Following on from a sell-out year of ‘Life Drawing for Beginners’ courses here at the Phoenix Studio, former Director of the Henley School of Art (and one of our favourite drawing teachers), Jo Harris is back with a new course to further your sketching skills. With over 25 years of Life Drawing experience behind her, endless enthusiasm and a real passion for what she does, Jo has carefully designed these sessions as a follow-on course for Life Drawing students who have covered the basics and are wanting something more. Although this will be an ‘advanced’ course, anyone who has been on Jo’s Beginners course will be ready to join these classes, think of them more as a chance to move forward and on to the next stage of learning. This is a chance to get back behind the easel, leave the normal world behind and get lost in soaking up new techniques that will sharpen your drawing instincts and help you learn to find your own style.
Jo’s team of dynamic male and female models will be back to inspire you and each session Jo will introduce different exercises, teaching her students liberating techniques to draw the figure. This course assumes you now have a basic ability to render the human body, pretty much in proportion and are ready to find your own style of drawing – experimenting more with materials and techniques to challenge (and delight) you.
A note from Jo: Hello lovely students, as this course directly builds on what is learnt during my Beginners Classes, I’m afraid that I’m only able to offer spaces to previous students who have taken the Basics Course with me – this is the only way I can ensure that everyone is at the same level and there won’t be anyone being left behind and hopefully nobody champing at the bit wanting to move on before anyone else is ready. If you’d like to know more about my Beginner’s Course or sign up to the next available term you can click here – Although it’s called a Beginner’s course, I have many artists who come along for a refresher – it suits all levels!
The wonderful Phoenix Studio will be running unguided Life Drawing sessions on a Tuesday afternoon on the weeks where we don’t have a class – practice is EVERYTHING, you’ll find your skills are wildly improved with practice and I can heartily recommend signing up to take part in those session alongside these advanced classes – for more information on those sessions, please click here.
Term will start on the 12th September – perfect for all of you who want to continue your Life Drawing studies but feel ready to progress on to the next stage.
Classes will take place on alternate Tuesday afternoons, between 2pm and 4pm
This fun course includes:
- A series of structured demonstrations and exercises lead by tutor Jo Harris, who has over 25 years of teaching experience
- Each week focus will be paid to a different aspect of life drawing
- Informal, relaxed & attentive guidance for every student, provided by Jo Harris
- Working from a different life model each week, who will pose for varying lengths of time
Suitable for?
As these sessions directly build on what is learnt during Jo’s Beginners Course, spaces therefore are only open to previous students who have taken the Basics Course with Jo – this is the only way to ensure that everyone is at the same level and there won’t be anyone being left behind.
17+ – Please note that the life model will be undressed throughout the class.
What is included in the price?
- Two engaging hours of teaching (2pm – 4pm)
- A professional male or female life model
- Tea, coffee and biscuits
- There’s no need to bring anything – all materials are provided
- Use of a beautiful purpose-built art studio with all the equipment & materials you will need
- Beautiful countryside setting
- Onsite parking
This course is for you if:
- You want to further your drawing skills and move beyond a basic tool kit
- You want to experiment with materials more and see what works for you best
- You want to improve your observational skills
- You want to get away from it all and immerse yourself in a fun, creative environment
- You love creativity
Term Dates and Times
Classes will take place on alternate Tuesday afternoons, between 2pm and 4pm
Autumn: 5 alternate Week Term dates:
- 12th September
- 26th September
- 10th October
- 31st October
- 14th November
Jo will also repeat the course again in the New Year (starting in January). Many students will choose to come for repeated terms because you always learn something new and have new revelations the more hone your skills!
Click here to see all of the 2023 mid week term dates.
ABOUT THE TUTOR
Jo Harris
A life long artist, Jo Harris’s drawings are filled with boundless joy and energy. Whilst predominantly drawing in pencil, she is very experimental in her approach, often incorporating different media into her artwork – pastels, colourful pens, charcoal and more! This passion she has for trying new mediums, is transferred to the paper with downright outrageous aplomb – big gestural mark making accompanies delicate attentions to detail in a way that combines wonderfully.
It stands to reason that this passion she has for creating is transferred to the way she teaches. Her enthusiasm will inspire you and she always gets the best from her students.
You can have a look at his website here and examples of her own drawings can be seen below.