Start hereFirst Washes
10 lessons, about 3 hours. Washes, mixing and three small paintings, for complete beginners.
$49
Watercolour, one wash at a time
Studio Fernhill makes online watercolour courses for beginners and returning painters, filmed from above the painting table so you see every brushstroke. Each course lists exactly what is inside, and the first lesson of every course is open to watch before you buy.
4 coursesfrom first washes to loose florals
3 yearsof access from the day you buy
14 daysto ask for a refund
- Printable notes with every course
- Filmed from above the table
- Paint kits sent by post
- Questions answered by the painter
Four courses and a paint kit
Each course is a set of filmed lessons with printable notes and a materials list. Add a course to your bag on its own or with the paint kit, which we post to you.
Start here
Most chosenLoose Florals
14 lessons, about 4 hours. Peonies, poppies and wild roses painted wet in wet.
$89
Skies, Water and Light
12 lessons, about 3 and a half hours. Clouds, reflections and evening light.
$79
Sketchbook Travels
8 lessons, about 2 hours. Quick pen and wash sketches of streets and harbours.
$59
Studio Paint Kit
Twelve half pans, two round brushes, a cotton paper pad and a mixing palette.
$42
Group course for a club or school
Any course licensed for a painting group, with a live video question session at the end.
Price on enquiry
EnquireThe delivery fee for paint kits is added at checkout; courses alone have none. Access details for your course arrive by email once the order is paid, and newsletter discount codes go in at checkout.
What is inside each course
Lesson counts and running times are listed exactly, so you know how much painting time you are buying.
| Course | Lessons | Running time | Level | Paintings you finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Washes | 10 | 2 h 50 min | Complete beginner | Three small studies |
| Loose Florals | 14 | 4 h 10 min | Beginner to improver | Five florals and a bouquet |
| Skies, Water and Light | 12 | 3 h 25 min | Improver | Two landscapes and six studies |
| Sketchbook Travels | 8 | 2 h | Any level | Eight sketchbook pages |
Every course includes printable lesson notes, a materials list with cheaper alternatives and the reference photos used in the lessons. There is no live teaching inside a course and no certificate at the end: these are painting lessons, not a qualification.
Watch the first lesson before you pay
The opening lesson of every course is open to watch in full on its course page, so you can hear how the teaching sounds, see the camera angle and judge the pace before spending anything.
Lessons are filmed from directly above the painting table, with a second camera on the palette whenever colour mixing matters. Painting is never sped up, because seeing how long a wash takes to settle is half of what you came to learn.
- The first lesson of each course open to everyone
- Painting shown in real time, with no skipped steps
- Captions on every lesson
- Notes to print and keep beside the paper
Access, refunds and the honest small print
The rules below apply to every order, and they are the same ones we would want if we were buying.
Three years of access
Each course stays open to you for three years from the day you buy it, including any lessons we add or refilm during that time.
A 14 day refund
If a course is not for you, email within 14 days of buying. If you have watched fewer than four lessons, we refund the full course price without any questions.
Paint kit returns
Unopened kits may be returned within 30 days and the kit price is refunded. The delivery fee is not refunded, and opened paints cannot be taken back.
Consumer law differs from country to country. Where your local law gives you more than this policy does, your local law applies.
Paintings by our students
Shared with permission by students of each course, from first washes to finished florals.
Notes from students (example reviews)
The lesson list matched exactly what was inside, right down to the running time. After First Washes, mixing a grey that is not mud finally makes sense.
Watching the preview settled it. The overhead camera shows every brushstroke and nothing is sped up, so the timing of wet in wet is clear at last.
The kit arrived well packed, and the materials list even suggests a cheaper paper for practice. The evening light lesson has been watched four times over.
Before you buy a course
Is any painting experience needed?
No. First Washes assumes you have never held a watercolour brush, and each of the other courses says on its card which skills it builds on.
Where are the lessons watched?
After payment, an email arrives with your login for the Studio Fernhill lesson library, where every lesson plays in a web browser on a computer, tablet or phone.
Which materials does a course need?
Each course has a materials list naming the exact paints used, along with cheaper alternatives. The Studio Paint Kit covers everything for First Washes and Loose Florals.
Are refunds possible?
Yes, within 14 days of buying, as long as you have watched fewer than four lessons of the course. Unopened paint kits are accepted back for 30 days, and refunds go back the way you paid.
Is there a certificate?
No. These are painting lessons for the pleasure of painting rather than a qualification, and we would rather say so plainly.
Can students ask about a lesson?
Yes. Email the studio with your question and the lesson number, and the painter replies within three working days.
Ask about group courses or gifts
Clubs, schools and care homes can license a course for a whole group, with a live video question session at the end. Send a few details, describe the group in words, and the studio replies within two working days with a price.
- Group prices depend on the number of painters
- Gift courses can start on a date you choose
- Questions about a lesson are welcome here too
Write to the studio
Emails are answered on weekdays, and the phone is best for group bookings.
Reach the studio
A small painting studio in the hills, where lessons are filmed and paint kits are packed
Studio hours
| Monday to Thursday | 9:00 to 17:00 |
| Friday | 9:00 to 13:00 |
| Weekends | Studio closed, lessons open |
Give a course
Any course can be bought as a gift that starts on a date you choose, such as a birthday. Pick the gift topic in the enquiry form and we send the details to you to pass on.
Ask about a gift