Art Workshops, Classes & Retreats

Post Your Workshops or Classes
 

"Tonalism, For All Media"
December 14, 2026
 

Discover the beauty of Tonalism in a dynamic 1-day workshop with instructor Robert Wortmann! Explore this evocative American art style, known for its atmospheric landscapes and poetic use of color. Dive into inspiring examples from masters like Whistler and Innes, enjoy a live demonstration, and create your own artwork with personalized guidance. All mediums are welcome, and the day wraps up with a supportive group critique. This course is open to all levels of students.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Robert Wortmann
Cost: $100
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Painting with Light, Color & Impression in Oils or Pastels"
January 7-9, 2027
 

Discover how to create vibrant, expressive landscape paintings using the principles of impressionism in either pastel or oil. In this three-day workshop, award-winning artist Greg Barnes will share the design concepts and colorful painting techniques that have become the hallmark of his work. Through daily demonstrations, discussions, and plenty of individual instruction, students will learn how to simplify the landscape into strong value patterns, compose compelling paintings, develop harmonious color relationships, and apply confident, expressive brushstrokes or pastel marks. Rather than copying nature literally, students will learn how to interpret the landscape with greater impact by emphasizing light, atmosphere, and mood. Whether working from reference photos or personal sketches, each participant will receive personalized guidance while completing several paintings.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Greg Barnes
Cost: $600
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Open Painting in The Medium of Your Choice"
Mondays, January 11-25, 2027
 

Unleash your creativity in a welcoming, relaxed studio environment with Dennis Lake, a longtime favorite instructor known for his expertise in realism across a variety of mediums. Whether you prefer oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel, charcoal, or colored pencil, you’ll have the freedom to explore your favorite materials, begin new projects, or bring unfinished works to life. Enjoy personalized, one-on-one guidance tailored to your interests and skill level, along with inspiring mini demonstrations, practical technique tips, and thoughtful critiques to help you refine your skills and grow as an artist. This class is appropriate for all levels. The main purpose of this course is one-on-one assistance from the instructor with whatever you need help with (fixing, composition, specific subjects, etc.).
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Dennis Lake
Cost: $150
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Life Model Drawing"
January 17, 2027
 

Life Drawing, or Figure Drawing, is a foundational practice for artists to study the human figure through observation. During Art League Life Drawing sessions, a model poses for a variety of lengths, from quick 2-minute gesture poses to longer 20–30-minute poses. Short poses help loosen up and build confidence, while longer poses allow for more attention to anatomy, proportion, and detail. All skill levels are welcome! Bring your preferred medium—charcoal, graphite, pen and ink, pastels, acrylics, oils, or whatever you enjoy—and use the session as an opportunity to practice, experiment, and grow.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $50 ($25 for members)
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Life Model Drawing"
February 21, 2027
 

Life Drawing, or Figure Drawing, is a foundational practice for artists to study the human figure through observation. During Art League Life Drawing sessions, a model poses for a variety of lengths, from quick 2-minute gesture poses to longer 20–30-minute poses. Short poses help loosen up and build confidence, while longer poses allow for more attention to anatomy, proportion, and detail. All skill levels are welcome! Bring your preferred medium—charcoal, graphite, pen and ink, pastels, acrylics, oils, or whatever you enjoy—and use the session as an opportunity to practice, experiment, and grow.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $50 ($25 for members)
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"The Ins & Outs of Painting Plein Air with Oils"
March 17-19, 2027
 

Unlock the secrets to capturing light, color, and atmosphere directly from nature. Whether you're taking your first steps into outdoor painting or seeking to refine your plein air practice, this comprehensive three-day workshop with accomplished artist Lee Copen will transform your approach to working on location. Plein air painting offers unparalleled opportunities to observe and render the nuances of natural light and color—yet the ever-changing conditions and complexity of outdoor scenes can present significant challenges. Through expert instruction, practical demonstrations, and guided painting sessions, Lee will help you develop strategies to simplify the process, work with confidence, and enjoy the plein air experience. All levels of students are welcome; however, some drawing and painting knowledge and experience is important.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Lee Copen
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Life Model Drawing"
March 21, 2027
 

Life Drawing, or Figure Drawing, is a foundational practice for artists to study the human figure through observation. During Art League Life Drawing sessions, a model poses for a variety of lengths, from quick 2-minute gesture poses to longer 20–30-minute poses. Short poses help loosen up and build confidence, while longer poses allow for more attention to anatomy, proportion, and detail. All skill levels are welcome! Bring your preferred medium—charcoal, graphite, pen and ink, pastels, acrylics, oils, or whatever you enjoy—and use the session as an opportunity to practice, experiment, and grow.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $50 ($25 for members)
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Life Model Drawing"
April 11, 2027
 

