Life Drawing: The Painted Nude

Explore a wide range of drawing and painting methods to gain a greater understanding of the use of colour and light to express the human form.

This is a practical 10-week life drawing course designed for all levels, from beginners to the more experienced artist. Experiment with different drawing and painting techniques to develop your own personal style.

You will be guided through the practicalities of the many different approaches and supported through group discussions and one-to-one tutoring. Methods and approaches covered will include Alla Prima, Contra Jour, simplification, speed painting, linkage, directional brush strokes, broken colour, positive vs negative space, massing, edge quality and much more.

This course celebrates the individuality of both artists and models, a must for anyone interested in drawing/painting the figure.

The course will culminate in a two-session five hour pose for which you’ll be encouraged to bring in a canvas to work on if you wish (if not board will be provided).

Each session will typically start with short poses, moving on to longer, more sustained poses. Each session will have a theme or particular technique to focus on. The course will culminate on one longer pose, lasting 5 hours (the last two sessions) where artists may bring in a canvas to work on if they wish to.

Participants will be helped and encouraged to develop their own style, as they come to realise that their viewpoint and drawings/paintings are unique to them. Personal expression requires only the desire to do it.

Tutor Scott Bridgwood is a working artist with over 30 years’ experience after graduating from Chelsea School of Art in 1992. He worked and taught art in Rome (Italy) for 10 years before moving to Leicester. It was during his time in Rome that he developed his passion for drawing/painting the human form, which continues to the present day. Scott has taught at Attenborough Arts Centre for nearly 20 years. He also teaches Life Drawing at De Montfort University and from his home studio in Leicester.

All materials will be provided.

PARTICIPANTS MUST BE AGED 18+.

The course will run for 10 sessions on Friday afternoons, 2pm – 4:30pm, starting on 17 January and ending on 21 March 2025.

Please ensure that you agree to our updated Terms & Conditions before booking as courses/workshops are non-refundable in some circumstances.

We aim to make all our sessions as accessible as possible and carers/PAs are very welcome – just remember to book their free place when you book your session. If you'd like to talk to us in advance of booking or attending your sessions to discuss your access needs, our Box Office team is here to help! Email arts-centre@le.ac.uk, pop in or call 0116 252 2455, open 7 days a week.

We have four blue badge parking spaces outside Attenborough Arts Centre, plus double yellow line roadside parking very close to the building for blue badge holders for up to three hours if our parking spaces are occupied.

Free parking for all customers is available after 5pm on weekdays and all day at weekends in the University of Leicester car park next door to Attenborough Arts Centre on Lancaster Road. The closest public car park for parking at all other times is Victoria Park, 5-10 minutes walk from us (near De Montfort Hall).