Creative sketchbooks
Creative Sketchbooks.
Discover how to develop an exciting and dynamic artist sketchbook that will become a key part of how you develop and transform your creative ideas.
Sketchbooks are your creative engine
Learn a variety of processes to help you collect ideas, experiment with techniques, develop your vision, and travel a creative journey to exciting possibilities you may not have previously considered.
Transform your creativity
Creative sketchbooks is an essential course for all artists who want to discover the transformative power of sketchbooks.
Manchester is an art destination
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Testimonials
“Really enjoyable, Brian has a great approach to teaching, informative, encouraging and fun! Learnt more in a weekend than in a previous beginners course of 10 weeks.”
Wendy B
“It was a really enjoyable course which offered me a good understanding of the tools and techniques that I needed to learn to draw. I would highly recommend Brian as a teacher.”
James E
“A very good introduction to a range of drawing and painting techniques, ideal for someone like me who has not picked up a pencil or brush for 40 years.”
Steve J
BOOK NOW
Sat + Sun
£135
Includes most materials
2020
June 6 + 7
10 – 4pm
Adult Beginner, Improver, Intermediate
9 places remaining
Mon x 4
£135
Includes most materials
2020
June 22, 29, July 6, 13
10 – 12.30pm
Adult Absolute-beginner, Beginner
8 places remaining
Starting Art course series
by Ancoats Visual Arts
CLICK FOR DETAILS
Course details
This course shows you the difference between an artist’s sketchbook, a journal, scrapbook or diary?
You will be shown how to develop a themed idea flowing from one page to the next developing ideas, combining techniques (drawing, paint techniques, mixed media, print, stitch, etc), deconstructing your sketchbook and re-making it into a personal response to a given theme.
By the end of the course your sketchbook will become a valuable resource of exciting ideas and techniques you can use towards your next painting, sculpture, design or craft project.
Click the green Materials to bring tab
to see what you need to bring.
Session 1
You will explore the differences between keeping an artists sketchbook, journals and scrap books. We will cover techniques that include different ways to include annotation, background textures, and clever ways of adding extra pages to make your sketchbook begin to reflect your personality.
Session 2
Observational drawing is key to exciting art, but embracing the need to allow your drawings to ‘fail’, learning how to keep working on drawings that are not working and push them into successful drawings is what an artist’s sketchbook is all about. This session will give you the skills and techniques to accomplish this.
Session 3
This session will help you to consider how imagery and ideas thread and link through your sketchbook developing your ideas as they progress. You will also learn about composing pages and investigating your subject matter thoroughly through drawing using a variety of materials.
Session 4
This session will show you the importance of being aware of other artist’s work and allowing their work to influence you. We will work on incorporating another artists work into your sketchbook and you will be shown the power this has of transforming your own ideas in new directions. The remainder of the session will be dedicated to developing a mini project and discovering how to pull your ideas together towards your own preferred outcome – painting, sculpture, craft object, or design.
You will leave having learnt how to use the sketchbook to develop ideas and your creativity and that it is so much more than simply ‘a place to draw’.
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Essential items to bring
- Pencil: 4B, 6B, 8B or 9B
- Plastic erasor
- Kneadable ‘putty’ rubber
- Drawing paper:
Sketchbook – size A4 or A5
thick cartridge paper
spiral bound if possible
Optional items to bring
Cloth for cleaning your hands
Rag (old cloth) for smudging charcoal or paint when drawing
Wear old clothes or bring an apron
Pen and notebook for taking notes -
Group Size
Min 6 – Max 10Refreshments
Course includes tea, coffee & biscuits. Please provide your own lunch on full day courses,workshops and classes. -
Brian has a background as a fine artist, community artist and adult tutor.
Brian is passionate about teaching and enthuses his students with excitement for creativity and making art. His teaching style is supportive, relaxed and friendly, yet focused on ensuring everyone is able to progress to their potential. He is Lead tutor at Creative Art Courses. -
Diaries from all previous courses
CLICK HERE
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Future course dates
CLICK HERE
What can I expect
Structured learning
Carefully structured teaching that will lead you step by step, giving you the confidence to try new things.
