Transform your acrylic painting with Gabriella Buckingham from January - August 2025
Immerse yourself in the possibilities that experimenting with the processes acrylic and mixed media have to offer; create work you truly love alongside an established professional artist, Gabriella Buckingham.
31 live experiences when Gabriella will show up to demonstrate, paint and answer your questions
12 months access to the course from when you join
12 months one to one direct chat with Gabriella Monday to Friday
over 90 videos to support learning exist already
new replay recordings added weekly
a private, permanent, dedicated Facebook group with over 80 artists to connect with
20th Jan - 18th August
enrolling until Feb 28th
find a materials list in the FAQ section below
split payment available
This is the PERFECT course for budding artists who, through free experimentation, want to find their unique approach and themes using the subject of still-life.
Ask Gabriella any question in the speech bubble, just as you would on the course!
Understand how to paint with acrylics the way you want to
"I really love this course. I have taken many classes and this one is just the best so far!! Thank you so much!!"
- Lisa T
ESL is for you if
you are a budding artist keen to push your painting experience in a fun and exploratory way.
you're keen to see how I paint
you want ideas to respond to
you're feeling bored by your own painting
you're "blocked", if you follow all the exercises you cannot continue to be!
you've used acrylics before and are keen to develop your skills
you're a professional artist wanting to try a very different way of working
you would love to immerse yourself into painting still life and try different subject matter: vessels, florals, fruit, from life and from imagination, still life as a metaphor for yourself and relationships... all the approaches!
you want to 7-12 months exploring the subject
you like the idea of working with others and group feedback
ESL is not for you
if you have never painted at all before though brave beginners with some experience of acrylics are welcome
if you want a paint-by-numbers way to recreate a particular painting of mine or anyone else's. I aim to inspire your creativity; though you're welcome to copy me for your private learning.
if you aren't open to working from life at all. We do work from imagination but observational work is key to building your imaginative skills and mark-making
if you want to learn oil painting techniques - I only use acrylics and mixed media
if you need transcripts - there are none
if you don't want lots of videos (there are about 100+) and there will be more by the time we are finished!
How I hear you ask?
There are 7 packed modules that take you through:
artist mindset and drawing
composition and colour
experiments with acrylic
observational painting
painting from the imagination
abstract painting
large-scale painting and practically finishing your work
Not only will you be filled with inspiration, you'll also..
be able to contact me personally with private questions if you don't want to ask them in a group setting
be able to print out a module plan to help you keep track
watch the lives either in a dedicated Facebook group which opens a few days before the course does, or watch a private stream on YouTube. Replays will appear in the course.
have a booklist and useful links, which will be added to throughout the 12 months together
have a bank of the best of ESL videos to support the course from 2021-2023, in addition to fresh lives/replays
be creating collections of work (if you choose to)
See more student work by searching these historical tags on Instagram: #braveinpaint #theexperimentallstilllifeexperience #experimentalstilllife #eslart
I share exactly how I paint in real time and in all the prerecorded videos. You hear my thought processes and dilemmas throughout each video. This is an intimate and personal experience that supports your growth through sharing mine. I don't think you will find many more open teachers. There are many aha moments!
You are guided for 7+ months, not a few weeks. I will continue to share some live content with you for the rest of the year. Releasing one module a month means you will be able to fully explore and have a life at the same time!
"Honestly this is the best course I’ve ever done so thank you so much. " - Liz
You get one-to-one personal attention if you need it...I'm available to help you from Monday to Friday via the chat facility, which only I can access; I do not have a VA!
your confidence as an artist has skyrocketed
Your mindset and appreciation of your uniqueness will be stronger and you won't compare yourself to others so much
that you've discoverd new avenues of exploration.
you'll know how to revisit a painting and it stronger.
that you can always experiment and understand where that change is coming from; strenghtening your self-belief and the story you share about your work.
that your practical knowledge of acrylic has expanded and you'll notice your preferred process which will give you more confidence that you can achieve paintings you conceive of.
proud of many paintings you've created and may even have sold some. Making money from your art is a fantastic feeling if that's what you want. It's incredibly satisfying to connect with people who are stirred by your work enough to part with their hard-earned cash! Whilst I would hope that you reach the stage where you do not need external validation, this is a wonderful way to create some by sharing what gives you joy.
that you're brave with paint in the future from a place of wonder and curiosity. With your increased passion for painting your entire life will feel so much better - your friends and family will notice the change in you.
