Annie Sloan is one of the world’s most popular experts in the field of decorative painting. After studying Fine Art at university in the 1970s first at Croydon Art School and then going on to complete a postgrad at Reading University, Annie went on to write her first book, The Complete Book of Decorative Paint Techniques– which is widely considered to be the industry bible on the subject and has sold over two million copies worldwide.

Having written 26 inspirational books on paint effects, colour, and interior design, she has transformed the world of furniture painting alongside the creation of her revolutionary paint, Chalk Paint and its endless decorative effects. This versatile furniture paint was developed by Annie in 1990, reinventing people's living spaces and establishing her position as one of the world’s leading authorities in paint, colour and furniture re-styling.

'For decades we’ve been afraid of colour, Annie recalls, now people crave the primary brights: yellows, reds and blues, in a way that hasn’t been seen since the 1980s.'

Alongside art, Annie became interested in historic painted furniture, in particular Irish, Swedish, Danish and Scottish examples, and the history of pigments, pointing out that 'This work was done by farmers who made their own paint. In Sweden, they used egg yolk and the surrounding earth, either red or yellow earth, as the pigment.' Annie recounts that colour theory is integral to what her paints are about and the importance of vibrance in the pigments she develops.

One of Annie's favourite places to find inspiration is Charleston in Sussex. Famously the home of painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, it was where many of the Bloomsbury Group met in the early 20th century to discuss art, literature and culture. Every visitor contributed to the decorating of the house, and the result is a mismatch of ornate detailing and more informal doodling - and these are the parts that Annie is particularly drawn to.

'I’ve poured my decades of experience into creating this course, and it’s packed with all the knowledge and learnings I’ve gained over the years through doing countless projects of my own.'

Using this wealth of knowledge Annie Sloan teaches her first-ever in-depth guide to transform your home with colour, character and charm. She claims that her paint is a ‘tool for people to use as they want to be creative’, reiterating the importance of colour theory and its holistic integrity to her paints. With over four hours of videos, you will be guided through lessons on how to master painting, stencilling, decoupage and adding joyful hand-painted designs to vases, lamps, lampshades, and picture frames.