Painting and Drawing Classes in Dubai
Acrylic, oil, watercolour and drawing for every age and level, at our studio in Al Safa 1, Jumeirah, near Safa Park. Materials included, fees published in full.
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Pick the medium that suits you: quick, forgiving acrylics, rich and luminous oils, light and fluid watercolour, or drawing in pencil, charcoal and ink. Every class gives you step-by-step guidance in a calm, supportive studio, so complete beginners and experienced painters both progress at their own pace.
Painting and drawing sit at the heart of our art classes in Dubai. Classes are led by our founder team, including UAE Cultural Golden Visa artist Ruxeena Musthafa, and shaped by art psychotherapist Najah Musthafa. Many Dubai studios cap painting classes at 16+, but at ISOAG every medium is open to adults, teens and children, from complete beginner to advanced.
Choose your medium
Acrylic painting
Acrylic is the most versatile and beginner-friendly of all the paints: fast-drying, easy to correct and brilliant for everything from expressive abstracts to careful realism. It builds confidence fast, so you finish real pieces from your very first session, and the skills you build carry across to every other medium.
- Colour mixing and colour theory
- Layering, blending and glazing
- Brushwork and mark-making
- Texture and impasto effects on canvas
- Both abstract and realistic approaches
Oil painting
Oil paint offers unmatched depth, slow and meditative blending, and a richness of colour no other medium quite matches. The slow drying time gives you room to blend, rework and refine, which makes it far more approachable than its reputation suggests. It is the classic choice for portraits, landscapes and luminous, layered work.
- Colour mixing and the oil palette
- Wet-into-wet blending
- Layering and 'fat over lean'
- Glazing and brushwork
- Composition, light and shadow on canvas and board
Watercolour
Watercolour (watercolor) is light, fluid and wonderfully expressive, perfect for washes, botanicals, atmospheric scenes and quick studies. Learning to control water and pigment is the key, and that is exactly what we teach. It is portable and quick to set up, a mindful medium many students find deeply relaxing.
- Flat and graded washes
- Wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry
- Controlling water and pigment
- Layering, lifting and masking
- Botanical and landscape approaches
Drawing and sketching
Drawing is the foundation of every art form, and a deeply satisfying skill in its own right. With pencil, charcoal and ink you learn to see and to render what you see, building the eye and the hand behind all painting and design. It needs nothing more than paper and pencil and gives fast, visible progress.
- Line, contour and gesture
- Shading, tone and value
- Proportion and measuring
- One- and two-point perspective
- Observational and still-life drawing in graphite, charcoal and ink
Which medium should you start with?
If you are new to painting, acrylic is the easiest place to begin: it dries fast, forgives mistakes and lets you finish a real piece in your first session. Drawing builds the eye and the hand behind every other medium. Oil rewards patience with rich, layered colour, and watercolour suits a light, fluid touch. Not sure yet? Message us and we will help you choose.
Painting and drawing class prices
Transparent, published pricing, no "enquire for price" (prices in AED).
| Option | Price (AED) | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult class (1.5 hr) | 300 | Materials included |
| Adult 10-class package | 2,000–2,500 | Without / with materials |
| Kids class | 180 | Materials included |
| Walk-in (per hour) | 150 | Materials included, all ages |
Compare fees for every programme, from walk-in sessions to holiday camps.
Founder-led & clinician-informed
You are taught by named professionals, not anonymous part-timers, in a studio where teaching is informed by a real art psychotherapist. That makes painting and drawing here as good for your wellbeing as it is for your skills. Meet our teaching team.
Adults who want a structured routine can join our adult art classes, and children learn the same mediums in our kids art classes.
Where we are, Al Safa 1, Jumeirah
International Studio of Art & Galleries (ISOAG)
Al Safa 1, 16th Street, Jumeirah, near Safa Park, Dubai, UAE
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Tuesday–Friday | 11:00 – 20:00 |
| Saturday–Sunday | 10:00 – 19:00 |
Prefer to drop in? Try a walk-in session at AED 150 per hour. Parking is nearby, and the studio is easy to reach from across Al Safa and Jumeirah.
Frequently asked questions
Are painting and drawing classes good for beginners?
Yes. Classes are mixed-level and beginner-friendly, with step-by-step guidance tailored to you. Acrylic and drawing are the easiest places to start, and our facilitators make oil and watercolour approachable from your first session.
How much do painting classes cost in Dubai?
An adult class is AED 300 (1.5 hours, materials included); a 10-class package is AED 2,000 without materials or AED 2,500 with. Kids classes are AED 180 and walk-ins AED 150 per hour.
Are materials included?
Yes. Paints, brushes, canvas, paper, pencils and charcoal are provided for single classes and walk-ins. The 10-class package is available with or without materials.
Which medium should I start with?
Acrylic is the most forgiving paint and the easiest place to begin, and drawing builds the foundation for every medium. If you love rich, blended colour, try oil; for light, fluid work, try watercolour.
Is oil painting messy or hard to clean up?
We provide everything and handle the studio set-up and clean-up, so you can simply focus on painting.
Can children join painting and drawing classes?
Yes. Drawing, painting and colour mixing are central to our kids art classes, with age-appropriate projects for ages 4 to 18.
Where and when are the classes?
At ISOAG, Al Safa 1, 16th Street, Jumeirah, near Safa Park, Dubai. We are open Tuesday–Friday 11:00–20:00 and Saturday–Sunday 10:00–19:00.