How to Start an Oil Painting with Winsor & Newton and Nick Rooney

Embarking on oil painting for the first time can feel daunting, but this beginner-friendly workshop will guide you through the process step by step. Over the course of three hours, Nick Rooney will demonstrate how to build a simple and compelling still life from the ground up.

Participants will learn how to:

• Create small thumbnail sketches to explore composition
• Use willow charcoal to establish proportions and structure
• Develop an initial block-in layer with oil paint using a limited colour palette focused on simple shapes and values

The block-in is the traditional first stage of an oil painting, and this session is designed to give you a strong foundation for continued practice.

All supplies are included. Please bring one or two simple objects (a fruit, a vegetable, or another small item) to use as your still-life subject.

As a bonus, attendees will receive a 30% discount on all Winsor & Newton products in-store on the day of the workshop!

Nick Rooney (b. 1989 Canada) obtained his MA in Painting from the University of the Arts London, at the Camberwell College of Arts in London, England. Much of his early career was spent focusing on the craft of oil painting developing a contemporary art practice deeply rooted in art history. His current studio work and research now look at the relationship between the reductive formalism of geometric minimalism and the complexity of classical realism.

He has had the opportunity to exhibit nationally and internationally, having been selected to participate in the Saatchi Gallery’s exhibition London Grads Now. Nick Rooney now resides in Calgary, Alberta (Mohkínsstsisi), where he maintains a studio practice and instructs at the Alberta University of the Arts. His work is widely collected in both private and public collections most notably the BMO Centre and TC Energy.

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Host or Publisher Kensington Art Supply