Creative drawing, level 1

Consider enrolling on this course if you’ve been taught all the basic drawing principles; you’ve been dabbling in drawing for many years; or you went to art school but haven’t touched a sketchbook in ages. Perhaps you feel your drawing should flow better, be less stressful, be more enjoyable, or you’re just not happy with the results – but don’t know why?

Session 1 (Saturday morning)
Drawing methodology
How you approach the initial stages of drawing is vitally important to how your drawings and paintings progress. Having a structured plan through the different stages of drawing is important in establishing the right approach to drawing. This morning will provide you with a road-map of how best to approach your drawing and painting.

This morning’s drawing project will teach you how to tackle drawing complicated objects – and make it feel easy! We will be exploring the full creative potential of pencil and graphite.

Session 2 (Saturday afternoon)
Composition skills
Being able to draw individual objects is great, but how do you begin to think about building a picture of multiple objects? This afternoon’s project will teach you how to consider composition. You will learn how to create a focal point, develop a hierarchy of interest so your placement of objects is well thought out, along with considering the role of tone and colour in creating an appealing visual journey for the viewer to better engage with your drawings and paintings.

This afternoon’s drawing and painting project will teach you how to create an effective cohesive composition. We will be exploring the full creative potential of pen and ink with either watercolour or acrylic colour wash.

Session 3 (Sunday morning)
Observational skills
Developing your ability to observe details is about training your eye over many hours of drawing. Developing the skills of seeking out information and ‘learning through drawing’ is what being an artist is all about. This morning’s project will give you the opportunity to seek out as many new details from the most familiar subject of all – yourself! By the end of the project you will have learnt that it is possible to see more and more detail the longer we draw – and it’s this detail which keeps us and the viewer interested in looking at our drawings and paintings.

This morning’s drawing project will teach you how to increase your observational skills giving you confidence that you can ‘see like an artist’ We will be exploring the full creative potential of chalk pastel and pencil.

Session 4 (Sunday afternoon)
Creativity with a free-spirit
Creating satisfying drawings is about a balance of technical and creative skills. Knowing you can create controlled, as well as free-spirited drawings will give you the confidence to leave knowing you can tackle any drawing and mixed media project in the future. This afternoon will give you the freedom to use all your newly developed skills and combine them with a fresh free-spirited approach to drawing.

This afternoon’s mixed-media project will give you the opportunity to let all your technical skills settle, and give you the springboard to allow your creative free-spirit rise up and take the lead.

We will be exploring the full creative potential of charcoal, emulsion, chalk pastel and drawing ink while making free and expressive drawings infused with your personality.