Brushstrokes Courses

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Portraiture Course Feb-March 2020

During the last 10 years I have taught art to both school students and adults alike and I have heard many different reasons as to why someone felt drawn to creating artwork. Some want to turn a hobby into something more, where as some feel they have a creative project to share with the world, but just don’t know where to begin. Whatever the reason we first felt drawn towards that creative calling, or found that pathway to return to art, the first step, is as always, back to the drawing board.

Brushstrokes.Courses was launched in February 2020 with a Portraiture Course. Over a period of 6 Weeks, students learnt how to:

  • Tackle proportion in a life drawing class,

  • Use an array of pencils when sketching in tonal areas of the face,

  • The difference between child facial proportions and adult facial proportions when achieving realism with soft pastels,

  • Expressive brushstrokes when painting with acrylic,

  • Finally, working on independent portrait projects using the skills learnt with 1:1 mentoring.

It was a pleasure to see students learn how to achieve technical skill whilst tackling portraiture. Over the course of the 6 weeks, the groups confidence with sketching out facial proportions increased hugely and all became much more confident with achieving contrasting tone and mixing up flesh notes using Zorn’s Palette.

As a teacher, my aim with art classes is to provide the artist a safe space in which to: practice, make mistakes and learn key skills, which they are able take back into their own art practices. I myself am often guilty of being my own worst critic and I find all I need sometimes to get started on a project is a guiding hand to point me in the right direction.

If you have any questions about what it is we do at Brushstrokes.Courses, would like to hire us to run courses at your venue or perhaps have a request for future courses, or events then please don’t hesitate to email me at: brushstrokes.courses@gmail.com.

Happy scribbling,

Laura

“Your teaching has been inspiring and well considered. The mix of demonstration, encouragement and working time was just right.”

— Ian

‘I attended the portraiture course and was so impressed with Laura’s teaching. She is patient, encouraging and very highly skilled. I learned so much and I’m looking forward to the next one. Thankyou Laura for such an enjoyable course.’

- Jayne