Acrylic Portrait Painting Workshop for Beginners

Create beautiful paintings of friends and family with acrylic portraiture.



1.5 hours

Class size 1 to 15 (public classes), 1 to 2
  £110
London Activities
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Art
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In this beginner-friendly workshop, you will learn the basics of acrylic portraiture and create a stunning masterpiece to take home. No previous experience is necessary, just bring your enthusiasm and willingness to learn!
The class will be a relaxed and enjoyable experience, with plenty of guidance and encouragement to help you feel confident in your artistic abilities. You will work with high-quality acrylic paints and various tools to bring your portrait to life.
By the end of the workshop, you will be amazed at how much you have learned and accomplished. You will leave with a beautiful finished portrait that you can proudly display in your home. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to unleash your creativity and dive into the world of acrylic portraiture.
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 portraiture)

Upcoming dates for Acrylic Portrait Painting Workshop for Beginners

Times are London time. Dates and prices as of 6 Oct 2026, 8:04pm; availability and price are confirmed live when booking on this page.

58 upcoming dates between 9 Oct 2026 and 31 Dec 2027.

  • Fri 9 Oct 2026, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 16 Oct 2026, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 23 Oct 2026, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 30 Oct 2026, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 6 Nov 2026, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 27 Nov 2026, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 4 Dec 2026, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 11 Dec 2026, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 22 Jan 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 29 Jan 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 5 Feb 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 12 Feb 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 19 Feb 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 26 Feb 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 5 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 12 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 19 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 26 Mar 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 2 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 9 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 16 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 23 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 30 Apr 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 7 May 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 14 May 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 21 May 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 28 May 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 4 Jun 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 11 Jun 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 18 Jun 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 25 Jun 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 2 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 9 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 16 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 23 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 30 Jul 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 6 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 13 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 20 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 27 Aug 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 3 Sep 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 10 Sep 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 17 Sep 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 24 Sep 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 1 Oct 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 8 Oct 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 15 Oct 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 22 Oct 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 29 Oct 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 5 Nov 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 12 Nov 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 19 Nov 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 26 Nov 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 3 Dec 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 10 Dec 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 17 Dec 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 24 Dec 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
  • Fri 31 Dec 2027, 12:30pm-2pm
What you'll get
All materials are free to use, and you can take home a completed artwork.
Read more details   
Knowledge required
Absolutely none--we'll cover the basics of using acrylics before diving into portraiture.
What to bring
just themselves, and any portrait they'd like to complete during class time. If you have a particular full composition you'd like to do, and have no experience, please email Ann with a picture of your reference before class
Location

"Rustin Room", Westminster Quaker Meeting House, 8 Hop Gardens, WC2N 4EH

This venue is within walking distance of Charing Cross, Embankment, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus tube stations

Acrylic Portrait Painting Workshop for Beginners location
Verified reviews


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Recent reviews of Acrylic Portrait Painting Workshop for Beginners

  • 5/5 from Jada Schairer, attended Aug 2026: Absolutely lovely class and an amazing teacher. She was very patient and helpful and kind and goes through everything step by step. You learn about value, light and shadow, how to blend your colours and how to mix them. It was very nice to chat with her and get taught by her.
  • 5/5 from Michelle King, attended Aug 2026: I felt at ease with Ann immediately and really enjoyed learning more about portrait painting. We enlarged a photo of a face and I practiced blending colours. Ann showed me how best to create shadows and shapes and to achieve a life like portrait of a family member. I enjoyed the lesson so much that I can't wait to go back again soon! Thank you!
  • 5/5 from Joleene Bertrand, attended May 2025: loved it. i will def use all i learned
Your teacher

Ann Mackowski
Ann Mackowski

4.9 (56)
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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