Student Reviews
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This course has been a lovely experience: teacher, location, atmosphere and the great people that I shared my weekend with were so chill but hart working at the same time. I feel light and so happy with everything that I learnt and expressed.Highly recommended to anyone who want to be present and joyful.
19th August, 2023 - Attending classes at Brian Raymond’s independent art school has given me precious learning opportunities and creative experiences that were not possible at a university or college. For a start we have all been given one-to-one tuition, face-to-face, by Brian, whose teaching is magical and inspirational.Creative Art Courses, AWOL Studios, Pollard Street, Manchester is where to go to learn about art, about human nature, about life. People come there from all over the world, from far and wide. It’s the coolest place to be!4th September, 2023 - Monday night and back at Life Drawing Ancoats when we’ll be drawing fast and energetic short poses! I love going to Life Drawing Ancoats at AWOL Studios, Ancoats every week! It’s a friendly, welcoming space where beginners and more experienced artists can meet to draw creative, professional models in a variety of timed poses from short and mixed length to long, full session poses and portraits. Although run by Brian, there’s no tuition, but there is a lot of encouragement. It’s always good to draw alongside other human beings and learn from each other’s work!30th and 31st October, 2021, Creative Drawing Level 2 Course was a wonderfully inspiring and fruitful experience. As usual, Brian had planned our activities meticulously, so that each individual in the group, all coming from very different art backgrounds, could learn and develop in their own way to explore different creative ways of using materials, to move away from a representational approach, to become more expressive, and to start creating a more personalised imagery. He gave us visual thinking techniques, allowing us to play with the Art Elements and experiment with materials, to become more open to their possibilities. We learned how the picture-making could evolve as we became more flexible in our approach to composition. It was liberating to be given permission to welcome the 'unexpected'.The whole experience was a delight and I'd like to thank Brian for taking us along this wonderful creative art journey. Thank you.Sue M.
I found the Essential Drawing Foundations course quite challenging, especially in the first couple of weeks, but I thoroughly enjoyed the process and the obvious enthusiasm of Brian. It was great to learn to approach drawing in a different way, and I recommend the course to anyone seeking to gain greater understanding of the artistic process and improve their mark making.
Brian's excellent introduction to drawing and painting was from the outset thoroughly enjoyable, challenging and inspiring. His friendly, professional approach and his obvious desire for us to enjoy ourselves whilst exploring the creative process was clear throughout. His skill at keeping us engaged the whole weekend was very impressive and I loved the whole experience. I'd highly recommend Brian's courses and will be booking another one for myself in the future.
I really enjoyed Brian's class, it's very professional and interesting. The environment is amazing for anyone wish to be creative. I will definitely be going back for more classes! Thank you so much 🙂
Fantastic, creative, inspirational courses with a great blend of structured group tuition and sensitive, focussed individual support which means each person is able to develop and deepen their own style. A highly experienced tutor and artist, Brian creates an environment in which beginners and more experienced artists feel comfortable to experiment and learn from each other. Beginning with short warm up and experimental exercises which are fun and gently challenging, you are prepared for a longer session in which you work on a final piece. There is structure and flexibility. I started with a Contemporary Still Life course and went on to complete 2 other weekend courses and Art Elements. Each time I was inspired and found my practice developed in exciting, creative ways.
Creative Art Courses are brilliant for anyone who is interested in any type of art, whether a total beginner or more advanced. I particularly enjoyed the weekend Saturday/Sunday courses and learnt a great deal as a total beginner to start with. Brian is very inspiring, knowledgeable and a very relaxed tutor who anyone would feel totally at home with. I'm so pleased I found his courses a few years ago as he certainly set me on the road to having some faith in myself in becoming an artist. Whether you fancy art just as an interest for enjoyment or whether you wish to become a real artist in any way, Creative Art Courses are certainly an excellent starting point and one to stick with for all the different aspects of the subject. I'm sure you will find them worthwhile and enjoyable.
Very friendly, informative teacher. Well equipped studio, nice environment. The course was well structured - moving and building well on each step of learning as you go. Great fun.
