Urban Explorations

Urban Explorations

Explore the surfaces, textures, signage and shapes of the urban environment.

A scheduled course designed for those with some experience who want to develop their skills and ideas further.

​About this course

Excited by the textures of the city, the decay and the urban? Do you have experience of painting with acrylics but want a more thematic approach to move your work to the next level?

​This scheduled course will provide a structured and informed approach to the urban theme, whilst building your acrylic painting skills. I will guide you through the three stages of creating; Collect, Consider and Create. During the course I show you how I create three paintings (see below), from the initial photographs and sketches, exploring composition and colours, building with textures and collage, right through to the final brushstrokes.

You will receive video tutorials with in-depth demonstrations giving you all the information you need, and you will have the opportunity to share your work and ideas, and interact with me and other students on the specialist course platform (not Facebook).

If you are waiting for enrolment for this course you may be interested in my new self paced course Creative Themes. It is a short affordable course designed to help artists find a creative theme, click here to find out more.

Course cost: £345

This course is currently closed for enrolment and will run again in 2025.

 

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EXPLORE! URBAN SKETCHING KIT

Try before you enrol with this FREE short course! Learn how to assemble your urban sketching kit, create a concertina sketchbook and a cola pen, and explore how I use my own kit.

I found it ridiculously inspiring and loved how you guided us through a clear structure and process. Your examples and written instructions makes this course easy to follow and accessible.” Clare

Student’s Work

With thanks to the following students for permission to use their images;  Begona Blathbury, Alan Drake, Heather Hann, Beatrice Crane-Baker, Chris Carter, Janis Sweeney, Louise Silburn, Jackie Shackson & Clare McEwan

Testimonials

“By sharing so many amazing techniques, teaching us so clearly, and with great humour, you have inspired us all to give it a go. Three cheers for Sally!”

Stephanie

Urban Explorations

“This was my absolute favourite of all your courses. I found it ridiculously inspiring and loved how you guided us through a clear structure and process. Your examples and written instructions makes this course easy to follow and accessible. It’s brilliant and you are a genius!”

Clare

Urban Explorations

Course FAQs

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS COURSE?

This course is designed to enable you to create a series of urban inspired acrylic paintings. You will learn how to develop your chosen urban theme, explore colour, composition, texture and line before embarking on your final pieces.

WHAT LEVEL IS THIS COURSE?

This course is suitable for anyone who has an interest in creating, beginners and more advanced artists alike. It is designed to help artists learn how to develop and idea and how to explore the full range of acrylic textural techniques. Many students go on to take my Confident Composition and/or Approaches to Abstraction courses.

WHAT THIS COURSE IS NOT

This is not a traditional painting or landscape course. The activities are experimental, interesting and purposeful. 

WHEN DOES THE COURSE START?

This is a scheduled course that runs once a year. It runs for six weeks, I am in the course every day of the schedule.  However, many artists enrol when it is available and use it as a self-paced course as you can work through the classes at your own pace, and return to them as often as you need to.

 

What is an online course?

An online course consists of videos and downloads to enable you to learn new skills and improve old ones. All my online courses are stored on a specialist teaching platform, you do not have to join a Facebook group, and the courses have lifetime access*

The self-paced courses can be done at any-time that suits you, whilst the scheduled courses are set for a specific number of weeks.

Longer self paced and scheduled courses have areas to share work and ask questions that only people that have registered for the course can access. All videos are pre-recorded and you can watch them at your convenience, with additional written content in the form of downloadable PDF’s.

Is there tutor support available on your online courses?

My self-paced courses are designed to be studied independently, and contain all information you need. If you do have questions, my longer self paced courses can ask them on the course forum, an area specifically set up for you to share work and chat with other students. I call in regularly and can be ‘tagged’ for a more immediate response. 

On my scheduled courses new course content is available each week of the schedule, and I am with you on the course on a daily basis to answer questions and join in discussions. You will also be learning alongside a group of other students with  brilliant discussions, sharing of work and encouragement amongst participants – although there is no pressure at all to join in or share if you don’t want to.

What is a 'forum'?

I realise that not everyone is on Facebook, and so I don’t use Facebook Groups for my course. I wanted to provide a dedicated place for you to feel free to share your work with others in the course.

