I created Michaela Yoro Studio to share the traditional drawing and oil painting methods that shaped me as an artist, and to make art school–level training accessible to adults at every stage of their creative journey. Through thoughtfully designed workshops for beginners, intermediate, and advanced painters, I guide students in developing real, lasting skills rooted in classical techniques and enriched by contemporary ideas of color and composition. My goal is to provide a beautiful, fully equipped space where artists can slow down, build confidence, and cultivate a lifelong, independent painting practice.

GROUP CLASSES NOW AVAILABLE IN TWO LOCATIONS IN ORANGE COUNTY!

Jump into a class in Tustin and Huntington Beach

Upcoming Workshops

This Beginning Oil Painting class offers a structured introduction to the fundamentals of oil painting for novice artists. Students will learn essential materials, color mixing, and how to confidently navigate the color wheel, while building an understanding of value and color theory through step-by-step demonstrations and individualized instruction. This course is ideal for first-time painters or those seeking a strong foundation.

Oil Painting 1

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Oil Painting 2

Oil Painting 2 is designed for students with a foundational understanding of oil painting who are ready to advance their skills. This course focuses on strengthening drawing accuracy, composition, simplification, and continued development of core painting techniques. Students will create and paint their own still life setups from life, gaining practical tools that support greater independence and confidence as painters. Ideal for those who have completed Oil Painting 1 or have equivalent experience.

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Oil Painting 3

This advanced oil painting course builds on the skills developed in Oil Painting 1 and 2 and is designed for students ready to work independently with guided support. Students will select their own subject and complete a small- to medium-scale painting from concept to finish, with an emphasis on color, composition, drawing accuracy, and problem-solving across a range of subjects. The course offers individualized, one-on-one instruction and may be repeated, allowing students to explore new subjects and continue refining their skills.

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  • I don’t think I would love oil painting as much if I hadn’t learned from Michaela - she made it so approachable. So far, I have taken Oil Painting 1 & 2. I appreciated learning about the background of our materials and a brief history of oil painting for context. Michaela is always prepared for class and even provided a syllabus so that we could review or know what we would be learning next. The exercises gave me confidence that I could start and finish my own painting. Michaela also took the time to recommend art supplies that we could purchase for at-home use. Michaela’s courses have renewed my enthusiasm for the arts - I highly recommend taking any of her courses and I look forward to taking Oil Painting 3!

    - Antonina (Oil Painting 1, 2 & 3)

  • Michaela is an excellent artist and teacher! I highly recommend her courses! She does a wonderful job of explaining the basics of theory and technique to lay a solid foundation for success. She’s very passionate, knowledgeable, patient and encouraging. An overall wonderful experience I looked forward to every week, and I look forward to taking more of her courses!

    Jessica (Oil Painting 1, 2 & 3)

  • Michaela is a fantastic teacher and helped me grow my confidence in painting with oils. Before attending her class I was always intimidated by oil painting, it seemed so difficult and time consuming. Michaela taught me many great techniques to simplify the process, which resulted in me in actually being able to finish several oil paintings. She teaches in a very logical and process oriented way. I highly recommend her classes.

    Natalie (Oil Painting 1 & 2)

  • Michaela's introduction to oil painting was a joy. I am returning to oils after years and wanted a refresher course. I have learned to think about colors and mixing in new ways. I'm looking forward to the next round of classes! Thank you. Michaela!

    Roxane (Oil Painting 1)

  • I recently took Michaela's Level One Oil Painting class, and I had an amazing time! Michaela is incredibly knowledgeable—she broke down color theory and shading in a way that finally made sense to me. The class was not only informative but also a lot of fun. Michaela’s kindness and encouragement really made a difference, creating a welcoming atmosphere where I felt comfortable exploring and learning. I definitely plan to take more classes with her in the future!

    Cindy (Oil Painting 1)

  • Michaela's oil painting classes were absolutely fantastic! Her supportive and positive teaching style made learning new topics like color theory engaging and easy to grasp. I now feel confident to continue oil painting independently, though I'll truly miss the camaraderie of the other students and Michaela's excellent guidance. 10/10—I would definitely recommend these classes to anyone!

    Ashley (Oil Painting 1, 2 & 3)

  • Michaela is such a fantastic teacher! I wasn’t sure if I could complete Oil Painting 1, but after taking her class I felt confident enough to take Oil Painting 2, only because of her teaching. I tend to be an early quitter, but Michaela’s warmth, helpfulness and constant encouragement helped me push through to the end, and I ended up with a painting that I was satisfied with. :) You don’t need to have any skill in drawing or painting to take her class, as long as you’re willing to learn and show up, you will do well!

    Tiffany (Oil Painting 1 &2)

  • Michaela’s Oil Painting 1 class was super informative, interesting and fun! Michaela is a great teacher. She really focuses on learning the basics well, mixing colors and having fun during the process. She is also very helpful, encouraging and gives individual suggestions and attention to each student. I highly recommend this class to beginners with little or no experience (like myself) and I look forward to my next class with her.