Below is a small selection of student reviews
“The course is so well structured yet relaxed and informal and Brian is a great tutor who is very aware of how to support and guide you throughout each exercise. I have learned a great deal about drawing and composition in a short space of time and it has been fun to do.”
Jill W
“…as with all Brian’s courses he manages to break down topics into bite size pieces which certainly helps me in my understanding of the various principles.”
Maria M
“Very different to usual drawing workshops, exciting and pushes you into very different and interesting ways of drawing.”
Barbara H
“It was a really enjoyable course which offered me a good understanding of the tools and techniques I needed to learn to draw. I would highly recommend Brian as a teacher.”
James E
“Excellent, well structured and set at just the right pace. You will leave with a range of exercises and techniques – more importantly ways of applying it to your own work.”
Sue R
“This is a life changing experience – I see the world in a different way and feel a new bravery and excitement about being creative.”
Jackie P
“Really very interesting. I learned loads! It’s helped me change the way I look at art and my approach to it.”
Max E
“Liberating, it’s 2.5 hours where you don’t think about anything apart from what’s right in front of you. It’s so freeing to make whatever mark you feel and it to come together.”
Rosie A
“Fantastic teaching. Brian is helpful, patient and non-judgemental in his teaching and he explains things in such a way that it is easy to understand.”
Charmaine B
“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
“Definitely worth doing for learning new ways of approaching drawing.”
Bryn H
“I’ve learnt that art is meant to be creative, that it should be expressive, fun and individual – it does not have to be a carbon copy of reality.”
Natasha D
“Strongly recommend. Relaxing, thoughtful and pleasurable learning experience.”
Philip L
“I had not drawn in 10 years. Really helpful… It was genuinely great. Nothing to add.”
Olivier M
“I started the course as a beginner. I have literally learnt everything – line, tone, colour, space, texture, pattern. I have also learnt confidence to try varied types of art and to experiment. This has been achieved by Brian’s careful lesson planning and his interest in individual problems.”
Nan D
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Sue Mcleod
17 August 2022 @ 9:10 am
Thank you, Brian. Your four day ‘Creative Eye’ life Drawing Course was a wonderful experience. Through your own inspirational teaching, we were able to explore and embrace Heather Spears’ insights, whilst holding up her exquisite drawings for us all to take great pleasure in. You brought her work to life, so that her legacy continues.
Throughout the course, we were encouraged to practise looking and seeing. We were not only being encouraged to question our own preconceptions and to see the limiting effect on our drawings, but also to explore our own creativity. The folder of drawings we all took away are a precious record of the journey we were taken on. It was most certainly a brain-changing experience.
artfulantics
18 August 2022 @ 7:54 am
Hi Sue
So pleased to hear your feedback after the course. I agree – it is so much more than just a ‘how-to’ drawing course. Heather’s book really does change minds and open hearts to another way of drawing, seeing, and appreciating the human form. I look forward to seeing your drawings flourish at LDA life drawing group.
Best regards
Brian
Alistair Lane
11 April 2022 @ 10:36 am
I found the Essential Drawing Foundations course quite challenging, especially in the first couple of weeks, but thoroughly enjoyed the process and the obvious enthusiasm of Brian. It was great to learn to approach drawing in a different way, and I recommend this course to anyone seeking to improve their mark making and gain a greater understanding of the artistic process.
artfulantics
11 April 2022 @ 1:33 pm
Hi Alistair.
Many thanks for your review – much appreciated. It was great having you on the course and I hope that along with the weekly challenges you felt satisfied with the amount of 1:1 support and guidance I was able to offer. I keep group numbers low so I can be sure to offer students enough support every step of the way through all the creative challenges I set.
Hope to welcome you to the studio again.
Kind regards, Brian
chris canham
5 April 2022 @ 8:13 am
What better way to spend a weekend than painting under expert guidance. Acrylics 2 was a great course with a good mix of topics plus great company. Highly recommended.
artfulantics
6 April 2022 @ 4:09 pm
Hi Chris
Thanks for your comments. Nice to hear you had such a positive time on Brigid’s course. Enjoy your painting.
Kind regards
Brian