The Anatomy of a Painting

Join award-winning artist Martin Kinnear for a captivating illustrated lecture; blending practical insight with art-historical depth .

A Lecture by Martin Kinnear

The Anatomy of a Painting

Discover what lies beneath the surface of great art – a living anatomy of tone, colour, structure, and meaning.

The Anatomy of a Painting is a captivating illustrated talk by award-winning painter and Royal College of Art lecturer Martin Kinnear. Far more than a technical talk, it reveals how artists from Rembrandt and Turner to today’s painters build enduring pictures through layers of tone, colour, and material intent. With clarity and wit, Martin shows how understanding the physical structure of paint – from pigments and mediums to light and surface – transforms the way we see, interpret, and create art. Drawing on examples from his own practice and works in major collections, he makes complex ideas accessible and engaging for all audiences.

This talk blends practical insight with art-historical depth – leaving audiences newly attuned to what truly makes paintings work.