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🎨 Art by Ancourage

Oil Painting Classes

Art by Ancourage · Ages 9-99+

Content reviewed: Mar 2026

Oil painting classes at Art by Ancourage teach classical and contemporary oil techniques through structured weekly sessions. Oil paint offers unmatched richness of colour, blending capability, and textural depth — qualities that have made it the medium of choice for master painters for over 500 years.

Students learn essential oil painting techniques including colour mixing on the palette, layering with fat-over-lean principles, glazing for luminosity, impasto for bold texture, and alla prima (wet-on-wet) painting. Our LASALLE-trained instructors guide each student through progressive projects that build real technical mastery.

Oil painting classes are available within our Professional Fine Art and Explorative Art programmes for ages 9-99+. Classes run weekly in small groups of 3-6 at our Bishan and Woodlands studios. All materials provided. Trial classes from $18.

Oil Painting Classes at Bishan and Woodlands studios

At a Glance

Key Details

Oil Painting Classes art course quick facts
Age RangeAges 9-99+
Duration2 hours
Class Size3–6 Students
MediumsOil Paint, Glazing, Impasto, Alla Prima
LocationsBishan & Woodlands
Trial Class$18

What's Included

  • All materials provided

    Paints, brushes, paper, and craft supplies

  • Weekly progress reports

    Detailed feedback on your progress

  • 24/7 WhatsApp support

    Direct communication with the teacher

  • Take home artwork

    Keep every finished piece

  • Flexible scheduling

    Weekday and weekend sessions available

5 from 60 Google Reviews (Ancourage Academy)MOE-Registered Centre10+ Years Experience
Angie — Founder & Art Programmes Lead
“Every student has a unique creative voice. Our role is to develop strong technical foundations — drawing, painting, composition — so that voice can come through with confidence. In small groups of 3–6, we see each student clearly and guide their growth personally.”

Angie

Founder & Art Programmes Lead · LASALLE · Goldsmiths

Singapore ranked #1 in Creative Thinking — 58% top performers vs 27% OECD average (OECD PISA 2022)

Our Teaching Approach

Three proven pedagogical methods adapted for visual arts education

🧠

Ebbinghaus

Students revisit colour mixing ratios, glazing sequences, and fat-over-lean layering rules across varied subjects, embedding oil painting principles into long-term memory through structured repetition.

💭

Socratic

Instructors ask students to compare drying behaviours and colour interactions: "Why does this glaze look different over a warm ground versus a cool one? What would happen if you reversed the layering order?" — developing the analytical eye that oil painting demands.

📈

Bruner

Lessons scaffold from basic colour mixing and single-session alla prima studies through multi-session glazed compositions to portfolio-scale works, with the instructor providing decreasing technical direction as students develop independent colour judgement and compositional planning.

What You Will Learn

Core skills and growth outcomes from this programme

1

Classical and contemporary oil painting techniques

Master oil painting fundamentals — colour mixing, layering, glazing, impasto — through weekly structured practice

2

Progressive curriculum from fundamentals to advanced mastery

Develop the patience and technical vocabulary that oil painting demands

3

All oil paints, brushes, canvases, and solvents provided

Create finished oil paintings with professional depth, luminosity, and texture

4

Small groups of 3-6 with personalised instruction

Learn from art history — understand how the Old Masters used the same techniques you are practising

5

Available within Explorative and Professional programmes

Build a portfolio of oil work suitable for exhibition, gifting, or advanced study

6

Weekday and weekend sessions available

Oil Painting Classes in Singapore

Oil painting classes at Art by Ancourage are available for ages 9-99+ within our Explorative Art and Professional Fine Art programmes. Students learn classical and contemporary oil techniques — fat-over-lean layering, glazing for luminosity, impasto for bold texture, and alla prima (wet-on-wet) painting — through progressive weekly projects guided by a LASALLE-trained instructor. Oil paint offers unmatched richness of colour, blending capability, and textural depth, making it the medium of choice for master painters for over 500 years. A Drexel University study found that 45 minutes of art-making reduced cortisol levels in 75% of participants regardless of skill level. Beginners start with colour mixing, brush handling, and canvas preparation before advancing to multi-session compositions. Classes run weekly in small groups of 3-6 at the Bishan studio (152 Bishan Street 11, near Bishan MRT CC15/NS17) and Woodlands studio (Vista Point, 548 Woodlands Drive 44, near Woodlands South MRT TE3). Weekday and weekend sessions are available. All materials are provided including professional oil paints, primed canvases, brushes, palette knives, low-odour solvents, and cleaning supplies. Trial classes are available from $18.

How It Works

  1. 1

    Try a Trial

    Book a $18 trial class to experience oil painting instruction within our Explorative or Professional programme.

  2. 2

    Learn Foundations

    Master colour mixing, brush handling, and canvas preparation. Understand fat-over-lean principles and paint consistency.

