COAS Programme 2025-26
Autumn Term
Courses
Cardiff Open Art School opens its doors again in Autumn 2026 with a whole range of fantastic learning opportunities available. From pottery to painting, drawing to design thinking, photography, printmaking and craft courses, there is something for everyone.
It doesn't matter if you're an experienced artist or designer, are preparing a portfolio to apply for a degree or Foundation programme, or if you've never picked up a pencil before, the courses and workshops are a great way of both trying out new skills or further developing your practice.
Please note that, unless otherwise stated within the course description, our courses are open to those aged 18 and over.
All courses are available to: book now.
Please note: Each course must reach a minimum number of bookings to run (8 usually). The University will ask you whether you’re interested in taking part in a course through the medium of Welsh as part of this process.
You can book directly onto any course you like via the Cardiff Met online store, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and places are on a first come, first served basis. We will still be able to help process bookings over the phone on weekdays, during office hours, if required.
Please note that bookings for all courses will close exactly one week prior to the start of the course.
Courses run throughout the year at our Llandaff campus, typically starting each Autumn, Spring and Summer Term. The most up to date information about what we are running and when will always be found on the courses section of the COAS website.
To sign up for our mailing list and receive updates on our programme of courses, email your contact details to coas@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
Drawing
Date: Tuesdays, starts 29 September, 7.00-9.00pm
Course length: 5 sessions *
Price: £125
Tutor: Christopher Holloway
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Develop your drawing skills within a studio setting by exploring a range of different methods and approaches to drawing, in a creative and supportive environment.
Working from observation, the course will cover a study of line, tone, shape, texture, scale and composition. Subject matter will include still life, the figure, interior space and a range of observational drawing scenarios. This course will focus on the principles of drawing and developing our skills in observation and ways of seeing.
This is a taught class within a studio environment, whereby experimentation is encouraged and where you can learn through drawing itself. One to one tuition and feedback will be provided throughout.
Students should bring with them: One box of willow charcoal, a selection of graded drawing pencils, an eraser, A1 and A2 white cartridge paper will be available at the class. Tuition will be provided with regard to materials, so it is advisable not to purchase unnecessarily before the course commences.
Date: Tuesdays, starts 10 November, 7:00-9:00pm
Course length: 5 sessions *
Price: £135
Tutor: Christopher Holloway
Level: All Levels
Life drawing offers the opportunity to draw and study the human form over five focused classes. This is an open to all class, which will appeal to all levels including beginners.
The classes are structured to give a diverse range of poses to draw from, both short and extended. The course will include set exercises which will give you the opportunity to experiment and engage in a range of approaches to drawing. Each session will give you the opportunity to develop and refine your own response to drawing the figure.
This is a taught class within a studio environment, whereby experimentation is encouraged and where you can learn through drawing itself. One to one tuition and feedback will be provided throughout.
Students should bring with them: One box of willow charcoal, a selection of graded drawing pencils, an eraser, you may wish to bring your own sketchbook, A1and A2 white cartridge paper will be available at the class for larger drawings. Tuition will be provided with regard to materials, so it is advisable not to purchase unnecessarily before the course commences.
Painting
Date: Wednesdays from 30 September, 7:00 -9:00pm
Course length: 10 sessions*
Price: £230
Tutor: Christopher Holloway
Level: beginner/ intermediate
This course will explore technical aspects of painting in oil or acrylic with a study of composition, colour, mixing practice and observation. Each class will guide you through the beginning steps of painting and how to use your materials to respond to different subject matter, leading you to create several paintings and studies throughout the course.
The course will begin by exploring the basics of colour theory. We will learn how to control light by using colour and shade when applied to simple forms and basic shapes. Working towards more substantial compositions from observation you will develop an understanding of scale, structure, proportion and space, and how to create depth in your painting. Developing these formal elements at the beginning stages in your painting journey can be of great benefit in developing confidence in painting. Subject matter will include objects and still life, natural forms and interior spaces.
The course will be suitable for those who wish to develop their painting experience with oil or acrylic, whilst seeking tuition with regards to the technical and formal painting elements. This is a taught class within a supportive studio environment, where one to one tuition and feedback will be provided throughout the experience. Relevant references to examples of both contemporary and historical works of art will be discussed to introduce concepts relevant to the class activities.
What do Students need to bring with them?
