Folk Art Masterclass for COMPLETE Beginners...

Ever wanted to paint just for fun but been busy putting everyone and everything else first? Or maybe your art teacher told you you were beyond help!

Progress NOT Perfection Folk Art Painting is simple, relaxing, and totally doable, even if you’ve never picked up a brush before! You don’t need talent or previous experience, just the desire to give it a go and you are never too old to begin...

Folk Art Painting (also known as Tole Painting) has been around for centuries and was once known as the art of the untrained artist. It was used by farmers, peasants, and boat people to brighten up their surroundings.

This amazing course will teach you to paint in the same way you learnt to write and everything you need is INCLUDED...

• Specialist art supplies
• A full-colour workbook
• Personal tutor support & feedback
• Online Classroom
• Thriving Private Student Community

Throughout the course, you will learn a series of strokes. Think of these strokes as the letters of the alphabet. We then put them together to form flowers—like words.

The good news is that Folk Art is a skill-based art, meaning you learn through repetition. Once you’ve learnt a stroke, you’ll never forget it—just like writing the letters of the alphabet!

The Comma Stroke

Throughout the course you will use the full colour step by step workbook (below) which is included in your Art Supplies Kit. 

Swipe left 
to see examples from the Workbook

What The Students Say!

I have so much enjoyed these lessons. I’m 70 years old and never painted before but I have loved these lessons and techniques SOOOO much! I hated to see the end of the course. Y’all are great instructors and I’m enjoying the beginnings of the academy and looking forward to learning more of your other techniques. Thank you both for all you do!

Vicki E. USA 

Fantastic Course! I thought long and hard before I bought this course. It’s been worth every penny! I’m learning so much, at my own pace and with individual positive feedback at every stage. I’m producing art that I could never have imagined. The Facebook group is such a happy place, we’re all in it together, no matter what stage. If you’re interested but uncertain, then just jump in, you won’t regret it.

MELANIE G. UK

Think you are not artistic? I thought so too. But 3 weeks into this course, I was painting beautiful little works of art and even felt confident even with my skill to gift these items to others! By nine weeks into the course, I'm gifting the course to others who, like me, have the desire but don't feel they have the talent. I couldn't love this class any more. Bonus: I also received hours of peace and mindfulness I hadn't expected! Best money spent on myself in years!

MELANIE E. USA

I am loving the course. Everything is beautifully presented, from the kit, the web site, the course materials and each module is explained in great detail so that anyone can easily attempt it and enjoy success. Also the Student Community group provide support and encouragement. I'm now 76 and I only wish I’d started this journey earlier as I feel so empowered.

CAROLE G. UK

Best investment in my painting I’ve made yet! Incredible! I’ve been Tole Painting since 1997. But, I didn’t learn it by beginning with strokes. Even when I learned from a well known and talented Tole Painter, she never started me back on strokes. I learned things LITERALLY in the very first lesson. How did I not know this all these years?! I’m loving this course. It’s the best investment in my painting abilities. I’m spreading the word everywhere, to all my painting friends on FB! 🤙

MELISSA C. USA 

Start anytime and learn at your own pace. Your Online Classroom is always ready when you are!

Across 12 modules, you’ll progress step by step, with each lesson building on the last. Folk Art is a skill-based art—you’ll learn through repetition and muscle memory, just like riding a bike or learning to write. Once it clicks, you’ll never forget!

Carole G. UK

A fulfilling and exciting journey I am loving the course. Everything is beautifully presented, from the kit, the website, the course materials, and each module is explained in great detail so that anyone can easily attempt it and enjoy success. Also, the Student Community group provides support and encouragement. I'm now aged 76 and I only wish I’d started this journey earlier as I feel so empowered.

Melanie E. USA

Think you're not artistic? I thought so too. But 3 weeks into this course, I was painting beautiful little works of art and even felt confident even with my skill to gift these items to others! By nine weeks into the course, I'm gifting the course to others who, like me, have the desire but don't feel they have the talent. I couldn't love this class any more. Bonus: I also received hours of peace and mindfulness I hadn't expected! Best money spent on myself in years!

Melanie G. UK

Fantastic Course! I thought long and hard before I bought this course. It’s been worth every penny! I’m learning so much, at my own pace and with individual positive feedback at every stage. I’m producing art that I could never have imagined. The Facebook group is such a happy place, we’re all in it together, no matter what stage. If you’re interested but uncertain, then just jump in, you won’t regret it.

Melissa C USA

Best investment in my painting I’ve made yet! Incredible! I’ve been Tole Painting since 1997. But, I didn’t learn it by beginning with strokes. Even when I learned from a well known and talented Tole Painter, she never started me back on strokes. I learned things LITERALLY in the very first lesson. How did I not know this all these years?! I’m loving this course. It’s the best investment in my painting abilities. I’m spreading the word everywhere, to all my painting friends on FB! 🤙

The Art Supplies Kit includes everything you need, delivered to your door..

• DecoArt Americana Paints
• 4 Speciality Folk Art Painting Brushes
• Transfer Papers & Dotting Tool
• Full-Colour 34-Page Guided Workbook to Accompany the Step-by-Step Videos

You set your own pace, but we’ll help you create a 12-week plan, aiming for one module per week. Life doesn’t always go to plan, but building the habit of submitting assignments keeps you accountable—something we talk about a lot in the course! And when you finish all 12 modules, you’ll get a Certificate of Completion to celebrate your journey.

Meet Your Tutors

With over 30 years of teaching experience—including time as the UK’s DecoArt Artist Coordinator—I’ve designed this beginner-friendly course to make learning to paint both achievable and stress-free. Alongside my niece Toni, a former psychology teacher, our mission is to help you find joy, creativity, and calm in today’s busy world.

We don’t just teach painting—we help you overcome self-doubt and perfectionism. As adults, we often feel we must be ‘good’ before we’ve even begun, but real learning starts with embracing being a beginner. That’s why this course focuses on Progress, NOT Perfection.

Carol Sykes – Founder

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BEYOND BEGINNERS

Once you’ve mastered the A-B-C's in the Beginners Course, you can move on to more advanced skills in our Academy Courses, much like progressing to ‘joined-up writing’ at school.

Just as some go on to write stories or novels while others simply use writing in everyday life, the Folk Art system we’ve designed helps you discover and nurture your creativity in an accessible and easy-to-understand way. Before long, you’ll be creating your own unique designs and colour schemes.

Swipe left to see what our students have created after the beginner course.