Playing with Portraits

Forget about creating the perfect likeness. Playing with Portraits is a relaxed three-hour portrait workshop in Hamilton exploring faces through drawing, collage and mixed media.

Workshop details

Saturday 5 September 2026
9.30am–12.30pm
Workshop: $65
Optional materials use: $15
Tutor - Monica Peters

What you’ll explore

You’ll experiment with line, texture, layering and different materials through a series of quick creative exercises, before bringing your ideas together in expressive mixed-media portraits.

No previous drawing experience is needed. Come ready to experiment, make mistakes, try something different and see where it takes you.

Who this workshop is for

Suitable for ages 14+, from complete beginners to experienced artists wanting to loosen up their approach.

What you’ll take home

You’ll leave with a collection of portrait studies, new techniques to continue exploring at home, and fresh ideas for approaching portraiture.

Materials

Bring your own materials, or add $15 materials use when you book and use ours during the workshop.

If bringing your own, you’ll need pencils, pad of A3 or A2 paper of 100gsm or more, brushes and ink, charcoal, rubbers, tissue paper, crayons, PVA glue and glue brushes, and a glue stick.

Materials supplied by Arts for Health are for use during the workshop and remain the property of Arts for Health.

Want to keep exploring?

Enjoy the workshop and want to take these ideas further? Playing with Portraits is a great introduction to the experimental approach explored in our Bold Mixed Media class running in Term 4.

If you enjoy working with layers, texture, mixed media and letting go of the need for everything to be perfect, Bold Mixed Media is a great next step.

Book Playing with Portraits – $65

Complete the booking form below to reserve your place.