Welcome to Sophie’s Art School Tour
See you on the inside!
Get The Right Tools To Find Your Own Artistic Voice
Online courses, tutorials and a private online community to help you become a more confident painter
Don’t fancy just making pretty pics?
Not too keen on serious Atelier training either?
Learn the core principles of painting and find a supportive community
No more endless dabbling without results
You keep on making the same mistakes, painting the same things and getting really frustrated with the same results? You know something is not quite right with your painting, but you are not sure what it is? You would really like to get your art to the next level but never went to art school and think there’s little hope?
.
Despite various courses, books and endless practice you might still feel stuck in the same old problems and your painting does not really evolve further. You are not keen on joining a proper atelier program or art college, but you’ve had enough of the friendly painting clubs where no real teaching happens?
Ateliers, academies and colleges are too much. Clubs and societies too little. Stuck on repeat, and painting the same thing, making the same mistakes?
Learn a clear strategy to tackle your next painting challenge
Find joy in the painting process, knowing you're on the right path
Sophie’s Art School offers painting courses, workshops and a supportive community completely online.
Start learning the core principles of painting in a fun and practical way.
Make yourself at home in the Art School community (The Art Cafe) and make new friends, ask questions, get valuable feedback, or just ‘hang out’.
Enjoy a down-to-earth, flexible but serious approach to painting and be part of our warm and supportive family of artists!
Courses
OILS
Portrait in Oils
An in-depth course teaching you how to paint a portrait from preparation, to choice of materials, underpainting, and final touches. Find out more....
PASTEL
The Pastel Place
Our flagship course: a true deep-dive into soft pastel for beginners as well as more advanced pastel lovers. Find out more....
OILS
Painting Drapery
Follow along this 8-hour painting demonstration with extensive extra’s on materials and techniques. Find out more...
PASTEL
Colour Mixing in Pastel
Do you really need a gazillion pastels in all colours? No you don’t; you can learn to mix your colours on your paper in this short course. Find out more....
PORTRAIT
Classical Portrait Drawing
Fix those wonky proportions and that likeness that is just not quite right. Learn the useful ‘straight-line’ technique to help you get any drawing or painting right.
Find out more...
PASTEL
Pastel for Beginners
A short course for pastel newbies, teaching basic mark making techniques, the differences between hard and soft pastel and more. Find out more....
Here’s What You’ll Get When You Enrol
As a registered student you will get immediate access to the whole curriculum.
You will be able to study from your own home, at your own pace. All study material is available in video or text format. You can start courses whenever you want, and take as long as you like. You will get access to a friendly and supportive private community where you an ask for feedback, post your questions and so much more.
Courses
Online video courses and workshops teaching the fundamentals of painting and drawing. Take a course in your own time and at your own pace. The focus is on oils and pastel but topics vary.
Inspirational Articles, Interviews and Tutorials
A large resource library filled with useful, inspirational, educational and practical articles, tips, interviews and lists.
Active, Supportive Community
The Art Cafe is our very own virtual art community with 'tables' for all sorts of art. This is the best place to ask your questions, post your work and assignments, get feedback or make new friends.
Here’s what students are saying about Sophie’s Art School
Student
“Very encouraging"
Loved this workshop! I liked that it was short and very focused and I could see results quickly. Your daily videos were just the right length to give good guidance and not overly long. Your comments on our posts during the week were helpful and very encouraging. They offered specific suggestions for improvement which I appreciated.
Student
“Sophie is there every step of the way"
This is the most unique online art course I have taken. The setup is unique and the contents takes a pastel newbie from pastel and paper types through mark making and beyond. Also Sophie is there every step of the way and I think that she is the most valuable resource in the course.
Student
“I feel so much much more confident"
Just wanted to let you know that after 5 months I've finished my course in The Pastel Place and what a fantastic time I've had! I feel so much more confident to take on new projects now. All thanks to Sophie for being a great teacher and encouraging me each step of the way. Definitely sign up for this course but make sure you take up all its challenges !!
The Art Cafe
Our Very Own Online Art Community
A safe and friendly place to share your art, ask for feedback, get ideas, admire art, hang out and make new friends. The Art Cafe is our very own community (or forums).
No Art School is complete without its Cafe! Connect with fellow artists from all over the world and make new friends.
Learn at Your Own Pace
You can take courses as slow or fast as you like. Binge watch or follow the course over the space of days or months. Totally up to you.
Paint in Your Own Space
No need to haul your art materials to another place, be early to secure an easel or having to smell your fellow student's medium. Paint in the comfort of your own home or studio.
Re-Watch as Often As You Like
Watch the course lessons as often as you like, pause, rewind or fast forward as you please.
Enjoy Community Support
Post your course assignments to the private course forum and get feedback and suggestions from your fellow students.
A Library Full of Goodies
We have a large resource library with short tutorials, articles, interviews and guest content. Recent guest artists who wrote articles for us included:
Lorena Kloosterboer
Svetlana Cameron
Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco
Benjamin Hope
Adebanji Alade
About Sophie
Sophie Ploeg is an experienced art tutor and a professional artist. Her paintings have featured regularly at prestigious exhibitions such as the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and the Pastel Society. She has won the BP Travel Award at the BP Portrait Award Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Her work has been exhibited, published and collected in the UK, Europe and the US.
Sophie is self-taught and shares her practical approach to painting and drawing through courses and workshops. She has over 30 years of experience in painting with pastel and over 15 years of oil painting under her belt. Sophie’s painting techniques stem from trial and error, picking and choosing; over the years she developed her own techniques, often fed through selected bits and pieces from existing methods and approaches. She does not follow any particular school of thought but prefers to use painting techniques that are fun and ‘work’.
Sophie’s paintings are realistic and full of atmosphere. They seem to echo traditional methods and style, but are painted in a modern and practical manner. Her work celebrates the beauty of every person and the heritage we all share.
Student Stories
student
“Absolutely Loved it"
Absolutely loved it. I enjoy working with others and this felt like we were doing it together as a group as much as one can "virtually." But most of all I enjoy learning from someone who obviously has a great deal of knowledge and is a gentle, kind soul.
student
“Loved feeling part of the group"
I could not have been happier with this workshop - Enjoyed the format with all these talented painters. This was such a great workshop. Loved feeling part of the group and also to have such wonderful tutoring for such an amazing price. I haven’t yet finished but have a bit more confidence to go forward.
student
“I’m getting superb teaching"
I really feel I am learning and improving all the time. I used to worry about never having been to art school but now it doesn't seem so important. I feel that I'm getting superb teaching and also getting support from others who are also keen to improve.
Amazing Value
Courses are not available to purchase individually. Instead, you can enrol in the school and have access to the whole curriculum for an incredibly affordable monthly price. You can enrol for as long or as little as you like (cancelling takes just a couple of clicks): you are not tied in to a minimum period of time. While you are a student of the school you can take a course, enjoy support from your fellow students, take a workshop or dive into the resource library.
Sophie’s Art School
Enrol for a monthly fee
£
25 per month
Questions?
Check the Frequently Asked Questions below or simply Ask Sophie!
Faq
How do workshops work?
Why would I want to become a member of Sophie’s Art School?
Can I just purchase a single course?
What payment methods do you accept?
Do you teach old-master techniques in oils?
What about materials?
Do I need to sign up for a minimum amount of months?
Sophie’s Art School
Enrol for a monthly fee and get immediate access to all courses, workshops, tutorials and the private community
£
25 per month