Introduction to Airbrushing Workshop

Learn the ins and outs of the airbrush at this hands-on art workshop in South East London.



2.5 hours Class size 1 to 4 guests    

  £110 - £120 (£120 per guest when you book for 1 guest, £110/guest for 2+ guests) (PayPal Pay in 3 available)
London Activities
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Art
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Painting Experience Gifts
Step - 1 Meet the airbrush

Step - 1 Meet the Airbrush

Here you will be introduced to the airbrush and understand how things work and take a look inside one!


Step - 2 Learn to mix colour

Step - 2 Learn to Mix Colour

Next you will learn how colour works with the airbrush, how to mix it and keep it flowing.


Step 3 - Start using the airbrush

Step 3 - Start Using the Airbrush

Here you will begin to practice spraying with the airbrush, how to create lines and tones, and how to understand why things don’t always work first time. You will be introduced to some fun practice exercises to give you different ways of controlling the marks you can make.


Step 4 - Cleaning and maintenance

Step 4 - Cleaning and Maintenance

Soon after you start spraying you’ll need to learn how to clean the brush and to avoid the problems that will inevitably arise.


Step 5 - Introduction to masking

Step 5 - Introduction to Masking

Now you have a basic understanding of how to get the airbrush to spray, its time to play with masking, where you control how and where the spray goes, and how y0u can create exact shapes and patterns.


Step 6 - Final project

Step 6 - Final Project

With all the skills and understanding you have gained its time to put it all together on the creation of a final project. You will be making a sunset painting which will let you test out all that you have learnt and will offer you the chance of challenging yourself at the same time! The project has been designed to work on many levels and is guaranteed to get you to reach a painting you will be happy to take home (or give to someone truly deserving as a gift!)


Ever wondered how an airbrush actually works? This hands-on airbrushing workshop in South East London is made for complete beginners – no previous experience needed – and takes you from first spray to a finished piece of your own to take home. Working with professional equipment in a relaxed, supportive setting, you'll build the fundamentals of airbrushing from scratch.
Airbrushing is a wonderfully versatile medium, used across fine art, illustration, scale modelling, custom painting and design, and this workshop gives you a solid, practical foundation in the techniques that underpin all of them.
You'll learn:
  • How an airbrush works
  • Basic trigger control
  • How to create dots, lines and smooth gradients
  • Simple masking techniques
  • How to build form and depth with tone
  • Basic cleaning and maintenance
Putting these new skills straight into practice, you'll finish the session by creating your own airbrushed artwork, complete with shading, masking and atmospheric effects.
This workshop is a warm welcome for complete beginners, curious artists, model makers and hobbyists, or anyone keen to pick up a new creative skill – all equipment and materials are provided, so just show up ready to spray.
You're in expert hands with tutor Bruce Atherton, a professional artist with more than 35 years of airbrushing experience across commercial work, fine art and specialist creative projects, and the former owner of his own professional airbrush studio. With Bruce's guidance, the focus is firmly on practical skills, creative exploration, and helping you build real confidence with this unique medium.

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What you'll get
Guests will be given a straightforward and fun introduction to airbrushing. They will learn to understand the tool, feel comfortable with the tools required, and will learn several techniques which will allow them to create and take home their first finished airbrush painting.
Location

Thames-Side Studios Woolwich, Warspite Road, London SE18 5NR

Address: Thames-Side Studios, London, SE18 5NR By Car: There is free parking on-site, so you can easily drive to the studio. Enter SE18 5NR into your GPS; allow a few extra minutes for traffic if needed. By Train: The nearest station is Woolwich Arsenal (DLR and National Rail). From the station, it’s about a 10–12 minute walk to the studio. By Bus: Bus routes 51, 53, 54, 96, 161, 177, 180, 472 stop near Woolwich Arsenal. Walking from Woolwich Arsenal Station: Exit the station and head east toward Hare Street. Turn right onto Hare Street, then left onto Thames Street. Continue along Thames Street until you reach the studio on your right-hand side. Tip: Arriving early gives you a chance to enjoy a short riverside stroll before the workshop begins.

Introduction to Airbrushing Workshop location
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Your teacher

Bruce Atherton
Bruce Atherton


My name is Bruce Atherton and I’m a highly experienced artist, specialized in several fields. My primary practice has always been that of being a fine artist. Along the way, I have worked in many artistic sectors and covered a lot of ground technically. I did a Foundation course at St Martins, but I came out realizing that I would have to find my own way to what I was seeking. For several years, I was working as a commercial artist, specifically in advertising and illustration. It was here that I began working with an airbrush, and consequently making airbrush paintings for many large brand clients.
In my mid-twenties, I took the bold step of leaving London and heading off to Rome to dedicate myself to my fine art. I won a place at the advanced life painting school in Rome, La Scuola Libera del Nudo, where I worked from life models 6 hours a day, 4 days a week for 2 years. I then went on to set up my own life drawing group, which I ran for a couple of years. During that period, my paintings and my skills began to develop greatly. In all, I spent a decade in Rome and during that time I achieved several very important milestones. I began collaborating with high-end galleries and exhibiting internationally, and I won international recognition.
The most incredible thing that happened to me was when I came to the attention of the Vatican, through a portrait commission I had undertaken of an Italian minister. They asked me if I would be interested in painting official portraits of dignitaries and Saints. I, of course, agreed and I went on to complete many official commissions over a period of 4 years.
In the early 2000s, I returned to London and completed a Master's degree in Digital Arts at UAL Camberwell, and went on to work for the research department at UAL. It was then that I was approached by a large production company based in Spain who asked me if I would be interested in starting a specialist airbrush company to assist in the production of hyper-realist airbrush works for the high-end fine art market. I spent nearly a decade working with airbrushes and training other artists on how to use them.
I moved on from the production work to return again to my own painting practice and once again began a series of collaborations with other galleries. Recently, I have been exploring other fields of expression and I have been collaborating with prop makers and animators where once again my airbrush skills have been extensively used. I am currently in a phase where I am looking to share my knowledge and experience, and I find myself called to teaching many of the things I have learned over the years.
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class 1E57MXLBSX b30fa37a8c654059964d2a78c24cea95 production london London London GB london