Watercolour Portrait Workshop for Beginners

Learn to create portraits in watercolour in this dynamic, all supplies included class!



1 hour - 3 hours Location Trafalgar Square Class size 1 to 2 guests   £40 - £70 (varies by date)
London Activities
•
Art
•
Painting
•
Watercolour Painting Experience Gifts
Join Ann in her new watercolour portraiture workshop for beginners! In this intensive class, we'll be learning how to use watercolours to create vibrant and personality-filled portraits. All materials are included so just show up, settle in, and enjoy the class!
After a brief introduction to the medium and colour mixing, and a study of the planes of the face, Ann will guide you through a step-by-step demonstration of a watercolour portrait that you will follow along with. For those of you who attended intro to watercolour portraiture--this will be all new material so feel free to join!
All supplies, including vibrant watercolours and high-grade watercolour paper and brushes, are included--all you need is an interest in watercolours and some time to show up!
Please note--for more dates for instant bookings for groups of 2 please see added availability on our "Beginners Botanical Watercolours" page, book into your date of choice, and send a message with your preferred class (i.e. acrylic landscape, portraiture, pet portraiture, etc...)
If you have a particular portrait you'd like to paint--feel free to bring it along!
About your Tutor
Ann Mackowski is an award-winning artist and tutor, and has exhibited internationally--including regularly at the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours. She is the founder of Soho Life Drawing, and teaches portraiture and figure drawing to companies and individuals including animation studies, ad agencies, and organisations such as Buzzfeed and Liberty London. She has a masters in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art and Design and teaches beginner-professional artists.
Please note--for more dates for instant bookings for groups of 2 please see added availability on our "Beginners Botanical Watercolours" page, book into your date of choice, and send a message with your preferred class (i.e. watercolour portraiture)

Upcoming dates for Watercolour Portrait Workshop for Beginners

Times are London time. Dates and prices as of 23 Oct 2026, 9:46am; availability and price are confirmed live when booking on this page.

241 upcoming dates between 23 Oct 2026 and 31 Dec 2027.

  • Fri 23 Oct 2026, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 26 Oct 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 26 Oct 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 26 Oct 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 30 Oct 2026, 11am-12:15pm (£70)
  • Fri 30 Oct 2026, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Sat 31 Oct 2026, 2pm-5pm (Group lesson • £40)
  • Fri 6 Nov 2026, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 9 Nov 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 9 Nov 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 9 Nov 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 16 Nov 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 16 Nov 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 16 Nov 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 23 Nov 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 23 Nov 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 23 Nov 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 30 Nov 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 30 Nov 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 30 Nov 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 4 Dec 2026, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 7 Dec 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 7 Dec 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 7 Dec 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 11 Dec 2026, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 14 Dec 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 14 Dec 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 14 Dec 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 21 Dec 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 21 Dec 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 21 Dec 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 28 Dec 2026, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 28 Dec 2026, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 28 Dec 2026, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 4 Jan 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 4 Jan 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 4 Jan 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 11 Jan 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 11 Jan 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 11 Jan 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 15 Jan 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 18 Jan 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 18 Jan 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 18 Jan 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 22 Jan 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 25 Jan 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 25 Jan 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 25 Jan 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 29 Jan 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 1 Feb 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 1 Feb 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 1 Feb 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 5 Feb 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 8 Feb 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 8 Feb 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 8 Feb 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 12 Feb 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 15 Feb 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 15 Feb 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 15 Feb 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 19 Feb 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 22 Feb 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 22 Feb 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 22 Feb 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 26 Feb 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 1 Mar 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 1 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 1 Mar 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 5 Mar 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 8 Mar 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 8 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 8 Mar 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 12 Mar 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 15 Mar 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 15 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 15 Mar 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 19 Mar 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 22 Mar 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 22 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 22 Mar 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 26 Mar 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 29 Mar 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 29 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 29 Mar 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 2 Apr 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 5 Apr 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 5 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 5 Apr 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 9 Apr 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 12 Apr 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 12 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 12 Apr 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 16 Apr 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 19 Apr 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 19 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 19 Apr 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 23 Apr 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 26 Apr 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 26 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 26 Apr 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 30 Apr 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 3 May 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 3 May 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 3 May 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 7 May 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 10 May 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 10 May 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 10 May 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 14 May 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 17 May 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 17 May 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 17 May 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 21 May 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 24 May 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 24 May 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 24 May 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 28 May 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 31 May 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 31 May 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 31 May 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 4 Jun 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 7 Jun 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 7 Jun 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 7 Jun 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 11 Jun 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 14 Jun 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 14 Jun 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 14 Jun 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 18 Jun 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 21 Jun 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 21 Jun 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 21 Jun 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 25 Jun 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 28 Jun 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 28 Jun 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 28 Jun 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 2 Jul 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 5 Jul 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 5 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 5 Jul 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 9 Jul 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 12 Jul 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 12 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 12 Jul 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 16 Jul 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 19 Jul 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 19 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 19 Jul 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 23 Jul 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 26 Jul 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 26 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 26 Jul 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 30 Jul 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 2 Aug 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 2 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 2 Aug 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 6 Aug 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 9 Aug 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 9 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 9 Aug 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 13 Aug 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 16 Aug 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 16 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 16 Aug 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 20 Aug 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 23 Aug 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 23 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 23 Aug 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 27 Aug 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 30 Aug 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 30 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 30 Aug 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 3 Sep 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 6 Sep 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 6 Sep 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 6 Sep 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 10 Sep 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 13 Sep 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 13 Sep 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 13 Sep 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 17 Sep 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 20 Sep 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 20 Sep 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 20 Sep 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 24 Sep 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 27 Sep 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 27 Sep 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 27 Sep 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 1 Oct 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 4 Oct 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 4 Oct 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 4 Oct 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 8 Oct 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 11 Oct 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 11 Oct 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 11 Oct 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)
  • Fri 15 Oct 2027, 11am-12:15pm (Portraiture Small Session • £70)
  • Mon 18 Oct 2027, 10am-11am (£70)
  • Mon 18 Oct 2027, 12:30pm-1:30pm (£70)
  • Mon 18 Oct 2027, 4:30pm-5:30pm (£70)

