Adult Painting Classes with Madeleine Pires

From January 2026 I will be starting a new in-person painting class for adults. Suitable for beginners and more experienced artists. Expect a stimulating and friendly environment where you will learn, explore and discover.

There is a new skill focus each week and subject themes will vary over the course of the 12 sessions.

Each class begins with an introduction and teaching focus, with demonstration and visual examples. Each participant is given instruction, encouragement and attention from the teacher several times throughout each two-hour session. At the end of each session there is an opportunity to look around other people's work, offer feedback and celebrate each other's art.

Venue:

The Beacon Church, Bolton Rd, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan WN4 8TU (free parking)

Time: 1-3pm, Thursdays, beginning 8th January 2026. Please arrive 5-10 minutes beforehand to get settled.

Duration: Twelve sessions until 26th March 2026. (Potential for more at various times in the year!)

Cost: £8 per person per session (payable on the day by cash or card, or contact me in advance to buy sessions in bulk introductory special offer: 6 lessons for £40!)

Materials: Please bring your own acrylic paints, paper and brushes (see list below and recommendations). You will get more out of painting if you get familiar with your own materials and equipment. However, the teacher is happy to provide or lend to beginners wanting to test things out!

Content of the sessions

Skills focuses include:

  • Beautiful backgrounds: learn to create an atmospheric background with blending practice, understand creating a foundation and layering
  • Colour theory: become an expert in mixing the exact shade you want in warms/cools– brights, pastels, skin tones, neutrals and darks. (Easier if you bring the recommended paints below)
  • Negative space – becoming more aware of the space around an object
  • Expressive and varied brushstrokes
  • Focal areas and perspective, understanding aesthetic vehicles that draw the viewer in
  • Abstract/realistic techniques and how to balance them harmoniously
  • Scaling up and down – various techniques (accessible for people who think they can’t draw!)

Subject matter includes:

Colourful sunset with water, woodland creatures, stormy seascape, spring flowers, detailed leaf, illustrated lettering, portraits

Usually, I bring printed visual references that contain differing versions of a theme – participants are free to choose what appeals to them personally.

  • Beautiful backgrounds: learn to create an atmospheric background with blending practice, understand creating a foundation and layering
  • Colour theory: become an expert in mixing the exact shade you want in warms/cools– brights, pastels, skin tones, neutrals and darks. (Easier if you bring the recommended paints below)
  • Negative space – becoming more aware of the space around an object
  • Expressive and varied brushstrokes
  • Focal areas and perspective, understanding aesthetic vehicles that draw the viewer in
  • Abstract/realistic techniques and how to balance them harmoniously
  • Scaling up and down – various techniques (accessible for people who think they can’t draw!)

Materials list:

  • Acrylic paint set (primary red/magenta, primary yellow and primary blue are essential) with a good quality, opaque titanium white.
    Other useful colours: lemon yellow, cadmium red, cadmium yellow deep hue, cerulean blue, ultramarine blue, dioxazine violet, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, burnt umber, ivory black
    Daler Rowney System 3 and Liquitex are very good quality. Hobbycraft own brand, Pebeo are acceptable. I don’t recommend The Works for acrylic paint.
  • Set of brushes: one pointy paintbrush is essential plus a variety of different size flat/round brushes. A mop brush is very good for backgrounds and blending. Daler Rowney or Hobbycraft own brand (best to feel it on your hand to make sure it is supple but not too soft or firm)
  • Paper suitable for acrylic paint (A4 or A3 if desired) – The Range/Hobbycraft
  • Masking tape
  • Paper towel
  • A palette (ideally a small flat baking tray lined with damp paper towel and baking parchment, but a flat plastic food packaging will do)
  • An apron or clothes that you don’t mind getting paint stains on! (Acrylic paint washes off hands, but not off clothes very easily!)
  • Optional: A piece of A4 cardboard or a small desk easel with a board
  • Small canvas boards or canvases

About Madeleine Pires

Madeleine Pires is a professional artist with a degree in Fine Art (UWE Bristol 2003). She has been drawing and painting since childhood and has developed an art practice and teaching career spanning over two decades.

Madeleine is a member artist of dot-art Liverpool, through which she got the Council-commissioned opportunity to paint nature-themed art on eleven gable ends of houses in a neglected area of Liverpool in 2023-2025. This community project, known as “The Flower Streets Murals” aimed to beautify the environment and lift people’s spirits. Madeleine has mentored art student volunteers throughout this project and also involved artistic helpers from her art classes. In March 2025, the project won two awards for Community Cohesion and The People’s Choice at the Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards.

Madeleine has a Cambridge CELTA teaching qualification (International House, Lisbon 2010) and extensive experience tutoring, delivering workshops and assisting in primary schools.

“I would encourage anyone who has an interest in painting, whatever standard they are at, to come along and experience the relaxed atmosphere that makes her art group so encouraging and informative. Madeleine is very inspirational and has a way of bringing the best out of everyone!” Participant of former art class (Painting for Pleasure Ormskirk)

To follow me on Instagram: madeleine_faith_art

Facebook: Madeleine Pires - Artist