“To draw we need to learn how to ‘see’, to do this we need to understand the five perceptual skills of drawing” Betty Edwards, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (2001)
Dates and Times:
Thursdays 12, 19, 26 September and 3, 10 October | 6.30pm-8.30pm
Price:
£110 per person
Who is this class suitable for?
Ages 16+
Experience is not necessary, it is for all abilities, and an opportunity to both learn or refresh skills.
What will be covered?
What to expect over the five weeks:
Over 5 weeks, join artist Sarah Watts in increasing your confidence when it comes to drawing - be prepared to make lots of mistakes and to do a lot of practice. Each week Sarah will guide you through new techniques from tone and form, to line and texture, helping you build your drawing skills whether you are a complete beginner in learning how to draw, or an artist already, hoping to improve your skills.
Week 1:
Learning how to look, as an artist does-discovering line and edges
How to draw using the right side of the brain, introducing techniques and exercises, to help you see what you are looking at. Investigating the shape and quality of line and marks you can make.
Week 2:
Positive shape/ Negative Space/ Shared Boundaries
Finding different ways to look. Drawing what you see and not what you think you see. Discover how preconceived ideas affect your ability to draw. Drawing negative space, and positive form, using shared boundaries, creating observational drawings.
Week 3:
Perspective/ Measuring/ Proportion/ Relationships
Understanding how line describes perspective, and how to keep it in proportion, with the use of guides, angles, and a basic unit. Using the viewfinder and pencil, for sighting and framing, and applying the basic unit for accurate proportion. Gain confidence in drawing perspective and foreshortening and using proportion in different types of drawing from landscape to figurative.
Week 4:
Light and Shadows
Learning to see and distinguish different light and shadow values. Creating a charcoal ground and drawing with a putty rubber, drawing with chalk on black paper. Understanding light source direction, tonal range, and shading.
Week 5:
The gestalt of the whole - Bringing it together
In the final session we use all the learnt perceptual skills of drawing, and bring them together to create the fifth, enabling you to apply your new looking skills and drawing practice to confidently draw your self portrait, in your choice of medium.
What will students leave with?
Students will leave with a tool kit of looking and drawing skills to enable them to continue their drawing at home, and provide them with confidence to pursue other creative courses.
What will I need to bring?
Students should bring a drawing pad or sketchbook (minimum A4)
We encourage students to bring drawing materials from home, which could include; pencil sets, coloured pencils, pastels, rubbers, etc. Advice and guidance can be available on how to use materials that you are unsure of and would like to use.
We will have a selection of basic materials available to use if you are unable to bring any with you.
Artist Bio
Sarah Watts, is a Milton Keynes based artist recently graduated in 2023 with an MA Fine Art at Northampton University. She graduated from Gwent College of Higher Education (University of Wales) in 1989 with a BA Hons Degree in Fine Art. Sarah also studied for a post graduate diploma in Arts Administration, worked at ICA, Chisenhale Gallery and the Lisson Gallery.
Since returning to Milton Keynes over 25 years ago, Sarah has supported herself by working as a freelance artist, including leading drawing workshops in schools, teaching life drawing, community art classes, and creating carnival costumes, whilst raising her family.
In 2011, she co-founded The Drawing Machine, a drawing project to encourage and engage the community in drawing, and to promote the annual Big Draw, with events across Milton Keynes. In 2017, as BLC Artist, Sarah worked in partnership with MK Gallery City Club artists, local schools and community groups to raise awareness of the new community orchard and to engage the local community in the project.
In 2019 was awarded MK Community Foundation Visual Arts Bursary, became an Associate Artist with Milton Keynes Gallery, exhibited in the MK Calling Exhibition, and at the MKG Project Space, and led community workshops at the Festival of Creative Urban Living. Sarah continues to work with Milton Keynes Arts for Health, Milton Keynes Arts Centre, Milton Keynes Gallery, and is currently artist in residence at MK College.
