For the Adventurous
Over the course
of my art teaching career, I have been told so many times by aspiring artists
that they would love to learn to paint their favourite subjects in an
abstracted way. Well here is your chance to do just that. I believe there is
never a substitute for the practice of figurative drawing as the foundation for
art education. And indeed, drawing from observation is the basis for this
workshop. However, this course is designed for those artists who want to expand
their creativity and enjoy an experimental approach to their work. You will be
working both collaboratively with your fellow participants as well as
individually to develop your own approach at various stages of the process.
Subject Matter: Still-Life and Landscape
For practical
exercises to begin with, we will use a series of figurative, still-life set-ups
based on living plants,
both inside the classroom as well as outside in the extensive grounds of
Marlborough College. In reality, any subject matter would be suitable, but the
use of living plants as a focus for drawing from life, allows a certain degree
of organic free flow to take place in your drawings.
Making Drawings in Nature
Working outside
in the elements, such as wind and rain, doesn't always allow us the luxury of
time for a more considered approach. This kind of spontaneity forces you to use
your intuition and this rapid reaction to what you see creates the perfect
fertile ground for happy accidents. You will be using these 'signature'
mark-making drawings as the foundations from which to further develop your
ideas.
Outing to West Kennet Long Barrow
You will also
be working from drawings made during a morning visit to the nearby West
Kennet Long Barrow where
you will be encouraged to make representational drawings and make notes that
reflect how you feel about this special ancient site. This visit will be an
opportunity to work independently, experimenting with materials and putting
into practice what you have learnt. There will be adequate preparation and
clear goals set for these outings.
The Paths to Abstraction
Back in the
studio classroom, you will be guided through the process towards abstraction by
exploring different ways to go about it. Taking
your drawings 'from life' (done in front of the subject), you will follow either
a more considered, step by step 'academic' abstraction process such as drawing
the same subject multiple times, becoming increasingly abstract with each
drawing (like Picasso's 'Bull' series), or a more gestural, intuitive
mark-making approach as a response to 'feelings' about a subject. It might even
involve cutting up your drawings and rearranging the pieces in a new layout or
making new images from small sections. And in that process, learn to make
important decisions about when to go with the flow and when to pause and
reflect and make decisions about how far in the abstraction process you want to
go. You will also be encouraged to expand your repertoire of mark-making by
using a variety of 'found' organic objects that can be used as implements to draw
with. This allows a certain amount of free-form, working with intuitive and
inventive freedom as a response towards the natural world. Different techniques, such as collage and mixing media, will
also be explored. The course will culminate in a (voluntary) public group show
and final critique.
All levels of Ability Welcome
This course is
suitable for all levels of ability and, in particular, ideally suited for
participants who may want to move their practice forward. Please also note,
there is some walking involved which might not always be on level ground.
Materials and clothing
For the
'drawing' element of this course, a sketch book and some basic drawing
materials, including ink, charcoal and pastels, will be provided. You will also
be encouraged to make your own drawing materials from found objects (see
above). Although there will also be a small quantity of additional paper
available, students are also welcome to bring a favourite medium to work with,
should they wish to further explore the qualities of that medium. Please be
prepared to wear suitable clothing and footwear for studio work as well as
outdoor 'adventuring'.
