How to Build a Painting
1 Day Workshop | Registration opens 2026-07-02 12:00 PM
Ever wondered what actually goes into the surface you paint on and the pigments you use? This course is a deep dive into the "bones" of a painting - focusing entirely on the craftsmanship that happens before the first artistic brushstroke is even made.
Instead of starting with a store-bought kit, you will learn to build your own professional-grade materials from the ground up. We will cover the art of stretching your own canvas, and the proper way to prime a surface with gesso for a perfect finish. We’ll also explore the traditional method of mulling your own oil paint, turning raw pigment into rich, buttery color.
By building every layer yourself, you’ll leave with a custom-made, archival-quality canvas and a small curated tester set of hand-mulled paints ready for your next painting project. This class emphasizes material awareness and technical tips to ensure your work stands the test of time.
All materials are covered with the material fee.
Base Tuition: $135 +
Material Fee: $45 =
$180 Total
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- What You Will Learn:
- How to prepare a painting surface from start to finish- How to gesso and prime a surface with an understanding of why each step matters
- How to mull your own oil paints and understand the basic properties of pigments, oils, and binders
- What material choices to look out for in your own work to help ensure stability, durability, and longevity over time
- All materials are covered with the material fee.
Emily Joyce
Emily is a Toronto-based painter and paintings conservator. She specializes in the study of paint materials, from traditional egg tempera and oil paints to contemporary acrylics and mediums. The crossover of art and science in her profession has allowed her an in-depth exploration of the history and techniques of painters from a range of historical time periods such as the Renaissance, Impressionism and Pop Art. These studies have inspired her classes and workshops at the TSA. Emily has a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) with a minor in art History and a Master's of Art Conservation (Queen’s University), as well as a certificate in Traditional Materials, Methods of Painting and Restoration techniques through San Gemini Preservation Studies in Italy. Outside of the TSA, Emily works at Toronto Art Restoration in the west end, conserving a range of artworks from Tom Thomson landscapes to Michael Snow's Eaton Centre’s Geese.