Instructors : Norachai Thavisin and Kosol Pinkul. Click here to see list of materials

Let’s spend 3 hours a week for 8 weeks, exploring drawing. We will devote each session to a different medium to make an artistic line: pencil, pen and ink, brush, charcoal, pastel and watercolour, working on paper. You will try drawing in the different styles: realistic, figurative, abstract, caricature.

Beginners and more advanced drawers work side-by-side, helping each other along through drawing and shared appreciation, and coached on an individual basis by the tutor. The main aim is for you to evolve your own style, your own voice in art.

We provide some art material, but you usually bring your own material needed for the session. At the end of the course, you will have a substantial body of work, made from the love of drawing. And hopefully you would have had fun doing it.

Week 1: Introduction (Norachai)

We introduce ourselves and speak of the art that we make and what we would like to draw. We draw a stillife and put all our work on the board to discuss.

We look at pictures of drawings on the board and share our appreciation of them. Bring a picture of your own favourite drawing and talk about it. We go home with a drawing homework to bring back next week.

Week 2: Pencil (Norachai)

Pencil drawing techniques are covered. We draw chosen aspects of the gallery, using grey lead and coloured pencils only. We try different ways of rendering. As usual, we put up our work to discuss. We produce at least one fully-drawn pencil drawing in this session.

Week 3: Pen (Kosol)

The techniques of pen and ink drawing are covered. We choose different subjects within the gallery to draw in our own style. The pen is suited to precise drawings, such as technical and architectural drawings. We try our hand at them.

Week 4: Watercolour and ink (Kosol)

We follow the same pattern using, watercolours, ink and brushes only. Again we aim to produce at least one good work in this session.

Week 5: Pastels (Kosol)

We spend the session using coloured pastels. Some beautiful soft drawings can be made using this marvelous medium.

Week 6: Charcoal (Norachai)

We get our hands dirty this week and explore this wonderful medium, used throughout art history. It is one of the most dramatic and expressive media, inviting fast sketching and intricate drawings with the full range of light and shade.

Week 7: Portrait (Kosol)

We draw each other or family or friends from photos. Rendering a likeness is difficult at the best of times. Good portraits also capture the subject’s characteristic. We study our own work and that of other artists.

Week 8: Nude (Kosol)

We discreetly close some curtains this week and draw from a live model.

Drawing Materials

Materials to bring to the Drawing for Pleasure Workshop

To bring each time:

Paper: Canson or Renaissance drawing (not watercolour) books, 11x15 inches and 200 gram. Two books may be needed for the whole course, to be used for good drawings to be kept. Also one larger book of 15x22 inches, by the same brands, to try our hand at larger drawings.

A cheaper sketchbook of about the same size for rough drawings, not necessarily to be kept.

Pencils: Staedtler Mars Lumograph recommended for grey-lead. At least 4: 3B to 6B.

At least a dozen good colour pencils.

Rubber

Sharpener. The retractable bladed one is best.

A clear spray fixative will be handy at home to fix the drawings. Not to bring to the gallery because the fumes need ventilating.

Most of the material can be found in Central and Emporium and a specialist art shop. Reasonably-costed products will do fine.

Week 2

The grey and colour pencils.

Week 3

Two disposable fineliner pens with wet ink and not roller-ball. Nip sizes .3 and .5

Week 4

A small box of watercolour paints in little containers or in tubes. A plastic paint palette if using colour from tubes.

A plastic cup to hold water and brushes.

Inexpensive brushes: about 6 in a variety of sizes from 7 upwards.

Pelican coloured inks may be easiest to find. Windsor and Newton and Ecoline ones are disappearing. 3-4 colours will do. Black ink as well.

Week 5

Sticks of pastels, such as by Conte, are not easy to find either. Just 3-4 sticks in the colours that you wish to draw with. Not oil pastels.

Week 6

One or two charcoal sticks, again not easy to find. Choose softer variety if there is choice. A rag to wipe your hands on.

Week 7

Bring the drawing medium that you wish to draw portraits with.

Week 8

The larger drawing book is needed this week and of coure your favorite medium for life drawing, or you can try several in this special session.