All participants on my longer self-paced courses are invited to post images in one of the course forums, but there is no obligation to do so! 

My scheduled courses have areas with each activity where students can post images and join in discussions.

What if I get behind on a course, will I be able to catch up?

All of my courses have lifetime access*. The courses consist of pre-recorded videos that are available to watch, and re-watch at your convenience.

For scheduled courses I am only available during the schedule of the course, but you get lifetime access* to the course content and all the discussions and posting from other participants. Many students continue sharing and discussing long after the end of the schedule.

*lifetime means as long as I am able to communicate, or as long as the platform is in existence.

How do I enrol on a course?

At the very top of each course page on my website there are buttons for you to click to enrol and pay for a course. Clicking this will take you to the Ruzuku platform and payment will be taken securely by credit card. The Ruzuku platform is where all the courses are kept.

The payment is set in GDP as I am in the UK but when you pay it will convert to your own currency. Payments are made via Stripe, a safe and secure payment platform, using a debit or credit card.

Once you have paid for a course, you will be asked to create a Ruzuku account using your email and a password. Note that this will also happen only the first time you enrol, you do not have to create a new account for each course. All of your courses will all be available in the ‘My Courses‘ section on Ruzuku.

I live outside of the UK, can I still enrol on a course?

Yes of course! I would love you to come and learn with me, and I have people signed up from all over the world. The payment from your currency will convert to GBP.

Only two courses have live meetings with students on Zoo; Approaches to Abstraction and Urban Explorations. I aim to make sure there are options for different time zones available.

Where can I find my course?

When you enter Ruzuku at the top you will see ‘My Courses’. If you click on that you will get a list of your courses. Just click on the relevant course name to enter that course.

If you have any technical problems, find the top right menu and click on ‘Support’ to access the Ruzuku support help-desk.

Can I download the course videos?

No, unfortunately you cannot download the videos due to copyright, but once you enrol you will have lifetime access to them and can return to them at any time.

What internet connection and device will I need?

To get the most out of the class you will need to have a high speed internet connection, and a newer computer or mobile device that is equipped to stream video off of the internet. If you have any questions about this please do get in touch.

My videos are compatible with all devices including iPads, tablets and mobile devices. Please test out different browsers if you have any issues – Safari is the default browser on an iPad, but Chrome is actually the better browser for a lot of people.

If you’re having difficulty watching the videos try these tips:

  1. Close down any open applications and exit out of any extra windows in your browser. These all take up memory on your device and cannot effect the ability to play video smoothly.
  2. Refresh the page.
  3. Restart your device if you have not today.
  4. Make sure your device is updated. (including the operating system and browser)
  5. Try a different browser.  My videos have been verified working with:
  6. Firefox (Windows and Mac)
  7. Internet Explorer (Windows)
  8. Google Chrome (Windows, Mac and Android [4.1.2] tablet)
  9. Safari (Mac, iPad and iPhone)

*I cannot guarantee that our videos will play on your device. There are too many variations in each person’s scenario.

Can I share the course content with others?

My courses are priced very reasonably, and I have worked very hard to give you an in-depth and inspiring range of courses full of content. As such please do not share your login and course access with others.

All of the course content is my own intellectual property, built up from over 40 years as an artist and teacher. You are not permitted to share demonstration/how-to videos of yourself using the techniques I am teaching you.

Of course many general, individual techniques are already out there in the public domain, and no one can claim ownership to those, but it is the sequence of techniques; particularly some of the tools and equipment used, as well as the methodologies and concepts taught on my courses that are not to be shared. More details about my intellectual property rights can be found in the Terms and Conditions.

Also, if you create work that is clearly based on my demonstration pieces, please do not attempt to sell it as ‘yours’. More details about my intellectual property rights can be found in the Terms and Conditions​.

Do you offer refunds?

I do not offer refunds for self-paced courses as the course descriptions give a very full account of the content. In the unlikely event you have booked a course that is not right for you, please let me know before you start accessing the content.

With my scheduled courses if you feel they are not right for you I will refund you within a week of your booking/the course starting, (less an admin fee) or a full credit towards another class.