Quick 2 minute warm up poses looking at the paper & not looking at the paper
Well I don't know about you but it has been a long time since I have done any life drawing so Claire and I jumped at the opportunity of a free twilight session at the National Portrait Gallery last week. Feeling a bit rusty and slightly apprehensive we needn't have worried. The class was small, the teachers friendly and with a cup of free tea to steady the nerves we were soon on our way to loosening up our life drawing muscles. The two hour session was led by a seasoned artist called 'Karen' who took us through the usual quick warm up poses giving gentle support and direction and picking up on areas of good practise.
We were then led through the basics, how to measure, how to look and see shapes such as areas of negative space, how to move from line to tone working with form and finally onto a longer pose using pastels on blue paper. Having read illustration at University I was well versed with these exercises and the session was a good refresher for me, but it would also be suitable for those who have never attended life drawing before as it was well structured and plenty of support was given.
Claire and I came away feeling very glad that we had made the effort to go up to London and with a stash of drawings to show for our efforts it was a very enjoyable and rewarding opportunity which we highly recommend. Oh and all of the materials are free too so you don't even have to take so much of a pencil! Keep an eye out for other free events for teachers on the National Portrait Gallery CPD page here.
2 x15 minute drawings first from memory with no model & then with model in situ
Quick 5 min tonal pastel study & 15 min longer tonal pastel study
Claire and I came away feeling very glad that we had made the effort to go up to London and with a stash of drawings to show for our efforts it was a very enjoyable and rewarding opportunity which we highly recommend. Oh and all of the materials are free too so you don't even have to take so much of a pencil! Keep an eye out for other free events for teachers on the National Portrait Gallery CPD page here.
- Jess ❤
Meet the Pop Artist: Derek Boshier
ReplyDeleteTeachers’ CPD Event: Critical Seminar for teachers
FREE at the National Portrait Gallery
Saturday 12 October 2013, 10.30 - 12.00
Derek Boshier by Tony Evans, March 1962
Support teaching British Pop Art to your students
British pop artist Derek Boshier speaks about his work in this exclusive CPD event.
Following a guided viewing of the Gallery’s display Derek Boshier: Imaginary Portraits, and critical discussion with Gallery Learning staff, teachers will have the opportunity to engage with the artist directly in the Ondaatje Wing Lecture Theatre.
Derek Boshier was one of a group of young artists linked with the emergence of Pop Art in Britain in the early 1960s, including fellow Royal College of Art students David Hockney and Patrick Caulfield. Derek Boshier: Imaginary Portraits begins with Boshier’s return to painting, including drawings and a recent large-scale painting.
FREE. RSVP essential: education@npg.org.uk
To find out about other Saturday CPD Sessions go to the CPD listings on our website.