Channel your inner artist at one of these creative classes

If you've ever wandered around the galleries of M50 and thought to yourself 'I want to create that', well, there's no time like the present. Channel your inner artist and put brush to canvas, needle to thread and more at these brilliant art and craft classes around Shanghai.

And while you're on your self-improvement kick, how about having a go at one Shanghai's best Chinese language classes.

Oil painting

Tucked away in a picturesque space on Huashan Lu (complete with an artsy terrace area), Salon de Verve is the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and relax with a little art. If you’re just starting, teachers suggest you bring a painting or a picture that you like as a model to work from. Everything else is prepared for you, with brushes, a canvas, paints and instructors all on hand. Classes by appointment only. 

Salon de Verve No 31, 285 Huashan Lu, near Changshu Lu (139 0168 1950). 198RMB for three hours.

Sewing

Embrace your Martha Stewart within at Craft’d Shanghai’s homely studio, where you can learn the skills to make all kinds of clothing, accessories and other household wares. Over three two-hour sessions, the ‘full introduction to the sewing machine’ course teaches you the essentials, from winding the bobbin, threading the machine and actually making it sew, to sewing on extras and tricks of the trade to tidy up your technique. Throughout the course you’ll make an infinity scarf, a tote bag and make-up bag. 

Craft'd Shanghai First Floor, Building 3, 1288 Fuxing Zhong Lu (craftdshanghai.com). 1,000RMB for the three-part course.

Pottery making

The Pottery Workshop has pretty much every tool you’ll ever need to fulfil those dreams of becoming a master ceramicist – as well as the dedicated teachers to help you actually realise your dream. For complete beginners, it’s recommended that you begin by developing your coil building skills (building with hand-rolled clay), before moving onto more complex techniques – like using the pottery wheel. There’s no limit to how much clay you can use or how many things you can craft during your classes (though there is a firing fee of 25-35RMB per kilo) and there are lots of colours and finishes available for glazing your work. BYO apron, or it’s 60RMB to rent each time.

The Pottery Workshop Shanghai 1A, 180 Shaanxi Nan Lu, near Changle Lu (potteryworkshop.com.cn). 1,200RMB for a set of four three-hour sessions; one-off group classes range from 250-450RMB per person for two hours; kilning and one-time equipment costs not included.

Screen-printing

A community-based screen-printing space hiding in a basement near Jiaotong University, this print club provides a place where screen-printing lovers can seek expert advice and practise the trade without having to personally invest in all of the necessary equipment. But the team also offer a beginners’ workshop that covers everything you need to know to get you from artwork preparation to finished product – either a printed t-shirt or canvas tote bag with your own design (and a hefty pile of paper prints).

IdleBeats Print Club 115 Pingwu Lu, near Xingfu Lu (idlebeats.com). Beginners’ workshop is 400RMB per person for a two-hour session.

Glassmaking

Where better to learn the art of glass making than the place dedicated to all things glass. Set inside a huge former glassmaking factory, Shanghai Museum of Glass’ creative brand Let’s Talk Glass holds regular classes focusing on different aspects of glassmaking including, glassblowing, flameworking, glass mosaic and sandblasting.

Shanghai Museum of Glass Bldg 8, 685 Changjiang Xi Lu, near Gangsi Lu (talk-glass.com/diycourses). Prices range from 98-380RMB. 

Weaving

The ideal set-up for Shanghai’s tight-on-time set, Make in China’s workshops are one-off handicraft sessions that provide you with all the skills and materials to continue with your project in your own time at home. The signature beginner weaving workshop teaches you the basics by making a wall hanging. Through the session you’ll learn how to make the rya knots (that form the bottom of most weaves) and work your way up from there – the loom and wool are yours to keep, so there’s no stress to rush it. Alongside weaving you can try the likes of macramé, block printing, modern embroidery and crochet.

Make in China Studio No 5, 169 Jiashan Lu, near Jianguo Xi Lu, Lu (WeChat: MakeinChina). 400RMB for three-hour workshop.

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