Contemporary drawing sketchbook
Choose a start date
- Course Code: VH839
- Dates: 04/07/24 - 25/07/24
- Time: 10:00 - 17:00
- Taught: Thu, Daytime
- Duration: 4 sessions (over 4 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Simon English
Course Code: VH839
Choose a start date
Duration: 4 sessions (over 4 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
We will look at the contemporary sketchbook as an autonomous (stand-alone) art-form and examine ways that thinking, writing and drawing come together in the creative generation of image and ideas. We will explore contrasting approaches to sketchbook development (pace and style) including spontaneous and planned drawing techniques; we will also look at ways artists balance intimate and formal content and ideas.
Covers a range of contemporary mixed-drawing techniques (see below), encouraging personal adaptation of method and materials.
There will be a visit to a gallery exploring an exhibition, the artefacts and curatorial approach - taking this as a contemporary model for creative and adaptive thinking. Back at the City Lit studio, you will continue to work with ideas from the gallery research visit using these sessions to identify and take forward a personal theme or interest.
What will we cover?
- Working with gallery collections, curatorial themes and approaches
- Thinking, writing and drawing – ways to bring initial research together
- Contemporary sketchbook examples – innovative formats and concepts
- Using the creative act of drawing to review, edit and develop content
- Mixed-media techniques: including biro, acrylic, gouache, graphite, photography and collage.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Individualise your approach to working with gallery collections
- Identify useful contemporary patterns of association - ways of looking
- Demonstrate two ways that writing can inform or evolve the act of drawing
- Use a range of spontaneous and planned drawing techniques to develop visual content and ideas
- Structure a sketchbook - planning for shifts in thinking, materials and pace.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for students with some drawing experience. You should have completed an introductory-level drawing course, around 30 hours of study, and feel comfortable drawing with pencil, charcoal and pen.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
It is helpful if you can do some research or additional work on your sketchbook between sessions, but it is not essential.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
For the first session you will need to bring something to draw in - a journal, notebook or sketchbook-in-progress and a few pencils or pens. If you would like to start a new sketchbook for the course project I recommend waiting until we have discussed formats and concepts in the first session.
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When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Depending on your starting point, you may like to take:
- Contemporary Art Sketchbook Walk
- Contemporary collage and mixed media
- One of the City Lit Drawing courses, or the one-year course Extended Drawing for Artists and Makers (advanced)
- Draw, paint, print / Introduction to printmaking.
Simon English emerged on the London Art scene in 1994, with an exhibition of painting at the Saatchi Gallery as part of Young British Art 111. He has become best known for his large and small-scale works on paper, often described as painted drawings. He has exhibited internationally at The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, Denmark; Musee D'Art Contemporaine de Val de Marne (MAC VAL), Paris France; Arken Museum of Modern Art, Denmark; The Aldrich Museum, Connecticut, U.S.A; Sammlung Essi, Vienna, Austria; Sammlung Falckenberg, Hamburg, Germany; Kunsthaus Zurich, Switzerland; LAM Lille, France; Rohkunstbau XXII, Germany, Paisley Museum Scotland; The New Art Gallery, Walsall, Tate Britain, London, Kunsthal KAdE, Amersfoort, The Netherlands; Galerie Delacroix French Institute, Tanglers, Morrocco; Galerie du Jour Agnes B, Paris, France. In March 2018, the artist's new book, 'SIMON ENGLISH: my big self decoy justin beiber', was launched in the UK by Black Dog Publishing. In 2020 Simon will be presenting his largest solo show to date, at the Transpalette centre D'Arte in Bourges, followed by a solo show at Allegra Projects in St Moritz.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
