Come and join us for a playful, exercise-led life drawing course that will focus on helping you to make drawings that tap into the energetic potential and three dimensional form of the human body.
It is with great pleasure that we welcome Jake Spicer back to the studio for 2 days dedicated to drawing the figure – come and be taken under the wing of one of the UK’s most accomplished drawing tutors.
Whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced artist, we guarantee that you will leave feeling inspired, with the confidence to take your newfound skills further. This course will focus on tapping into the feeling of a pose, exploring the gestural potential of the body and recording qualities of weight, volume and balance in the model. We’ll work through a series of fast-paced guided exercises with demonstrations from the tutor followed by longer poses in which Jake will be able to provide personal feedback to everybody attending. You can extend the course by signing up to the add-on life drawing day on the 7th August, or sign up to the Portrait course on the 8th & 9th August to make a full week of it!
COURSE DETAILS
DAY 1: Monday
Gesture
We’ll begin the day with short poses, exploring gesture, balance and recording action. In the afternoon we’ll explore weight and form in the figure.
DAY 2: Tuesday
A connected approach
On day two you’ll put what you have learned into action with poses of different pose lengths, with personal feedback from Jake.
This 2 day course includes:
- A series of structured demonstrations and exercises
- Working from a life modelwho will pose for varying lengths of time
- Relaxed & attentive one-to-one guidance for every student
Suitable for?
Anyone, regardless of experience – we generally advise 14 years old+ though. Please note that the life model will be undressed throughout the class.
What is included in the price?
- Two full days’ teaching (10am-4:30pm)
- Two professional life models
- Tea, coffee, biscuits
- Drawing materials: A1, A2 & A3 cartridge paper, Charcoal, Pencils, Graphite sticks & Erasers
- Use of a beautiful purpose-built art studio with all the equipment & materials you will need
- Beautiful countryside setting
This course is for you if:
- You want to draw with more confidence and develop new skills
- You want to add life and energy to your figure drawings
- You want to improve your own artistic practise (even if you normally create in an entirely different medium entirely)
- You want to get away from it all and immerse yourself in a fun, creative environment
- You love creativity
Beyond the course
After the course you will be armed with many new skills to incorporate into your own work, bother here at the Phoenix studio and beyond. Jake also runs online life drawing classes through Draw Brighton – you can sign up to monthly membership to access those sessions from anywhere in the world. We are more than happy to help and advise you in taking those first creative steps, help connect you to the wider creative community.
Signed copies of Jake’s popular book portrait and life drawing books will be available to buy from Jake during the weekend.
Need accommodation?
If you are travelling from further afield and would like to stay in the area for your visit then have a look at our recommended list of local B&Bs and hotels.
ABOUT THE TUTOR
Jake Spicer
Co founder of Draw Brighton and the Drawing Circus, Jake is passionate about drawing and is equally passionate about teaching. Well renowed and respected among the wider art community, Jake has written numerous best selling books about drawing, has a monthly column for Artist & Illustrators magazine and gives lectures and classes on the applications of drawing as a tool for understanding, communication, artmaking and as a vehicle for social good. He is also undertaking a long term study into the fundamental processes of drawing and also paints when he can.
In the past he has worked with the BBC, ITV, Brighton University, The Big Draw, The Old Market Theatre, Creative Futures, West Dean, Playgroup Festival, Brighton and Hove Museums & RAM, The Camden Arts Centre, The National Portrait Gallery among others.
You can have a look at his website here.
Not only is life drawing an opportunity to hone your observational drawing skills, it is an chance to respond creatively to another person. Taking time to truly look at your model and make a personal, drawn response to their presence is a profoundly engaging and creatively stimulating act. Drawing together in a life class provides us with an opportunity to share ideas, borrow approaches from one another and to appreciate the breadth of different approaches that we all take to the subject of the human figure.
Jake Spicer – Course Tutor
I’ve been to many portrait courses and this one superseded them all 🙂
Jake was an excellent tutor. The course was well constructed and I picked up lots of useful tips. Our model – Manko – was the best I have worked from. Not only was she beautiful and very interesting to draw – she held poses and returned to poses with great accuracy. I would recommend this course to beginners or more practised artists.Pam Esseen
Had a really fun and informative day. Towersay is a great venue and always friendly and welcoming. Jake is an excellent teacher and explains every step well, his personality enthuses his students and l think we all looked at drawing from a new angle and Mike is a great model.
Steph Hudson
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