Life Drawing, or Figure Drawing, is a foundational practice for artists to study the human figure through observation. During Art League Life Drawing sessions, a model poses for a variety of lengths, from quick 2-minute gesture poses to longer 20–30-minute poses. Short poses help loosen up and build confidence, while longer poses allow for more attention to anatomy, proportion, and detail. All skill levels are welcome! Bring your preferred medium—charcoal, graphite, pen and ink, pastels, acrylics, oils, or whatever you enjoy—and use the session as an opportunity to practice, experiment, and grow.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $50 ($25 for members)
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Pet Portraits: For Oil & Acrylic Painters"
August 31, 2027
 

Join Maureen Scullin for an inspiring, one-day workshop dedicated to capturing the charm and personality of your favorite animal companions! Whether you love painting cats, dogs, or feathered friends, Maureen will guide you through the techniques needed to bring your subjects to life. Photo references will be provided for those who need them. Working in either oils or acrylics, you’ll explore the fundamentals of composition and design, from creating an initial drawing to developing a finished painting you’ll be proud to display. Along the way, Maureen will demonstrate how careful observation, thoughtful color choices, and an understanding of shapes, light, and shadow can help you capture the unique character of each animal. This workshop is designed for students of all levels.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Maureen Scullin
Cost: $130
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Adding Drama to your Portraits with Lights & Shadows"
September 10-12, 2027
 

Take your portraits to the next level with acclaimed artist Tony Armendariz in this engaging three-day workshop focused on creating depth, mood, and drama through light and shadow. While the instructor will be working in watercolor, students may work in other mediums as well! This workshop combines daily demonstrations and instruction with plenty of hands-on painting and individualized guidance. Learn how to simplify and interpret reference photos, establish strong values, and use light and shadow to create more compelling, expressive portraits. Students may work from photos provided by Tony or bring their own. Reference photos and preparation instructions will be provided in advance, allowing students to arrive with their drawings ready and maximize their painting time in class.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Tony Armendariz
Cost: $500
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Painting Expressive Skies in Oils or Acrylics"
September 30 & October 2, 2027
 

Discover the joy of painting expressive, atmospheric skies in this dynamic workshop designed for artists of all levels. Join award-winning artist and renowned instructor Eric Jacobsen for an inspiring experience tailored to both oil and acrylic painters. Key topics include composition, value, design, choosing a motif, identifying and mixing accurate warm and cool colors, establishing a focal point, and valuable tips and do’s and don’ts for the landscape painter. Special emphasis will be placed on mark making, helping you bring energy and expression to your brushwork. The workshop will feature a combination of informal lectures, instructor demonstrations, and plenty of hands-on painting time, ensuring a well-rounded and engaging learning experience.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Eric Jacobsen
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Decisive & Intentional Painting, for Oils or Acrylics"
November 10-12, 2027
 

This workshop will focus on painting “alla prima” (all at once) and developing greater skills of observation, simplification and painting “wet on wet” to create strong “painterly” paintings. The goal is to create an artistic painting that accurately relates the important forms of a composition rather than simply copying everything in a photograph. The workshop begins with painting basics, fundamentals of color, value, edges, perspective and other “practical” elements. Participants will work on a series of timed painting exercises while developing their skills of observation, simplification, bold brushwork and painting in a “decisive” and “intentional” manner. Dan will demo and provide plenty of one-on-one individual instruction each day. This workshop is for intermediate to advanced painters (oil and acrylic).
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Dan Graziano
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


"Composing the Poetic Landscape in Oils or Pastels"
January 25-27, 2028
 

This workshop takes a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of a strong landscape composition. The emphasis is on shapes and editing. And the goal is to create the illusion of details in your landscape painting without unnecessary rendering, resulting in a more expressive and eloquent capture of your subject. We’ll work through a painting process that maintains the initial shapes and editing, while learning to make selective decisions for the finishing stages. Values and edges will also be addressed. Students will start off using instructor-provided reference photos but will have the option to use their own photos, too. This workshop is open to all levels but geared primarily toward artists with at least some basic painting experience.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Barbara Jaenicke
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738


 

Promote your art workshops, classes & retreats!

Advertising Options