Individual attention
Loads of individual 1:1 encouragement to explore, experiment and discover.
Inclusive + personalised learning
A teaching style that focuses on your individual needs and is fully accepting of your individuality.
Creativity and technical skills
Teaching that allows you to learn new technical skills and develop your creativity, and leave inspired to continue to develop your skills further at home.
Welcoming studio
The Gallery Studio is a warm, creative and friendly space offering a relaxed informal, yet focused, teaching style.
Choose this course if you want to find out how sketchbooks can help you create more exciting and creative work.
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Testimonials
“If you want to find inspiration for unlocking your ideas, this course is perfect. Brian takes you through using different materials, techniques and research and development to ensure that you always know where to take an idea to next. I loved everything!”
Kieran D
“Innovative, expressive, opportunities, friendly, relaxed, creative. [The highlight was] feeling inspired and empowered.”
Sudesh N
Choosing the right course
Courses are grouped into 4 strands, each with a different focus.
Create your own patchwork of courses depending on your interest and availability.
There is no specific starting point.
Core
Fundamental building blocks applicable to all art styles
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Essential skills for the absolute beginner.
More Info > -
The engine room of creativity. Create sketchbooks that inspire greater creativity.
More Info > -
Expand your mark-making skills to create more expressive drawing + painting.
More Info > -
Line, tone, colour, shape, etc. Insights into the essential tools for making art.
More Info > -
Learn foundation drawing techniques to develop a new clarity of artistic vision. Teachings from Heather Spears book The Creative Eye.
More Info > -
Learn from Cezanne, Matisse + Picasso to create your own personal drawings + paintings.
More Info >
Materials
Materials + techniques to fall in love with
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Introductory course for developing drawing and creative skills.
More Info > -
Introductory course for developing acrylic painting skills.
More Info > -
Discover creative techniques to add tactile textures to mixed media paintings
More Info > -
Introductory course for developing water colour painting skills.
More Info > -
Introductory course to learn to draw with willow and compressed charcoal, graphite sticks and pencil.
More Info >
Creativity
Stand out – learn to develop a strong artistic voice.
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A new way of looking and expressing yourself – be in control.
More Info > -
Introduction to the underlying principles of abstraction, along with creative techniques.
More Info > -
Learn urban sketching fundamentals along with creative techniques to use in the field.
More Info > -
Intensive 4-day life drawing course for beginners, intermediate or experienced artists. Introducing you to the insights and techniques from Heather Spears’ book The Creative Eye.
More Info > -
Re-imagine the landscape as colour, shape, form, texture, and explore your imagination.
New course
Details to follow -
Delve the figure to unlock its unifying forms, colours, and textures to express universal human emotions.
New course
Details to follow
Independence
Ongoing development away from formal courses
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Community group for all of Greater Manchester’s residents interested in peer-led creative projects and supportive friendship.
More Info > -
Peer-led life drawing group for all abilities. Probably the most friendly Tuesday evening group in Manchester!
More Info >
Lucy Roper
8 October 2019 @ 10:09 am
Hi Brian
Please could you add me to your cancellations list for creative sketch books or let me know if you may be running another course shortly as I can see the course in Oct / Nov is fully booked and would love to do this one. Many Thanks Luci
artfulantics
8 October 2019 @ 4:21 pm
Hi Lucy. Thank for your contacting me. I have added you to the waiting list and will let you know if a place becomes available. Both the next weekend and Monday morning course options are in June 2020. I hope this helps. Best regards
Brian
Jane Farrelly
9 September 2018 @ 12:47 pm
Hi Brian, very interested in the Creative Sketchbooks course but not been able to do it when you have run it so far. Would you run this course externally at another venue as a visiting tutor?
artfulantics
9 September 2018 @ 5:21 pm
HI Jane
Thank you for your interest in the Creative Sketchbooks course. I will email you directly to discuss your request. Kind regards, Brian