    Kathy (Oil Painting 1)

  • This is a fun and informative class with a wonderful teacher. You'll learn a lot about color and shading and at the end you'll have a nice little painting that you did yourself and will want to frame! Michaela is so helpful and suppportive and gives you all the extra attention you might want. She's A+++

    Diana (Oil Painting 1)

  • I have just finished Michaela’s‘s level one painting class, and I am so pleased and inspired by what I have learned. I have no prior experience painting, and honestly I didn’t think I would be able to produce anything I would be proud of. Michaela taught us some of the foundational skills needed to create a painting, and by session three, each class member had actually created an impressive still-life image with depth and proportion, that closely resembled the picture we started with. Michaela made these concepts so understandable and applicable. I look forward to taking her next class!

    Christi (Oil Painting 1)

  • I’ve taken Oil Painting 1 and 2, and both classes were great! Michaela is a very good teacher. She balances being supportive while also offering advice. I’m very impressed with what I’ve been able to paint in this short amount of time.

    Jenna (Oil Painting 1, 2 & 3)

  • This was my first oil painting class ever, and I really enjoyed it. In each session, I learned the proper steps and techniques. I especially liked the foundational lessons, such as the color scale and color wheel. The class helped me understand the basics, and I’m looking forward to taking the next level.

    Jung (Oil Painting 1 & 2)

  • Many elements of your class were a beautiful and much needed refresh for me. However, the way you taught us how to easily analyze and mix color has been mind blowing and game changing for me.

    Dana (Oil Painting 1)

  • Michaela is a wonderful teacher who strikes the perfect balance between giving clear instructions and encouraging individuality and creativity. She is always available to help when needed, and what stands out most is her genuine excitement for our accomplishments. Her encouragement has been a powerful and inspiring motivator.

    Jelena (Oil Painting 1, 2 & 3)

  • Michaela is personally very talented and was good at helping me to understand technique. I especially liked the way she explained shading and color theory. I highly recommend Michaela’s class for all levels of students

    Mike (Oil Painting 1, 2 & 3)

  • I absolutely loved taking oil Painting with Michaela Yoro. She is very knowledgeable, supportive, positive and attentive. I have leaned a lot about color mixing(how to get the exact color match), values and how to apply color based on light source. Thanks to her my skills have improved greatly. I'm looking forward to take Oil painting II and highly recommend her to anyone who wants to create more realistic paintings.

    Katy (Oil Painting 1)

  • Everything was great! The slideshow was super helpful and the history behind the paints was also cool to learn about. Drawing tips were great and step by step through the paint process helped me feel really confident.

    Michaela (Oil Painting 1)

  • I appreciate that supplies were provided for a reasonable fee. Starting with value/ black and white was a great way to start. For a beginners class, the steps and progress were appropriate. So glad I learned how to prep canvas, the recommended brushes and how to clean them. I would recommend this class for beginners. Good use of visual aids and encouraging and constructive comments on work.

    Susan (Oil Painting 1 & 2)

  • Taking Oil Painting 1 with Michaela was such an enriching experience! Her class was well-structured, starting with the basics of brush strokes, values, and color theory. She is warm, encouraging, and supportive. As a teacher, she ensured we all felt confident before, during, and after painting. And while it was a beginning level class, she truly tailored our class to guide us in our own personal styles and skill levels. I'll definitely be taking more classes with such an encouraging and inspiring artist!!

    Caitlyn (Oil Painting 1)

  • What a transformation! I had never fully delved into oil painting but this was the perfect start! So many ways of understanding color, texture, and value! Great demonstrations and the nicest instructor! Definitely recommend coming to start any art process and grow as a painter!

    Kristin (Oil Painting 1, 2 & 3)

  • Michaela is both a spectacular painter and a gifted teacher. For example, she breaks down color theory in a simple but effective methodology, making color mixing fun and easy. Learned a lot!

    David (Oil Painting 1, 2 & 3)

 FAQs

  • No! I am passionate about providing a place for you to try and explore without the investment of supplies - especially as a beginner. Try it out and if oil painting isn’t for you, no problem. I provide all of the supplies you need for each class. By buying in bulk and sharing the materials with everyone, I can make the class even cheaper for everyone.

  • You could jump right into my Oil Painting 2 class if you have some experience working with oil paint. However, even if you have painted a bit in oil, refreshing on fundamental skills such as value, color mixing, color theory and the general process of creating an oil painting, is always a good idea! My courses are designed to build upon one another and you will experience the most benefit by participating in each class before the next.

  • The short answer is no! Many people try acrylic paint or even watercolor as beginners because of the convenience and accessibility of supplies, but oil paint is a wonderful material for beginners. There is no need to try out any other paint medium prior to trying oil. (In my opinion, it’s probably THE MOST FORGIVING paint you can use!)

  • For Oil Painting 1:

    Because of the limited time we have to work together (just 6 classes total), I have prioritized our time to focus on painting and all that goes into it. That being said, we do not draw our images, but rather trace them in order to utilize our time to practice painting techniques.

    For Oil Painting 2 & 3:

    For each of these classes, I have dedicated time for a drawing lesson and adequate time to sketch out your painting yourself.

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