Course Description

During this 3 day course, participants will have the opportunity to learn and improve on expressive skills that help us capture the human form. The course has been designed for those who are new to figurative drawing and painting (perhaps you will have completed Introduction to Life Drawing on Monday-Tuesday) as well those with experience who are looking to improve.

Throughout the course we will be working directly from life unclothed models. There will be a variety of poses lengths across the course from quick dynamic poses to longer ones to allow for a sustained study.

Initially we will be using a variety of exercises aimed at giving a grounding in key life drawing principles such as values, finding form and negative space. We will then focus on more expressive and personal responses to the model. These will include gestural mark making, colour application and composition. The course will start in charcoals and pencil. However after the first day you are encouraged to explore other mediums such as paint and pastels. Matt will be teaching in charcoal and oils but you are welcome to use different mediums.

Matt will give practical demonstrations and then set timed exercises. He will also give one to one advice and feedback.

The aim is to encourage each participant to develop an individual approach. By the end of the course, you will have a greater understanding of the key principles of life drawing as well as methods of interpreting the model in an expressive and personal way.

Suitable For

This course is suitable for beginners or improvers alike. Matt is running Introduction to Life Drawing on Monday and Tuesday, some students may find it beneficial to attend this introduction course first.

Requirements List

• Drawing paper - Multiple A3 or A2 light cartridge paper (the bigger the better)
• Drawing board to fit your paper. Tutor has a few A3 boards to borrow
• Large bulldog clips to hold paper on board and/or masking tape
• A supply of ‘willow' charcoal in a couple of different thickness (not extra thin). Minimum 4 sticks
• A stick of white chalk (children's or blackboard chalk is ideal). And/or a range of pencils (3b to 6b are recommended)
• You are also welcome to bring compressed charcoal for darker mark marking
• Eraser or putty rubber, pencil sharpener and ‘firm hold’ hairspray or artist’s fixative to fix charcoal
• Any drawing materials that you feel like bringing to experiment with:
  Felt tip pens, chalk pastels, oil pastels, drawing pens, crayons, chalks, compressed charcoal, chunky graphite etc.
• You are also welcome to bring along oil or acrylic paints and canvases to paint on. You will need to provide your own brushes, palettes and cleaning materials.
  The paints I use are: Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow, Lemon Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre and Ivory Black.
  Please note: if you are planning on using oils only bring along low odour thinner and not turpentine or white spirit.

Matt will provide a simple desk based easel. However please bring a long a portable free-standing folding easel if you have one

Materials Cost

There will be a charge of between £15-£20 per day for life models, depending on the number of students booked. This is payable directly to the tutor by cash or card on the first day of the course.