Start Drawing

19 Sept – 18 Oct | 6.30-8.30pm | Tutor Karen Lester | £63 (5 weeks)

Develop your observational drawing skills in this introductory course, which takes you through some basic techniques and theories.

Using mainly Still Life in the classroom plus some photo references, learn to draw what you see using measuring techniques as an aid, as well as considering ways to record tone to create shapes and forms.

What will the course or workshop cover and how will it be taught?

Start to really observe when drawing, using aids to recreate the illusion of 3D. Working mostly in pencil and charcoal, the focus will be on developing skills to record –

• Proportions and relative size through unit measures and horizontal and vertical line guides
• Tone to define edges, shape and form – shading techniques
• Negative spaces – the shapes around the subject
• Perspective and angles

There will be exercises to support development of observational drawing skills as well as working towards finished pieces.

The emphasis is very much on practical individual experience with tutor-led demonstrations, discussion, example work and handouts which will support and guide you throughout.

This course is repeated in Feb/March 2020.

What do I need to bring with me?
Materials –
For the first week the minimum suggested materials are–

• Pencils, ideally soft pencils, from the B range
• Charcoal – willow
• Cartridge paper, A2 size minimum
• Rubber and sharpener.

The Tutor will advise further on materials at the first class.

You may also wish to bring an apron or old shirt to protect your clothes if using messy materials such as charcoal.

Please bring a pen, notebook and your glasses, if you need them.

Are there any additional costs?

No

About the tutor

Karen enjoys working with a range of painting and drawing media, including printmaking, sometimes combining these to create mixed media images. Each type of medium brings its own exciting possibilities and unique qualities, something she continually explores.
Her interest in Printmaking developed at Kendal College whilst completing a Foundation Degree in Drawing with the University of Cumbria. She finds the quality of marks made in the process of printmaking particularly fascinating and has produced prints using a variety of techniques.

Her work has been exhibited in galleries in Cumbria and Lancashire over the last 25 years and she has been involved with projects including Printfest and C-Art and runs occasional print workshops for the National Trust at Allan Bank, Grasmere as well as for private groups.

Karen is an experienced qualified teacher and has been teaching in the adult education sector since 2011. www.Karenlester.com