I'll be your fellow explorer and guide during this course. I've been an artist all my professional life since leaving art college in 1990 after studying illustration. I've been commissioned to paint romantic fiction, children's books, hundreds of greeting cards, editorial pieces, prints and wrapping paper. I've also contributed to a few how to paint books by Dorling Kindersley.
During this time I also ran my own children's gift business, designing stationery and hand-painted gifts for ten years. In 2018 I decided to concentrate solely on my fine art painting, supported by the occasional part-time job! I showed at my first art fair in 2019 and I was lucky enough to have work selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2020. Two pieces were selected for 2023 and my work is now in the RA calendar for 2025. I now work as a full-time artist and educator.
You just never know what might happen! Join me?
Not at all. Feel free to quietly work on the course alone. You can message me privately if you need support at any time.
If however, you would like feedback on your work you would need to post it in either the FB group or the group here on Podia.
You have 12 months and the modules will be released monthly. Module 7 and 8 will be combined and released at the end of July. You have access to it all until January 20th 2026.
You will need to invest time in the course to get results delve deeply into any area that appeals to you - that is how you will strengthen your unique process. You don't have to do every single exercise. I will not be checking up on you - unless you ask me to!
If you change your mind about taking part in the course you can contact me for a full refund up to 7 days after you have paid for it; thereafter there will be no refunds.
Please message me if you have any doubts before purchasing so that I can help you with your decision. I only want people who will benefit from the course taking it!
You may, please contact me for the link to the sales page. It's a bigger investment and includes Hot Cakes, my marketing course. Lifetime access means as long as I run my teaching business and I will update it with the best of the 2025 experience by the 2026.
Not in the slightest; you might not be awake during all the lives but you can ask me any questions you have after you have watched the replay and discuss things with other students if you are in a group.
No it isn't, but the painting in that course does appear in this course. Students joining ESL now will receive a 50% discount code for Hot Cakes.
Yes, there's a suggested list. You'll have a lot already and you won't necessarily use all of this! This list is also in the course under housekeeping.
journal or notebook pencil,
charcoal, whatever you like to draw with
sketchbooks
scalpel and scissors
stick of glue
acrylic paints : cadmium yellow, lemon yellow, cerulean blue, ultramarine blue,cobalt blue, pthalo blue, alizarin crimson, cadmium red, magenta, white,burnt umber, yellow ochre, paynes grey, burnt sienna, black if you like it andfor tonal exercises (or you could mix a rich less harsh colour). Plus your favourites.
gesso (sandable is fine if you're working on wood or hard surfaces and like to sand back layers!) I have both sorts and a black which I don't often use now.
kitchen roll
baking parchment/freezer paper
trays for palettes or large wet palette
thin paper that will take paint - eg wet strength tissue paper or Rhodia 80gsm card if you want to make paint swatches
A1 cartridge paper 300gsm
300gsm watercolour paper that you like I if you want to paint pieces on paper
canvases, start small and scale up later
wood panel/cradled board
gelli plate
masking tape
wide selection of brushes
palette knives
miscellaneous items to dip into paint such as pill packets, clothes pegs, straws
brayer
grouting tools - spatulas
pastel ground by golden - like a toothy clear gesso when it dries
Frisket matt low tack masking film
P120 sandpaper
rags
wood panels or boards to attach paper to
gummed butterfly tape if you want to stretch watercolour paper
medium /acrylic paint extender for glazing and thinning paint
isolation coat
UV varnish in a finish you like or if your final pieces are on wood then Gamblin Cold Wax is easy to rub on
clean lidded jars and ice cream containers with lids to keep paint mixes fresh