Frequently Asked Questions

If there are times when this website hasn’t been able to answer everything for you, here are some of the things we get asked on a regular basis:

How can I contact Ali or Downend Farm Studio?

If you would like to get in touch, there are various ways that you can do this.

You are welcome to call Ali on her mobile - 07807 024194, leave a message and she will get back to you as soon as she can. If she is teaching or travelling, she will not answer straight away so please leave plenty of time for her to reply.

Ali welcomes an email - ali@learningtopaint.co.uk - and let us know your query, if we have an intense workload or are away, you will receive an automatic reply that indicates that we have your message and will get back to you as soon as we can.

You will also find a contact form in the menu where you can let us know how we can help you.

If you prefer to do things the traditional way, write us a letter and send it to: Downend Farm Studio, 3 Bushes Road, Stourpaine, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8SY and we will look forward to receiving it.

I’m not receiving emails from you, where are they going?

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, our emails to you get lost. It’s not because we are not replying or sending you information, it’s probably because your email software doesn’t like talking to our email software and our messages are going into your spam folder.

One of the easiest ways to get around this is to add ali@learningtopaint.co.uk to your list of contacts and this should stop happening.

Please search for the email you think is missing before getting in touch, it helps us out enormously if we know you have exhausted every line of enquiry before getting in touch.

How can I check my purchases on the website?

You are very welcome to create an account that holds your payment details, address and any subscriptions that you may have currently.

To do this, choose 'Login' in the main menu and follow the instructions. Please be aware that we have NO access to this part of the site so cannot help you with this area. There is a forgotten password section that allows you to re-set and re-enter but lost email addresses, spam and accessing your technology safely are your responsibility and may result in the loss of content if they are not safely maintained.

How can I find out what tutorials and workshops are coming up?

We have a handy ‘Events’ page on this website where you can go and see what Ali has coming up and email her if you have a question about it. Look for the ‘Information’ tab in the menu at the top of the page (it may be hidden behind a ‘+’ symbol if you are viewing this on a device).

I have booked for a tutorial/workshop, what happens next?

When you have booked a session with us, we will send you a confirmation via email but please make sure you have added Alison's email address to your contacts list, or your email may go into your spam folder. Please allow us a little time to send this confirmation as we may well have had several enquiries to process.

We will email all the resources you require via our partner software Squarespace in good time for your session, sometimes in happens immediately you have booked. If you are concerned that you have not received it, please get in touch and we will investigate for you. Squarespace allows us to see when the email was delivered and if you have been able to access it.

I have to cancel my session with you, what do I do?

Sometimes we understand that life gets in the way of having fun and we will try to help wherever we can. We do have a very strict cancellation policy which can be found in the 'T's & C's' at the very bottom of this page, if you are unsure of any part of it, please don't hesitate to get in touch and we can chat further. It's unfortunate that we have to put such strict rules in place, we wouldn't do it unless it was necessary to secure our business.

The session I would like to sign up for is fully booked - what can I do?

Sometimes, a workshop or class may become fully booked quite quickly and you might not be able to enrol for your first choice.

We have a contact form on the site, where you can fill it out with your request and we will be in touch if something becomes available. Don't forget that you can keep up to date with us via social media (search for 'Alison C. Board' or ‘Learning to Paint with Alison C. Board’ on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter) or by signing up for our newsletter on the 'Newsletter Sign Up' page of this site.

I'm having technical difficulties with your website, resources and/or password protected content

We always strive to deliver the best possible customer service to all our students and customers, however because of the wide range of digital devices you all use we are unable to help with some of the technical difficulties you experience. Occasionally the issue will be something we need to resolve, however if you experience any technological issues, please follow these steps before emailing Alison:

1. Are you viewing the content on a phone or tablet? All our content works best on desktop computers and laptops, and so please attempt to resolve the issue by using an alternative device before getting in touch.

2. Is your password not working? All of the passwords are case sensitive, and we recommend you transcribe it manually instead of copy and pasting it. Some devices prefer you to hit ‘Enter’ and some prefer you to tap/click the arrow symbol, some remember if it has been put in incorrectly in a previous session so you may need to clear out your browsing history or cache - see your individual device for more information.

3. Are you having technical issues with your printer? Please refer to your printer manual and/or any troubleshooting FAQs and forums for the make of your printer.

4. If the site hasn’t loaded correctly or has updated as you would have expected, you may need to clear your cache or cookies. Please refer to your browser’s instructions for how to tackle this.

5. Not sure where to pay for your purchases? At the top of every page of the website is a shopping trolley, click there to be taken to the payment screen or alternatively, click or tap on the Checkout/Payment page under ‘Information’ in the menu.

6. If you are an All A-Board Artists member and have a query regarding your membership, please either ask the hive mind on the dedicated Facebook page, or refer to the help videos in your membership area.

7. If you have created an account (Marked as 'Login' on the site), in order to track your purchases, memberships and payments, please note that this part of our system is not accessible by us. In order to keep your details safe and secure, we have no access to your account details OR the password you created when you set up the account. If you have forgotten your password, please follow the instructions to re-set it.