If you've ever wandered around the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts or explored one of the city's many galleries and museums, you may have seen a few pieces of work that made you think, "Hey, I can do that too!" This is your signal to stop wasting time. If you're looking to get started, here's a summary of Montreal's best art academies and schools!
Best Art Schools in Montreal
- École de Dessin et Peinture Mélissa Breault
- School Art Hélène La Haye
- Académie des Beaux-Arts de Montréal
- l’École des Beaux-arts de Montréal (EBAMA)

Where to Find Art Classes and Workshops in Montreal?
Artistic expression can be controversial and contentious, especially when it comes to painting. From Jackson Pollock's splatter-filled paintings to Banksy's graffiti installations, art history has been filled with artists and paintings that push the boundaries of what society considers art. However, if you are a beginner in painting, art hives are great for anyone looking for a free space to work their creativity. Discover the best spot to start painting in the city.
1. École de Dessin et Peinture Mélissa Breault
- Address: 2000 Northcliffe Ave, Montreal, Quebec H4A 3K5
- Phone: (514) 668-1593
- Email: melissa.breault.art@gmail.com
The École de Dessin et Peinture Mélissa Breault is a renowned art institution offering diverse artistic courses. Its primary focus is imparting foundational knowledge of artistic techniques, including tonal drawing and color theory.
Of course, these art classes could not miss the personalized approach. Looking for customized classes with few students, the school seeks to create the ideal environment for participants to unleash their imagination and creativity regardless of their level and knowledge of painting techniques.
Are you interested in art classes in Montreal but live in Vancouver? Check out the top-rated places in Vancouver to learn how to paint.
Art and Painting courses available
- Line drawing: Focuses on using lines to define forms and structures. Essential techniques include continuous, broken, curved, and straight lines to express volume, depth, and texture.
- Tonal drawing: This technique focuses on the variation of tones to represent light and shadow, which helps create a sense of volume and depth.
- Color theory in soft pastels: Involves understanding how to mix and apply colors to create harmony and contrast in a work.
- Introduction to oil painting (in tones): Refers to using a limited range of colors to create a work based on tonal contrast.
- Portrait (advanced course in drawing and tone): This course focuses on capturing the essence and personality of the subject through advanced drawing and shading techniques.
- Anatomy (an advanced course in drawing and tone): It is devoted to the detailed study of human anatomy, which improves accuracy and realism in drawing.
2. School Art Hélène La Haye
- Address: 5570 rue Cartier #202-A, Montréal, Québec H2H 1X9
- Phone: (514) 567-8255
- Email: hl@helenelahaye.com
This art school offers an approach that seeks to explore visual art intuitively and spontaneously. It is based on discovering the individual creative process by introducing various instruments and materials. Learning techniques will be applied and integrated naturally in its various artistic sessions and courses.
Immerse yourself in a creative learning experience that explores tonality, line, line type, drawing, color, blurring, texture, movement, rhythm, and composition to stimulate your imagination and artistic skills.
Art and Painting courses available
- Artistic courses for adults: For all those interested in developing their artistic side, there are creative exploration courses, visual expression classes, creative painting and drawing workshops, and creative exploration and visual expression courses, among many others.
- Adult-child (or adolescent) painting workshops: The school has designed drawing and painting workshops for teenagers, including all the necessary materials.
Are you inspired by all these painting courses in Montreal, but you live in Edmonton? Find painting classes in Edmonton.

3. l’École des Beaux-arts de Montréal (EBAMA)
- Address: 1335 Avenue du Mont-Royal Est Montréal (QC)
- Phone: 514 898 4179
- Email: info@ebama.ca
Created in 1999, the École des Beaux-arts de Montréal (EBAMA) is a classic place in the teaching of painting and drawing. EBAMA is a non-profit establishment that aims to offer professional training in the visual arts. The quality of its programs and the excellence of its teachers' instruction have contributed to its reputation in the sector.
