Student Review
“Just do it! Intensive, exhausting, cathartic. Lots of new concepts to explore in a supportive environment. Non-judgemental approach. First attempts at life drawing, really enjoyed it.” Ruth C
“Be prepared to be stripped back and start from the beginning. Allow yourself to be guided. Enjoy being taken out of your comfort zone, go with the flow! It’s amazing and truly inspiring.” Sarah M
Course Overview
The Life Drawing Foundations course is based around a series of tutor-led drawing exercises that takes you on a provocative journey exploring fundamental questions about how artists engage with the human figure and self-expression. You will learn drawing techniques that help you navigate the complexities of perception and avoid common drawing errors to create drawings that aim to capture a deep clarity of vision.
The Life Drawing Foundations course teaches an innovative and transformative approach to life drawing inspired by key ideas developed by internationally renowned artist and author Heather Spears in her book The Creative Eye.
Read my review> of The Creative Eye book and check it out on Amazon>>
This is an expressive and creative life drawing course – not a traditional ‘academic-realist’ course.
IS THIS COURSE FOR ME?
This course is suitable for beginners to more experienced drawers. We recommend absolute-beginners attend the Begin Life Drawing class and/or the Charcoal Drawing workshop before attending this course.
The Life Drawing Foundations course offers a safe creative space to stretch and challenge your drawing skills with lots of creative support, 1:1 guidance and group critiques within a friendly, supportive and welcoming studio environment.
Course structure
The course is structured around 6 x 2.5 hour drawing sessions over 3 days drawing from a variety of life models in the studio. There is plenty of time for drawing practice, reflection, and feedback, with time for you to ask questions, recap ideas, and theories covered during the sessions. Group drawing exercises and peer-support features strongly.
Students draw predominantly with compressed and willow charcoal on newsprint paper.
Session 1
- Introduction to charcoal drawing techniques
- Drawing the figure to express yourself
- Capturing the moving figure with expressive mark-making
Session 2
- Techniques for developing an artist’s vision
- Drawing the figure within 3D space
- Drawing the interaction of (negative) space and the figure
Session 3
- Techniques for measuring proportions
- Capturing the interaction of the figure within 3D space
- Creating depth and volume with tone
Session 4
- Drawing the figure with expressive line and contour
- Drawing line to express depth, volume and surface of the 3D figure
Session 5
- Drawing the poetic flow within the figure
- Capturing the figure moving in 3Dspace
Session 6
- A creative approach to anatomy
- Exploring the muscular-skeletal structures within the figure
By the end of the course
After an absorbing and intensive 3-day life drawing experience, you will leave with a changed mindset, opened eyes, and a sense of feeling creatively awakened, along with a toolkit of exercises and drawing practices (and dozens of drawings) that, through ongoing practice, will add depth, insight, and richness to your life drawing experience.
You may not leave with a master drawing, but you will feel empowered to explore, understand, and express the human figure through a drawing process that enables you to create drawings that edges ever closer to expressing your own personal truth and depth of experience with greater clarity.
Student Quotes
“Highlights have been discovering my previous errors/habits. Very worth doing for any level or experience.” Dean P
“This is a wonderful course that I felt completely immersed in for the full 4 days. I feel I’ve learned a huge amount (and unlearned lots of old habits!). The course has really helped me look/see in a different way and has completely changed how I will approach life drawing in the future.” Sheila K
“A challenging and intensive course that will change the way you see and interpret your subject. You will approach your work from so many new perspectives over the course.” Angela D
“Educational and enlightening. The highlights of the course were drawing the flow of the body and it’s parts.” John P
Esther Gladman (verified owner) –
Enjoyable & expanding. I feel that I have more tools for developing my practice. I also think that I benefitted from 2 things: 1. I only started drawing this year & so haven’t many preconceived ideas or trained skills & 2. I did Brian’s ‘Foundation’s to drawing’ earlier in the year (I booked both at the same time as I was a bit fearful about how I’d find life drawing without underlying experience of charcoal & drawing) The course is not about creating perfect figures, outlines, measuring proportions etc but about creating space & volume & perceiving things in a different way. The 1st course I also enjoyed but it was challenging & tiring by the end of a day as so much was new. This time I knew what I might expect & so was totally relaxed & able to practice & perhaps embed concepts better. It was good revision. As there are different exercises, unlike ones one might get in a standard course, it was also a ‘leveller’ ie. It didn’t really matter if one was a beginner or more experienced. It may be that it would be more challenging for an experienced artist, particularly if they already produce works they are pleased with as this is an alternative way that takes a bit of brain flipping. Creating volume is not the same as shade & light.. I also now understand why it’s called foundations – one could add other techniques of life drawing on top. It’s a nice studio. Thankyou to Brian, all the models & fellow participants. One learns a lot from looking at each others results & it’s so interesting to get ideas & see that everyone has their own individual way.
Marilyn Mido (verified owner) –
I have been going now for a while to Brian’s life drawing sessions and due to no much progress on my drawing skills I decided to put some base on my drawing technics. I am currently drawing for around 2-3 years and I could say that this intense drawing course did indeed enhance and helped me look, notice and see more in depths the model and render a drawing in a more 3D/4D dimension. Brian is very skilled and happy to answer all the questions and helped me a lot with the way-around the Manchester art scene and I felt that he can easily give you a ancore in your practice as a new artist to the Manchester scene. Truly grateful!