Just Draw What You See

About the Course and Tutor

Ashley Hold spent some 17 years teaching life drawing to students on the BA illustration and BA Drawing at Falmouth Art School and is currently writing a book on Drawing which incorporates all that he has learnt from his own practice, from teaching and his students, and from extensive research. He is just about to have a solo show in Madrid. Learn more about Ashley Hold here.

The course is designed to provide a rigorous grounding in the many and various fundamentals of drawing, with taught sessions utilising the human form as subject matter. However, the homework projects can include drawing from other complex subject matter, in part because having a naked human to hand to practice on often isn’t possible, but also to get those of us who only ever work from the human form to get out of our comfort zone and start to draw on a regular basis at home, on the go, outdoors, or in a studio.

There are 5 blocks of study each consisting of two consecutive weekends.

The first will be exploring shape including empirical perspective, abstracting the figure using line, letterboxing the figure. and short, long and multiple pose drawing using line.

Block 2 will be focused on composition and tone, including looking at line quality to suggest strength of edge in line drawing composition, working with a series of set ups to make composition studies interesting from various viewpoints, working in black and white acrylic to produce tonal study, using parallel hatching, and using ink wash.

Block 3 tackles form - often overlooked in life drawing tuition. We will be working in clay and wire and then back to drawing block forms, contour drawing, netting, and directional hatching.

Block 4 adds light to form. we will be drawing the same pose with the light source being moved, looking at contour lines formed by tonal boundaries. Followed by wrapped contour using ink wash, again using directional hatching to describe tone, and using black and white acrylic to create brush strokes describing plane and surface as well as tone.

Finally block 5 will move us into colour. Dry colour, collage, Acrylic process primaries palette. (process yellow, process cyan, process magenta and white).

Significant homework projects will be set to be completed in between each main block, with a smaller homework to be completed in the week between weekend 1 and 2 of each block. The homework will give us a chance to develop skills in the tools taught in sessions, and as we progress integrate some of the techniques for drawing, describing, expressing and translating the subject matter.

The aim is that by the end of the course we will have gained/developed a comprehensive toolkit of observational, drawing and compositional skills where issues that are often overlooked or avoided have been fully explored and addressed. No stone left unturned. To some degree what we get out of the course will depend on what we put into it. How engaged we become in the homework projects and practicing what we have been taught and integrating into drawings of subject matter that interests us. Researching artists. For those with experience it may be about how open we are to revisiting some of the basics that we may have touched on before but likely not in as much depth, and be open to what this can bring to our current practice. allowing for more clumsy results whilst moving out of our comfort zone. Allowing for intervention. Most will utilise this training as a drawing foundation that leads to more developed drawings and paintings, whatever level of ability and experience was present at the outset. Also it is hoped that a habit of regular drawing practice, whether sketching practice, as basis for a painting or as ideas development, will have been formed. Some contextualisation may be useful at times and will likely occur in individual interactions with Ashley about our interests and intentions.

What is provided?

All equipment and materials are provided but feel free to bring any favourites of your own. A selection of teas and coffee, organic milk and plant based milk, plus a selection of treats are also provided. Please bring a packed lunch as the venue will be in Sancreed Village Hall. Though St Just is just a five minute drive if you need to grab something.

Terms & Conditions

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Course & Workshop Terms & Conditions

Drawing the Human Form Gallery