‘This art course was fabulous!…’

‘Steve Bretel is a gifted artist and teacher and despite the group having a wide range of experience he managed to make the weekend stimulating and challenging for all.’  Participant comments on Trip Advisor following a recent weekend painting course at the National Trust for Scotland, Hill of Tarvit mansion. SEE OTHER TESTIMONIALS

Find your creative voice…

…by learning with me – online, or face-to-face – whether you’re a beginner, or experienced creative. I’ve taught throughout Scotland for years – it’s my passion – and I believe that by understanding each learner – what motivates and inspires them –  is the key to me helping them realise their potential and to achieve their creative goals. I’ve also worked with people who were told early on that they just weren’t creative, and they’ve carried this belief with them throughout their lives. Learn with me, and I’ll prove to you just how wrong this is!


A bit about me, and my art work:

Experiential education, commercial art and crafting, have combined to form my unique set of teaching skills that fully engages people in the creative process. I work mainly with water-based mediums – ink, gouache, watercolour, acrylic and I use graphite, charcoal and coloured pencil for drawing and mixed media pieces which I exhibit in galleries and at open studio events. My style ranges from free, semi-abstracted natural and urban landscapes, through to more detailed work in wildlife and animal portraiture. I also craft objects using natural materials such as greenwood, and make my own charcoal for drawing.


I teach a wide range of classes:

In person

…from my studio in Glenrothes, also at several art centres around Fife, as well as running other opportunities at National Trust for Scotland venues, and for Wild at Art and others throughout Scotland. I also teach south of the border at Berwick on Tweed.

Online in real-time

I also tutor real-time sessions online via Zoom for An Lanntair Arts Centre in Stornoway, Outer Hebrides. I am also looking forward to tutoring at Hotel Leone in Italy (the course having been delayed by Covid).

Online courses

Click here to go to my courses site


I’m fully disclosure checked (enhanced), and have public liability insurance. References are available on request. See below for some of the workshops and classes I offer, and feel free to speak with me about any other ideas you may have:

      • Drawing & Painting Introduction – first steps for beginners
      • Watercolour Basics – learning the fundamentals
      • Collage in Painting & Drawing – combining different materials
      • Printing Ideas in Painting – adding stamping and simple printing 
      • Big Brush Watercolour – loose and lively style
      • Watercolour Plus – adding different mediums
      • Line & Wash Style – outline ink drawing with thinned colours
      • Pastel & Coloured Pencils – combining dry materials
      • Chunky Charcoal – liberating and expressive mark making
      • Acrylic Painting – straight from the tube and thin glazing
      • Outdoor Sketching – on location
      • Building up a Sketchbook – prior to painting or as its own art form
      • Use of Colour – focussing on mixing and practical combinations
      • Mixed Media – using dry and wet materials with collage
      • Perspective & Composition – understanding the mechanics
      • Family Classes – fun techniques to bring everyone together creatively
      • Wildlife & Pet Portraiture – working from your own photographs
      • Making Greenwood Utensils – spoons and spatulas using traditional carving hand tools

Subjects: Where possible I try and incorporate the interests of participants, for example:

      • Landscape and the natural world
      • Urban and architectural subjects
      • Still life’s and flower painting

Contact Me for further details, or requests.