Life drawing into life painting

About this course

The course examines ways to represent the human figure through drawing and acrylic painting. Participants investigate form, proportion, scale, perspective, foreshortening, posture, weight and emotional mood, alongside approaches to organising paint. Teaching combines demonstrations, practical application, one-to-one tuition and group discussion. Techniques include coloured underpainting, layering and scumbling, with consideration of placement, distortion, balance and rhythm. Participants also reflect on their own work while developing a limited, colour-biased palette and producing a series of figure-based works.

What you'll learn

• Represent the human figure using painterly approaches to form, proportion, scale and space.
• Apply acrylic techniques including coloured underpainting, layering and scumbling.
• Construct a limited palette using colour bias and tonal structures to describe form.
• Use placement, distortion, balance and rhythm when organising a painting.
• Produce a series of works showing sustained investigation and an emerging personal response to the figure.

Is this course right for you?

The course is open to all levels of drawing experience, with painting methods and techniques taught in a structured format. It involves following demonstrations and instructions, taking part in group discussions, receiving one-to-one tuition and reflecting on individual work.

• Suitable for learners with any level of drawing experience.
• Requires participation in group discussions and engagement with self-reflection.

Before you go

• All basic materials are included.