Drawing for Beginners with Philip Tyler

Ref: SWE42858

Location: West Dean
£406

Places available

About this course

Have you ever wanted to draw but believe you can't? This course will enable you to start drawing with more confidence and show you how much you can improve in as little as three drawings.

Course Description

Drawing is a motor skill, like learning to drive a car or swim; anyone can learn how to draw at any age. The secret is learning to see the world differently. This course will explore a variety of approaches to drawing, including blind, partial peek, basic shape, negative space, measurement and tonal drawing techniques.

You will work from a range of different subject matter, including the face, the body, still life and landscape, using a broad range of drawing materials.

Course Materials

Included

On this course, the College will supply most of the materials, including a plastic eraser, thick willow charcoal, 3B compressed charcoal stick, 2B pencil, craft knife and A2 cartridge paper.

An easel, board and portable seat are also provided for use during the course.

What students need to bring

Pen and notebook

Available to buy

A variety of art and craft materials are available from the Gardens Gatehouse Shop.

Additional information

Pleaser wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear i.e. no open-toes or sandals.

Timetable

Arrival day - first date of course
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration  
Student welcome, followed by dinner: 6.45pm (dinner included)
Teaching session: 8pm-9pm (attendance is essential)

Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am-5pm  
Morning session: 9.15am-12.45pm including coffee/tea break  
Lunch break: 12.45pm-2pm (lunch included)  
Afternoon session: 2pm-5pm including coffee/tea break  
Teaching finishes: 5pm    
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Departure day - last date of course
Course teaching: 9.15am-3pm (lunch included)  
Teaching finishes: 3pm  

Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am.
Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.

General Information

Tutors

Philip Tyler, tutor at West Dean College

Philip Tyler

Phil Tyler trained in Fine Art at Loughborough College of Art and Design and Virginia Commonwealth University, before completing an MA in Printmaking in Brighton in 1990. He is currently Course Leader for BA Fine Art Printmaking.

An experienced educator, Phil has taught for over 40 years across Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes, developing extensive expertise in drawing, painting and printmaking.

Alongside his teaching and artistic practice, Phil is the author of three books published by The Crowood Press: Drawing and Painting the Nude (2015), Drawing and Painting Landscape (2017), and Procreate Landscapes on the iPad (2025).

His work has been widely exhibited, including at the New English Art Club (NEAC), ING Discerning Eye, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, Garrick Milne Prize, Royal Overseas League, EAST, The National Open, and the Whitworth Young Contemporaries exhibitions.

Phil’s work is represented in both public and private collections throughout the UK and internationally, including collections in the United States, Australia, Finland, Hong Kong and Sweden. Public collections holding his work include Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, Peterborough Museum, The University of Essex Modern and Contemporary British Art Collection, Worthing Museum & Art Gallery, the Yale Centre for British Art, and the Priseman Seabrook Collection.

Accommodation

Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.

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Further study options for art craft and design short courses

Further study options

Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study. 

Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.