3-day Experimental Drawing Workshop

Course description

This three-day experimental drawing course is an exciting and dynamic series of drawing workshops designed to build confidence in observation, bold and fluid mark-making, use of colour, and working between different media. On this course you will explore drawing in many different forms, ranging from life drawing, self-portrait, location, still life, and abstracted forms. Each workshop will be fast-paced, with the emphasis on creativity and immediacy rather than preciousness. This energetic style is designed to allow participants to get the most from three days of intensive drawing practice, giving participants maximum opportunity to work through common drawing struggles and build on successes.

This course is suitable for all levels of ability: those looking to expand their drawing repertoire, push themselves out of their comfort zone, or gain experience and confidence in a new drawing practice. By the end of the course you will have built up a rich and exciting portfolio of drawing that could be used as part of an application or personal portfolio.

Example course structure

• Day 1: Still Life – The unswept floor / drawing the unexpected
  The first day introduces a free form experimental approach to drawing still life. Participants will work from a large communal still life – laid out like a banquet – of objects of various scales, textures, volumes and shapes. Framing, building a composition from multiple viewpoints, mark making, and more abstract ways of working will all come into play.
• Day 2: The figure in sound and movement
  The second day will build on the idea of the unexpected and focus on drawing the figure from life. Beginning with a series of exercises and short poses to warm up and introduce approaches to mark making, rhythm, and the connection between drawing and our senses, followed by more extended poses in the afternoon.
• Day 3: Ink Blots – drawing beyond the clouds
  Taking inspiration from Alexander Cozens' "ink blot" method of creating landscape compositions, the group will combine drawing from observation, imagination, memory and with different materials, using abstract ink blots as a starting point. The aim of the day is to use Cozens' art-historical method to help create new fresh and unexpected drawings, embracing the poetic, the dreamlike and the subconscious within our drawing.

What to bring

A basic list will be sent to you a week in advance of the course start date. All other materials are provided by Kingston School of Art (KSA).

Course tutors

This course is led by experienced tutors at Kingston School of Art.

We will be running this course in summer 2023, course dates coming soon! Please contact us for further information.