During the course you will look at:

• The anatomy of the skull (useful landmarks from an artist’s point of view) – to control proportions when working from life, given the inevitable subtle movements and slight changes in the pose by the sitter
• Standard proportions and planes of the head – understanding ideal proportions is a very useful tool to be able to capture a likeness and how the individual character of a particular face relates to this basic structure
• Basic composition strategies for a portrait – how to place the portrait within the confines of the paper format
• How to organise a value range – to convey a convincing light impression
• The importance of edges – to achieve the impression of form
• How to manipulate a background – to add a sense of depth and atmosphere

By the end of the course, you will understand the stages involved in creating a realistic portrait drawing and have learned techniques you can apply to your own work and studies going forward. A portrait model/s will be provided for the duration of the course.

Included

The College will provide all materials, including Nitram charcoal, watercolour paper, a putty eraser and a sanding block per student and some fixative to share amongst the group. A portrait model/s for the duration of the course

All necessary equipment will be provided for use on the course.

What students need to bring

Please bring an A1 portfolio/project bag to take your work home.

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).

Daily Timetable

Course teaching 11am–5.15pm
Students arrive 10.30am-11am (coffee optional)  
Morning teaching 11am-1pm
Lunch break between 1pm-2pm (lunch is not included)
Afternoon teaching 2pm-5.15pm (15 minute break, 3.30pm–3.45pm)
Teaching finishes 5.15pm  
 

Short courses are open to anyone aged 18 and over. The course fee covers tuition and materials where stated. You will need to bring all other items listed under the ‘Materials to bring’ section.

Refreshments

Coffee and tea are included in the course fee, but you will need to bring lunch with you to eat in the refreshments room. There are also plenty of other local venues to purchase food.

Access

If you have any specific access needs, we will need to know about your access requirements in advance. Please tell us about your needs in confidence by emailing: [email protected] This venue has steps to the front reception, with limited access via a side gate to the ground floor. There is a small lift to higher floors or stairs.

Safety

Short course students are required to sign a safety compliance form as part of West Dean Health and Safety regulations.

Refunds and cancellations

Please refer to our terms & conditions below.

Disclaimer

The information given is accurate at the time of publication. However, West Dean College reserves the right to cancel or amend courses if circumstances require.

Terms & Conditions