of strong light and shadow.

You’ll learn how to simplify complex urban environments by blocking in bold dark shapes, establishing clear shadow patterns, and gradually building up layers of luminous mid-tones and highlights. Through guided exercises, you’ll explore the powerful contrast between cool, colourful shadows and warm, vibrant light to create depth and atmosphere.

The course also introduces techniques for adding small, lively figures that bring movement and narrative to your paintings—without becoming overly detailed or rigid. Emphasis is placed on confident brushwork, colour harmony, and letting go of unnecessary detail.

Ideal for beginners and improvers looking to loosen their style, this course will help you paint with greater freedom while developing a strong understanding of light, colour, and composition in acrylics.

Week 1: Seeing the Scene Simply

• Understand key materials and acrylic techniques for loose painting

• Learn to simplify busy urban scenes into strong shapes

• Explore basic composition and focal points

Week 2: Blocking in Darks & Structure

• Identify and paint dominant dark shapes

• Establish clear shadow patterns

• Create a strong foundation for light effects

Week 3: Colour & Temperature

• Use warm vs cool colour relationships effectively

• Mix colourful shadows and vibrant highlights

• Build a cohesive urban colour palette

Week 4: Building Light & Atmosphere

• Layer mid-tones and highlights to create depth

• Capture sunlight and reflections on streets and buildings

• Develop soft edges and transitions

Week 5: Figures & Movement

• Add simple, dynamic figures with minimal detail

• Suggest movement and scale without stiffness

• Integrate figures naturally into the scene

Week 6: Bringing It All Together

• Complete a finished urban scene painting

• Refine composition, contrast, and focal areas

• Develop confidence in a loose, expressive style