Art and Painting courses available
- Sculpture Courses: Applied modeling techniques: These are a series of workshops that focus on the human figure, such as the realization of a bust, a hand and a foot, and portrait techniques. Each workshop lasts two days and has six hours of classes per day.
- Acrylic and Oil painting courses: The painting workshops cover the introduction to different materials, methods, and phases of work. They focus on the techniques of realistic presentation and light and shadow. Also, it is an excellent opportunity to learn the basic methods of application, palette, color mixing, shading, tone, etc. You will also learn about color theory and composition and gain knowledge of contemporary techniques. Also, you will discover more about the treatment of space and depth, perspective, image, and its function, and you will be able to develop a personal style.
- Painting workshop and drawing classes for children: These workshops are designed for children aged 7 to 12 and seek to introduce children to the visual arts through creative workshops that teach them some basic concepts. Throughout the program, the youngsters will explore different painting, collage, and drawing techniques and acquire knowledge of professional artistic techniques. In addition, each session will present some paintings by the great masters to illustrate certain concepts while introducing the young people to the history of art, the great artistic movements, and the different pictorial genres.
What better way to get started in art from an early age? Did you know you can also find top painting classes in Toronto for everybody?
4. Académie des Beaux-Arts de Montréal
- Address: 6524 rue Saint-Hubert (2e étage), Montréal (Qc) H2S 2M3
- Phone: 514-508-5119
- Email: info@academ.ca
The mission of the Académie des Beaux-arts de Montréal is to teach the fundamental techniques of artistic techniques such as drawing, painting, and sculpture. The academy seeks to instruct people interested in participating in the current artistic movement. The different programs aim to encourage artistic development through technical and creative autonomy.
In addition, ACADEM is an art school recognized by the Art Renewal Center, an international organization dedicated to promoting the teaching of contemporary realist art.
Art and Painting courses available
- Classical Techniques Program: The program offers comprehensive training in classical art, traditional painting, and drawing techniques. It is dedicated to studying and practicing realistic art, emphasizing knowledge development, autonomy, and individual expression.
- Regular program: Includes teaching classical drawing, painting, and sculpture techniques.
- Specialized courses: Teaches watercolor techniques, landscape, painting on human skin, and methods and materials.
- Art courses for children: Classes are available for children and young people of all ages interested in artistic expression.
- Free live model workshops: The live model allows you to develop in-depth anatomy knowledge and drawing and painting methods.
- Introductory courses: Art courses designed to introduce sculpture, live models, portraiture, and painting.
- Special spring-summer program: The Académie des Beaux-Arts de Montréal offers young people a multidisciplinary artistic experience to awaken interests and develop skills.
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Learn Painting with Superprof!
If you are motivated to practice painting in top Canadian cities, give free rein to your creativity with private tutors. If you feel you are a beginner in painting, drawing, and artistic expression, don't worry! Developing your creative skills will be much easier with personalized attention.
Go to Superprof! Finding your ideal painting teacher wherever you are in Canada is much easier and more convenient. If you are ready to find private painting teachers and classes 100% adapted to your needs and budget, you are just one click away. Where to start?
- On the Superprof platform, enter that you want "painting lessons."
- Here, you can specify the type of class you are interested in, such as "oil" or "watercolor." You can also look for an introductory painting class to learn all these techniques progressively.
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There are no more excuses. With Superprof, you will find private teachers in just a few clicks.
Wrap up!
Montreal offers various art academies and schools perfect for unleashing your creativity. The École de Dessin et Peinture Mélissa Breault, La École d'Art Hélène La Haye, La École des Beaux-arts de Montréal (EBAMA), and the Montreal Academy of Fine Arts offer courses in painting and other artistic techniques ranging from sculpture to oil painting.
In addition, platforms such as Superprof make it easy to find private tutors across Canada, allowing you to learn painting in a personalized way that fits your needs and budget. Whether you live in Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton or any other Canadian city, it is now easier to find the right painting course for you and start your artistic journey: there is no better time to stop wasting time and start creating!
Are you living in Surrey? Learn more about taking painting classes in the city.










