Observational Drawing Short Course

Draft programme (to be confirmed closer to course date):

• Day 1: Observational skills and still life
  The focus today will be on understanding Observational Drawing and trying out various approaches to your subject. We will set up a Still Life to study. Please bring your chosen objects to draw to this session.
• Day 2: Life model
  We will spend the morning learning or brushing up life-drawing skills and techniques. In the afternoon recreate the poses of a master's painting to add elements of composition and narrative approaches to image making.
• Day 3: Museum location: Victoria & Albert Museum
• Day 4: Area location: Borough Market
• Day 5: Gallery location: Tate Modern

This is for example only, locations may change.

• A range of A4–A1 paper including cartridge/ sugar paper/ coloured (subtle) and/ or textured paper. No smaller than A2 for life-model sessions and please remember to bring masking tape.
• Sketchbooks (minimum of A4 in size). You can buy sketchbooks that are pre-made with a variety of paper from any art materials shop.
• A sketchbook or notebook (minimum of A4 size) to place research and create a reference book.

• Pencils B-6B (No H or HB pencils please!)
• Putty/plastic rubbers
• Graphite sticks
• Tippex
• Charcoal sticks
• Pitt charcoal pencils
• Dip pen and Black or colour inks
• Chalk/oil pastels
• Oil bars,
• Pen (biro, ink etc)
• Coloured pencils
• Stabillo crayons
• Gouache/ acrylic/ watercolour paints
• A variety of brushes

You may consider collage by using cut outs from old magazines and newspapers, remember to bring a Pritt Stick or PVA glue. In experimenting with mark making it often helps to use unusual materials such as an old toothbrush, a stick or comb have a look around your home to see what you could use.