Expressive Life Drawing

This event will be bookable on Monday 3 August 2026.

A new 8-week course exploring expressive ways to depict the human form.

As the course title suggests, we will work towards a more expressive means of depicting the figure through exploring line quality and mark making, using both experimental and traditional tools and techniques.

You will feel increasingly confident and comfortable drawing in an expressive way to create vivid, powerful figure paintings.

Over the eight weeks, tutor Scott will cover a wide range of beginners and advanced drawing techniques, including line and tonal drawing, gesture and movement, and new charcoal techniques. By experimenting in line, tone and shadow in a variety of methods we will discover new ways to depict the figure in space.

We will look at the tutor’s own work and the work of other contemporary artists alongside historical artwork to instruct and inspire.

Each session will begin with shorter poses, using media such as Indian ink, charcoal or pastel, and lead to longer poses, where you will be encouraged to depict the figure in a more expressive or poignant way.

Some of the drawing techniques we will look at include subtractive, the smudge and the envelop method, directional line, focal point drawing and saturated light.

Although the initial stages of the course will be mainly focused on drawing skills, we will move to include painting (acrylic) techniques in later weeks. These will include painting with value, colour theory, desaturated colour, simultaneous contrast and the use of colour as a means of self expression, modelling with colour, tone and expressive brushstrokes.

You will be asked to set personal goals in order to reach them, the tutor will ask who your favourite artists are, and what kind of art you would most like to create, then we will be in a position to move towards them and realise your potential.

The course will culminate in a final, more sustained painting. The final two sessions will be given over to a single pose/painting, where you will have the opportunity to create a more finished or sustained piece of work.

Suitable for everyone from absolute beginners to those with extensive life drawing experience seeking to develop their technique.

About the tutor:

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.

Further information:

All materials will be provided.

Participants must be aged 18+.

The course will run for 8 sessions on Friday afternoons, 2pm – 4:30pm, starting on Friday 4 September and ending on 23 October 2026.

If the course/workshop you’d like to book is sold out, we do operate a waiting list – simply contact our box office team on 0116 252 2455 / arts-centre@le.ac.uk and ask to be added to the waiting list. We’ll then contact you if a place becomes available, with absolutely no obligation to accept it if you’ve made other plans!

Please ensure that you agree to our updated Terms & Conditions before booking as courses/workshops are non-refundable if cancelled within 21 days of the start date for any reason.

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).