Students to bring with them: Student or Artist Quality Oil / Acrylic Colour:
- Warm Red e.g - Cadmium Red
- Cool Red e.g - Alizarin Crimson or Quinacridone Red
- Warm Blue e.g – Cerulean, Manganese or Phthalo Blue
- Cool Blue e.g - Ultramarine Blue
- Warm Yellow e.g - Cadmium Yellow
- Cool Yellow e.g - Lemon Yellow
- Yellow Ochre
- Viridian Green
- Titanium White
- Black
Students may bring additional colours if they wish.
Also: rags, palette, palette knives, masking tape, flat and or round brushes - if possible sizes 2, 4 and 8, low odour artist white spirit or turpentine (for oil painters), brush washing jar, drawing materials (pencil, charcoal, eraser), an apron may be useful.
Various sized surfaces to paint onto such as – Primed canvas, canvas board, primed oil paper / acrylic paper pad, primed boards, whichever you feel comfortable using.
*Please note that there will be break week Wednesday 28 October (for Half Term) courses will resume the following week, meaning that the last session will take place Wednesday 09 December
Printmaking
Date: Wednesdays, starts 30 September 2026, 6.30-8.30pm
Course length: 6 sessions
Price: £160
Tutor: Russell John
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Collagraph printmaking is a great way to bring texture, playfulness and improvisation to your images. It allows us to do things that are quite difficult in other printmaking processes, such as ‘jigsawing’ different pieces of image together, using relief and intaglio technique together, and using a whole range of everyday tools to achieve interesting and immediate texture and mark making. During this 6 week course you will be introduced to the fundamentals of printmaking and how these techniques apply to collagraph. Each week you will develop, edit and refine complex images whilst being guided through this interesting process. By the end of the course you will have produced a series of collagraph prints in a variety of colours and compositions.
Students should bring with them:
- Scalpel and/or Stanley knife
- Drawing pencils
- Found imagery and/or personal imagery, photocopies, cuttings from magazines
Other advice will be given during first session.
Date: Wednesdays, starts 11 November 2026, 6.30-8.30pm
Course length: 6 Sessions
Price: £160
Tutor: Russell John
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Reduction linocut printing was popularised by Picasso and his master printer Hidalgo Arnéra. It is a bold and usually colourful relief print technique.
In this course you will be guided through the development and production of a series of reduction linocut prints.
Using sketches, found imagery and photographs we will create personal compositions which embrace the inherent restrictions of reduction linocut printing and harness its bold and colourful appearance.
Each week we will respond to what we have previously created and build upon successes, allowing us to create an edition of prints which take advantage of this wonderful technique.
What do students need to bring with them?
- Found imagery and/or personal imagery, photocopies, cuttings from magazines
Other advice will be given during first session.
Date: Thursdays, starts 1 October 2026, 6.30-8.30pm
Course length: 8 Sessions
Price: £220
Tutor: Russell John
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Stone Lithography is one of the most important traditional printmaking techniques, used for hundreds of years by artists to make large editions of fine art prints, and by companies to make all kinds of printed matter from packaging to posters. In this course you will be guided through the development and production of a stone lithographic print of your own. You will work through the whole stone lithographic printing process, from preparing a lithographic limestone to making marks to printing multiple fine art prints. Each week we will discover more of the process and exciting ways to develop and build upon what we have already done. You will create an edition of prints which take advantage of this wonderful technique.
What do students need to bring with them?
- Found imagery and/or personal imagery, photocopies, cuttings from magazines
Other advice will be given during first session.
Photography
Date: Wednesday, starts 7 October 2026, 6.00-9.00pm
Course length: 5 sessions
Price: £245
Tutor: Nik Roche
Level: Beginners
This course aims to help you acquire a knowledge of professional camera techniques and equipment as well as encouraging you to develop your visual literacy skills in order to establish an effective and personal approach to image making.
It will provide you with the practical skills required to begin to confidently employ fundamental photographic techniques including exposure control, depth of field, capturing movement and file management. Alongside this you will learn to consider and practice basic concepts in framing and composition.
You will learn how to operate a Digital SLR camera and unlock its potential to improve your photography and produce an individual portfolio employing the skills and knowledge you have gained. You will receive one to one tuition and advice, with weekly independent tasks to complete and a final group portfolio review from your tutor and a representative of Ffotogallery Cardiff.
What do students need to bring with them?
- A Digital SLR camera with memory Cards
Further advice on equipment will be given during first the session.