Find out why sign painter and mural artist Abbi decided to do a painting and decorating course, what she’ll do with her new skills and what’s next for her career.
We love finding out why students are doing their construction courses. What’s their motivation for learning new skills? Is it for a new career in trades? To tackle a DIY project at home? Is it to start a new business venture?
We hope to inspire others to take their first steps by spotlighting individuals on their journey.
Continuing our student stories series, we chat with Abbi. Fresh from the City & Guilds Introduction to Painting & Decorating course, we caught up with Abbi to find out why she did the course, what she plans to do next and how she found the whole experience.
Interview with Abbi Allen from Joyful Walls
We began the interview by chatting about Abbi’s current job and why she decided to do the painting and decorating course.
I am a freelance sign painter. Having done a degree in Graphic Arts, I then went through a traditional sign painting apprenticeship. So, I've done a lot of work with commercial businesses, mainly in hospitality, doing work like blackboards, pub blackboards, shop front signs and murals.
I want to focus more on the mural side. Even though I do have some knowledge and experience, it was really important to me to get a good foundation from people who know what they're talking about which is why I chose the intro course. I guess, for most of it, it confirmed what I already knew, but like fine-tuning.
As well as using her new skills in painting and decorating for her mural work, we wanted to know if Abbi had any other plans.
In addition to my freelance sign painting, I’ve started a company called Joyful Walls, which will focus on murals and large wall art. But I wanted to include general painting and decorating as well. So, for any business, anyone with a shop front, or a premises, I can do the mural, but it would be really great if I could offer the full service.
I sort of realised, there's wall art – wall art's lovely – but I saw a gap in the market. Are there any goals behind these murals? For some places I felt and from just speaking to people and seeing stuff that there isn't really. It's more just what looks pretty. Whereas I want to focus on: what are the brand goals? What kind of audience do they have? What kind of people do they want to bring in? And then do the whole thing with their brand at the core.
Ultimately, I'd like to employ other people as well. Specifically, people who want to focus more on the decorative side of painting and decorating, who want to do murals, but who maybe feel hesitant or a bit daunted about going through the traditional routes and into what’s often still a male-dominated space.
Joyful Walls is a female-owned interior design company specialising in creative murals, painting and decorating. Find out more about Abbi’s work in sign painting and murals here.
Can you tell us about your first day at Able Skills and the rest of the week on the course?
I wasn't completely sure what to expect. I was really nervous. There was another lady on my course (I think she was going on to do the full 7 week course). We had a chat about it, and I said I was really nervous, and she was like, oh, oh, me, too! I was so glad to hear that there was another lady coming on board!
I think I was just nervous coming into that space because I’ve worked on-site in painting and stuff previously, and I’ve been patronised by people saying things like ‘Oh, you’re drawing some pretty pictures on the walls’. I guess I was nervous that it would sort of be like that. But it literally was the complete opposite.
Is there anything that particularly stood out that made the learning experience positive?
The facilities. The way that I learn is very hands on. I need to make mistakes in order to learn from it.
It was really hands on, and that they've made up rooms for us to paint. I learned so much! I feel like it should cost more with the amount I learned!
Also the instructors. I had Mark, he was amazing.
What made you choose Able Skills over other training providers?
I just googled it. I Googled City and Guild's painting and decorating. It was good and it was affordable.
I live in Brighton, it's not too far. I didn’t visit the centre, but I looked at some videos and stuff and socials. And I was like, Okay, I'll go for it.
One of the reasons I took that course was because it’s City & Guilds; they are well known everywhere. They're super credible.
Another reason was the positive reviews. I did see there were thousands. So, I was like, okay, this is definitely for me. I think this will be a good thing to do.
Abbi left a review herself on Trustpilot.
“As someone with some experience in painting, this course was particularly valuable in solidifying the foundations of my knowledge. I'd definitely recommend it to someone who already has some painting knowledge and is looking to develop their practice further, but I think it would benefit anyone who is serious about going into the P&D trade.”
Read the full review here.
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Introduction to Painting & Decorating Course at Able Skills
The Introduction to Painting & Decorating is a short intensive course for anyone who wants to gain some basic introductory decorating and painting skills. Find out more about this City & Guilds approved decorating course here.
Decorating