Equine Elegance: Painting Horses in Oils 2026 in Dubai

Equine Elegance: Painting Horses in Oils in Dubai is a two-day oil painting workshop at Tashkeel Nad Al Sheba, led by Emirati artist Hamad Alshamsi. It runs across two afternoons, Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026, with each session running between 4pm and 7pm. Over those six hours you work on a single canvas from first sketch to finished painting, with a horse as your central subject.

Horses hold a special place in Emirati culture, and they are one of the most rewarding subjects you can paint. They are also one of the trickiest. That combination is exactly what makes a focused, guided workshop like this worth your weekend.

About Equine Elegance at Tashkeel

Tashkeel describes Equine Elegance as an immersive oil painting workshop exploring the beauty, movement and character of horses. The idea is not simply to copy a picture. You learn to really look at a horse, to read its anatomy, its proportions and its expression, and then to translate what you see onto canvas with a balanced composition.

What we like most is the structure. Rather than leaving you to stare at a blank canvas, the workshop builds the painting in clear layers. You start with form and structure, then move into colour, light, shadow and finally the details that bring the animal to life. Two afternoons gives oils the time they need, and it means you go home with a completed piece rather than a promising start.

What You Will Learn

The sessions mix guided demonstrations with individual support, so you see each stage done and then get help applying it to your own work. Tashkeel lists a generous set of learning outcomes, and by the end of the weekend you should be able to:

• Complete an original oil painting with a horse as the central subject.
• Understand equine form, proportion, movement and character.
• Plan and build a balanced composition.
• Layer a painting from initial forms through to final details.
• Use colour mixing, tonal variation, light, shadow and expressive brushwork.
• Build confidence in creating depth, volume and movement in oils.
• Develop your own artistic expression through figurative painting.

That last point matters. Everyone learns the same techniques, but each participant paints their horse in their own style, so the finished canvases end up genuinely personal. If you have only ever dabbled in acrylics or watercolours, the focus on layering and tonal values is a great introduction to how oils behave differently.

Meet the Artist: Hamad Alshamsi

Hamad Alshamsi is an Emirati artist who was born and raised in Al Ain. He works across oil, acrylic, charcoal and digital art, and has a particular love of intricate detail. More recently he has specialised in charcoal and hyperrealism, approaching his subjects in a meticulous way.

His work The Soul of Ghaf (2024), painted in oil with gilding on a wood panel, was shown in Tashkeel’s Made in Tashkeel 2024 exhibition, and he regularly leads oil painting workshops at Tashkeel. Learning a subject as demanding as the horse from a practising artist with that eye for detail is the real draw here.

The Venue: Tashkeel Nad Al Sheba

Tashkeel is one of Dubai’s established homes for artists and designers, with studios, a makerspace and a busy programme of courses. The Nad Al Sheba space, at Nad Al Sheba 1 near Intersection 5 and 20, is where this workshop takes place. If you have not been before, Tashkeel’s website has a contact page with directions, which is worth checking before your first session.

If you enjoy the creative scene here, our art and culture listings and workshops in the UAE page are full of similar ideas.

Who It Is For and Visitor Tips

This workshop suits adults who want to develop their painting with a focused subject and a clear end result. Tashkeel does not specify a required level on the workshop page, so if you are completely new to oils, it is sensible to contact the team before booking. Painters with some experience will appreciate the depth on anatomy, composition and layering. It is also a thoughtful pick for horse lovers, riders and anyone who appreciates equestrian heritage in the UAE.

A few practical pointers. The registration deadline is 31 October 2026, and when we checked the page showed only eight spaces left, so booking early is wise. Tashkeel states that bookings are non-refundable, so be sure of both dates before you sign up. The page does not list materials, so ask the team when registering whether everything is supplied or whether you should bring your own brushes.

Oil paint does not wash out easily, so wear clothes you do not mind marking or bring an apron. Oils also take a while to dry, so think about how you will carry a wet canvas home after the Sunday session.

Making a weekend of it? See our guide to things to do in Dubai and the things to do in November roundup.

If you have always wanted to paint horses properly, with time to get the anatomy right and a finished canvas to show for it, reserve one of the remaining places at Equine Elegance with Hamad Alshamsi at Tashkeel Nad Al Sheba.