Plus 41 more dates after these. See and book every date at https://classbento.co.uk/beginners-watercolour-portraiture-london

  • October 2027: 5 more dates
  • November 2027: 19 more dates
  • December 2027: 17 more dates
What you'll get
Watercolours to use in class and several complete watercolour artworks to take home.
Knowledge required
None!
What to bring
just themselves, and any reference they'd like to work on
Location

Fry Room, Westminster Quaker Meeting House - "Rustin Room" 8 Hop Gardens, London, WC2N 4EH, England

Hop Gardens is right off of St Martins Lane next to Cote Brasserie

Watercolour Portrait Workshop for Beginners location
Verified reviews


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Recent reviews of Watercolour Portrait Workshop for Beginners

  • 5/5 from Mr Robert J Long, attended Nov 2025: Unrushed professional knowledge. Bring a water proof bag for taking home your work.
  • 5/5 from Margot Tricot, attended Feb 2025: Very nice and helpful teacher. I learned a lot about some specific techniques for watercolor that I was missing.
Your teacher

Ann Mackowski
Ann Mackowski

4.9 (57)
female Women-owned

I started Soho Life Drawing in 2018 after working professionally as an artist for several years when I realised that there was a lack of accessible and affordable creative outlets for non-artist adults in London. Since then I've run hundreds of classes both at my weekly drop-in class in Leicester Square; for corporations and animation studios including Buzzfeed, Liberty London, and Sharkmob; and universities such as the University of the Arts London. Privately, I teach professional artists who come to me for technical training.
As an artist, I've been exhibited internationally in both solo and group shows and have won several residencies--the most recent being Espronceda's 2020 Open Call. I was a shortlisted contestant on 2016's Sky Landscape Artist of the Year. I exhibit regularly with the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours on Pall Mall, as well as with the Society of Women Artists. While I've focussed on teaching in recent years, I still do some commissioned work and exhibit with galleries representing me. I have a Masters in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art and Design.
I love teaching art because I believe anyone can do it with the right training! In particular, I'm passionate about breaking down the internal barriers people not trained in art have about being creative. Creativity is important for so many reasons, beyond the finished product, and it's my goal to make my classes both extremely accessible and very affordable so that people from all walks of life have a chance to join.
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