Description
This course is for complete beginners or those wanting to get back to basics with their drawing.
Drawing is the starting point for so many visual artists because it trains the eye and the hand and teaches us not only to look but also to see. We work from the nude model because, thanks to evolution, we are highly visually attuned to the human body, which gives us a head start when it comes to looking, describing, or judging feeling, balance and proportion.
How we teach
We don’t think there is only one way of drawing so we introduce several different approaches to capturing the figure including contour, gestural and schematic drawing, and provide the tools for proportional drawing. It seems that most of us find one approach suits us better than the others and we encourage people to notice what works best for them and go with it.
We demonstrate so you can see an artist tackling a problem and so that you can learn visually. We also engage with you individually to support you as you assimilate what has been shown and discussed.
We learn to draw mostly through practice, after participating in this course you will have the understanding to be able to practise with purpose, to make sure that your efforts are directed effectively towards mastery.
Whilst this course is progressive many artists enjoy repeating the terms to embed their learning.
“I had a fantastic time. Audrey is a wonderful teacher. She is patient, inspiring, knowledgeable, encouraging and she plays the best music. Most of all, she is so passionate about her subject that I could not help but get swept along with her enthusiasm. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and feel I now have the basic skills and confidence to continue on a painting journey.” 2026 Summer term student
About the tutor:
Audrey is an enthusiastic tutor and strong communicator who sees teaching as a part of her own art practice. She studied at the Royal Drawing School and teaches life drawing at the Dulwich Art Group. Her practice focuses on careful observation and is deeply rooted in realism, seeking to depict human experiences and real people with truth and honesty. You can see here Instagram here
FAQ
Q – I am not a beginner – is this course for me?
Yes, we get plenty of experienced artists who missed a bit and want to re-establish their practice. You’ll be taken through a range of ways of drawing the figure, we don’t push a house style.
Q – How many people are there
We have a maximum of 22 students which is a comfortable size for our studio. Everyone gets personal attention.
We rarely use props, just a nude model, the length of pose depends upon what is being taught, each session is different. Typically we start with short poses and end with a longer one. There is often a demonstration. There will always be a variety of poses.
We use radial easels with drawing boards, all provided. We encourage students to stand.
We have charcoal stubs available for free but also sell boxes of charcoal. We sell newsprint and cartridge at reasonable prices. We don’t store artwork. It is possible to leave oil paintings on our drying shelves for a couple of weeks.
Q – What is the lighting like?
We have a purpose built studio with professional lighting.
