Discover the art of life drawing with Joe Richardson
- Written byCarys Thomas
- Published date 02 September 2024
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Would you like to try life drawing?
We caught up with multi-disciplinary artist and UAL Short Courses tutor Joe Richardson ahead of his inspiring new evening course at Chelsea College of Arts.
Joe tells us about his plans for the Life Drawing Sketchbook Short Course and discusses what makes life drawing so special.
Life drawing, the art of capturing the human form, is a fascinating part of art history. Working with a life model in person can be a very fulfilling experience and a great way to build confidence. That’s where our new Life Drawing Sketchbook Short Course comes in.
Designed to help students begin, build and develop a regular life drawing practice, the course runs on campus over 5 evenings and is suitable for all levels, from beginner to advanced.
“Drawing is a lifelong pursuit and a process that learners from all ranges of experience can benefit from,” says Joe. “In every context and from every new model there is something to be learnt.”
“I’m excited to meet a new group of students. Everyone has different motivations and that always inspires and challenges me as a tutor to support those different routes into drawing.”
Transferrable skills
During the course, students work in direct response to a life model, using a variety of materials, techniques and lengths of poses to build their confidence and capture the proportions of the body.
“The course involves a lot of experimental drawing,” Joe explains, “we’ll be covering all the fundamentals of life drawing including proportion and foreshortening, but importantly we’ll be doing that at sketchbook scale so you can transfer those skills to outside the classroom.”
“It’s going to be a really useful course for beginners and practicing artists to build confidence in the fundamentals of life drawing. These skills can allow you to continue your life drawing beyond the course and develop a strong sketchbook to trace your journey.”
Developing a sketchbook practice
The course provides the perfect opportunity to develop a regular sketchbook practice. Students will receive tailored 1:1 feedback and practical advice throughout the course to support their goals and development.
“Whether you’re a beginner or more experienced, developing a sketchbook practice will be really useful to you,” says Joe. “It can help you take those first steps and get the basic building blocks of life drawing or build on the skills you already have.”
“Life drawing is a lifelong pursuit,” says Joe, “you’re always going to be working with new models and what you bring to it each time is going to change. The sketchbook is the perfect place to bring it all together.”
“You’ll leave with a sketchbook which will be a really great document and artefact of your progress. This will hopefully illustrate the different approaches you can take to life drawing afterwards.”
Building a creative network
“Working from a life model with a group of people is an incredibly unique experience,” Joe explains. “From the personalities the models bring to each session to the group dynamic, it’s something that can’t be replicated.”
Short course students have the opportunity to meet a wide range of like-minded people and build their creative network. Students with all levels of experience are welcome and the course offers a friendly, supportive learning environment for everyone to enjoy.
“Sharing and having a mixed range of skill levels is going to be valuable for our sessions,” says Joe. “Beginners can learn from more advanced students, while beginners come with fresh eyes that can influence and inspire those who have been practicing for longer.”
5 things you will learn on this course
- Basic proportion techniques that can be applied both in and out of the classroom
- How to deal with light and tone
- Critical reflection techniques – how to look back at your work and assess what next steps to take
- Experimental approaches to drawing - working with a range of drawing materials
- How to start a drawing with intention
Feeling inspired? Book your place on the Life Drawing Sketchbook Short Course to start your own creative journey today.
Be sure to take a look at our full range of upcoming short courses to see what might work for you. The possibilities are endless!
