Life Drawing for Absolute Beginners

An intensive workshop designed for total beginners to the life drawing genre. Participants will be shown fool proof, tried and tested methods of rendering the life model using a variety of drawing media. By the end of the day, you will have the knowledge, confidence and ability to render the human form in a three dimensional and convincing manner.

Following a brief group discussion on the subject of why life drawing is considered so difficult, you will begin drawing with a variety of short poses. Next, you’ll look at techniques such as gestural drawing, pivots, the picture plane, negative spaces, shape, shadow mapping, linkage and subtractive drawing, amongst others. By the end of the day, you’ll know what all of these are!

Participants will discover that it’s not as difficult as they had thought to render the human form in a convincing manner. The group will work towards a more finished piece of work from a longer, more sustained pose after lunch.

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 are provided.

Participants must be aged 18+.

This one-day workshop will start at 10:30am and end at 4pm, with a 30 minute break for lunch. Our café will be open, or you are welcome to bring your own refreshments.

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).