Collection: Short Courses

Are you new to painting or looking to expand your practice? In this inspiring course you will explore materials and techniques, from gouache and acrylic to collage and oil. Emphasizing play, experimentation, and introducing historical references, you’ll build confidence, develop personal expression, and discover new ways of making paintings beyond representation.

Learn to see beyond the bewildering details of your subject to gather the colour information you need to get your painting off to a great start! 

Discover how to think of colour in a way that enables you to mix the exact colour that you want confidently and directly, every time. The course assumes no prior knowledge and has given great results with students from beginner to advanced levels.

Join a comprehensive, foundation course in figure drawing to develop your technical skills and gain confidence in capturing the human form in dynamic poses in the drawing studio and in real-world environments. 

Ready to take your drawing skills to the next level? This course is designed to deepen your observational and expressive abilities, expand your perception and unlock new possibilities in your drawing practice.

Reignite your curiosity in this engaging course designed for beginners or those returning to the sketchbook. Explore observational foundations—line, tone, and perspective—while gaining confidence in creating drawings from life. Each week you’ll develop skills through expressive use of charcoal, Conté, ink and pastel, working from images and objects, inspired by the vibrant NAS campus.

Do you want to learn to draw in a way that’s responsive to the unique qualities of your subject? and to the expressive effect of your drawing’s abstract elements? Discover how to draw with graphite pencils, chalk and ink from subjects such as the still life, the life model and on-location at the historic NAS campus.

Learn to draw forms and structures of the human head, facial features, body dynamics and discover the connection between the ‘character’ and the ‘face’. Using pencil, charcoal, ink, wash and collage, to make quick sketches and sustained drawings from plaster casts, live models and a self-portrait.

Immerse yourself in the luminous world of watercolour and explore the expressive potential of the medium, working across landscapes, still life, and the human figure. With demonstrations, hands-on exercises, and discussions, this course encourages you to refine your technique while embracing spontaneity.

Immerse yourself in the luminous world of watercolour and explore the expressive potential of the medium, working across landscapes, still life, and the human figure. With demonstrations, hands-on exercises, and discussions, this course encourages you to refine your technique while embracing spontaneity.

Join acclaimed Australian artist Juz Kitson’s two-day porcelain clay masterclass and delve deeply into the making process, exploring new ways of manipulating and pushing porcelain to create challenging and innovative objects.   

Are you eager to move from being an arts enthusiast to a practising, exhibiting and sustainable artist? Learn what it takes to become a professional artist; how to research and understand the investment of time, money, planning, energy and creativity it requires to survive in the arts.

Learn to take full creative control of your camera through hands-on sessions in manual exposure, depth of field, and motion. Put exposure and composition principles into practice in the studio and outdoors. Gain confidence in developing your technical skills, creative vision, and digital workflow for polished, expressive photography. 

Learn the fine art of copper plate etching, a medium both steeped in tradition and one that allows for exciting approaches to contemporary art making. In this 2-day workshop discover various methods to create a small edition of prints in the beautiful NAS etching studios.  

Explore the varied processes of screenprinting starting with basic stencils and moving into photographic techniques. Learn how to create original prints from drawings, photographs and existing images, as well as how to use the darkroom and the computer for photographic processes with image separations and colour mixing. 

Are you interested in the history of drawing and would like to refine your skills? Learn the classical drawing techniques of silverpoint on prepared paper, red and black chalk on tinted paper and ink drawing with reed pen, quill and brush. With demonstrations and practical methods to inspire your contemporary drawing practice.  

This hands-on workshop will strengthen your drawing practice and introduce you to the magic of analogue animation methods. You’ll explore dynamic mark-making, gestural drawing, and develop strategies for capturing movement and complete a short animation.

Would you like to take a line for a walk with experimental contour drawing? How about tapping into your creativity and becoming one with ink while drawing? Experience the art of using your whole being when you draw, and see your drawing expand beyond its current horizon.

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Australian art world, a rich and complex ecosystem that bridges public exhibitions and collections, commercial galleries, university and art school galleries, art fairs, artist and community run initiatives, and private collections.

Discover new approaches to handbuilding with an intuitive approach, exploring techniques such as pinching, coiling, stacking, joining, and slabs to create expressive vessels and sculptural forms. Across multiple firings, you’ll explore slip decoration and glazing, layering colour and texture to achieve rich, unexpected surfaces.  

Intermediate to advanced painters will develop their technical skill and studio practice through structured projects and critical discussions. Refine your oil and acrylic techniques, explore supports, colour theory, glazing and mediums, while engaging with traditional genres, historical examples, and group critiques to strengthen your artistic confidence. 

Learn to see beyond the bewildering details of your subject to gather the colour information you need to get your painting off to a great start! 

Discover how to think of colour in a way that enables you to mix the exact colour that you want confidently and directly, every time. The course assumes no prior knowledge and has given great results with students from beginner to advanced levels.

Have you always wanted to paint but haven’t known where to start? Designed for complete beginners, this course will give you a solid and practical foundation in painting using acrylics and oil paints. Learn simple processes for colour mixing, composition, and perspective, to produce a suite of finished paintings.

Engage your five senses in the act of drawing and experience a fresh, personal and perceptive approach to art making. From initial idea generation to the creation of resolved drawings, this course provides a pathway to dynamic and personal expression.