  3. 3

    Develop Technique

    Progress to glazing, impasto, scumbling, and alla prima methods. Build multi-session compositions with increasing complexity.

  4. 4

    Create Portfolio

    Produce finished oil paintings with professional depth and luminosity. Build a body of work for exhibition, gifting, or advanced study.

Oil Painting vs. Acrylic Painting

Oil paint is the master painter's medium — slow-drying, richly pigmented, and capable of luminous depth that no other medium fully replicates. Oil allows extended blending and reworking over days or weeks, producing smoother gradients and more nuanced colour transitions. The fat-over-lean layering system creates paintings with extraordinary depth and longevity. Acrylic paint, by contrast, dries in minutes — making it more forgiving for beginners, faster to layer, and easier to clean up with water. Acrylic is versatile and can mimic both watercolour transparency and oil-like richness, making it an excellent starting medium. Many students at Art by Ancourage begin with acrylic painting to build confidence with colour mixing, brushwork, and composition, then progress to oil painting as their technique matures. Both mediums are taught within our Explorative and Professional programmes, and our instructor helps each student decide when the transition to oils is right for their skill level and goals.

Common questions about oil painting classes

Challenges we frequently help students overcome

1

Is oil painting difficult for beginners?

2

What age can students start oil painting?

3

How is oil painting different from acrylic?

4

Are solvents safe in the studio?

Your Art Journey

📚

Builds On

Acrylic painting confidence or drawing foundations — students should be comfortable with basic colour mixing and brushwork before transitioning to oil

🎨

This Course

Students learn to plan across multiple sessions — oil painting rewards patience and layered thinking that faster-drying mediums like acrylic do not require.

🚀

Prepares For

Exhibition-quality canvas work, advanced glazing and impasto techniques, portraiture, and fine art portfolio development

Related Programmes

Explore other art programmes that complement your creative journey

Professional Fine Art

Advanced fine art training including oil painting mastery

View Programme

Watercolour Classes

Transparent watercolour painting for all ages

View Programme

Acrylic Painting Classes

Versatile acrylic painting for all ages

View Programme

Ready to Start Your Art Journey?

Small groups of 3–6 students, all materials provided, experienced instructors. Trial class $18.

References: LASALLE College of the Arts · MOE Art Elective Programme (AEP) · OECD PISA 2022 Creative Thinking · NAC-Arts Education Programme · MOE Refreshed Primary Art Syllabus 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

9 questions

Yes. While oil painting has a reputation for being an advanced medium, it is actually one of the most forgiving — oil paint dries slowly, giving you plenty of time to adjust, blend, and rework areas. Our instructor teaches step-by-step from the basics (colour mixing, brush handling, canvas preparation) so complete beginners build confidence quickly.

Oil painting is available from age 9 onwards within our Explorative Art and Professional Fine Art programmes. For younger children (ages 3-8), we recommend watercolour and acrylic in our Crafty Corner and Mini Masters programmes — these water-based mediums are ideal for developing foundational painting skills before transitioning to oils.

Oil paint dries slowly (days to weeks), allowing extended blending and reworking. Acrylic dries quickly (minutes), requiring faster decisions but offering easier cleanup. Oil produces richer, more luminous colour and smoother gradients. Acrylic is more versatile and forgiving for beginners. Many artists ultimately work in both mediums — our programmes teach both so students can discover their preference.

We use low-odour, non-toxic solvents and ensure proper studio ventilation during oil painting sessions. Our materials are selected for safety while maintaining professional quality. The studio environment is comfortable for extended painting sessions.

All materials are included — professional oil paints, primed canvases, brushes in multiple sizes, palette knives, mixing palettes, low-odour solvents, medium, and cleaning supplies. You do not need to purchase anything.

Thin layers may be touch-dry in 2–3 days, while thick impasto areas can take a week or more. This is actually an advantage — you can return the following week and continue blending. We store your paintings safely at the studio between sessions.

Oil paintings are typically wet after class. We recommend leaving works-in-progress at the studio where they dry safely between sessions. Once a painting is complete and surface-dry (usually 1–2 weeks), you can take it home.

Oil paint offers qualities no other medium can match — richer, more luminous colour, buttery smooth blending, and a depth of finish that has defined masterpiece painting for 500 years. The slow drying time becomes an advantage for blending and reworking.

You can start directly with oil painting from age 9. While drawing and acrylic experience help, they are not prerequisites. Our instructor teaches oil-specific fundamentals from scratch — palette setup, colour mixing with oils, fat-over-lean layering, and brush care.

Related Reading

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Oil Painting Classes in Singapore: Beginner to Advanced

Oil painting classes at Art by Ancourage cover colour mixing, glazing, and impasto techniques for beginners through advanced painters at Bishan and Woodlands.

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Painting Classes in Singapore for Adults: Full Guide

Painting classes in Singapore for adults cover watercolour, acrylic, and oil. What each medium involves, how classes work, and which suits beginners.

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