In this in-depth acrylic course, students will learn Dawn’s signature grisaille underpainting technique — a dramatic monotone white-on-black foundation — before building luminous colour using layered acrylic glazes. This classical method creates depth, contrast and striking realism, perfectly suited to painting Aotearoa’s native birds.
Over five Saturday morning sessions, you will complete a finished native New Zealand bird painting on a stretched and framed canvas, ready to hang in your home.
What You’ll Learn:
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Grisaille underpainting (white on black technique)
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Acrylic glazing and colour layering
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Creating depth and light in bird feathers
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Realistic detail and tonal contrast
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Techniques specific to painting native NZ birds
📅 Commencing 25th July
🕙 Saturdays, 10:00am – 11:30am
📍 Dawn’s Atelier, Shop 5, City Arcade, 123–125 Main Street, Upper Hutt
All materials are provided — including canvas, acrylic paints and brushes — so you can simply arrive and immerse yourself in painting.
This Upper Hutt acrylic painting course is perfect for beginners wanting to learn strong foundational techniques, as well as intermediate artists keen to refine their skills while celebrating the beauty of New Zealand’s native birdlife.
Spaces are limited in this small studio setting — book early to secure your place.
