Drawing and mindfulness: into abstraction
Explore how mindfulness can enrich the process of drawing, as we encounter a range of approaches to making abstract drawings, with reference to artist’s work. This course offers a great introduction to mindful drawing or ways to explore it more deeply. A practical drawing course exploring the visual language of abstraction, with reference to colour, composition, tone and layering.
Choose a starting date
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 04 Jun 2026End Date: 25 Jun 2026Thu (Evening): 18:00 - 21:00OnlineFull fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00
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?
- Learning how mindfulness can stimulate, support and enhance your creativity
- Exploring different pathways into making abstract drawings
- Providing a stimulating atmosphere for personal discovery
- Encouraging an imaginative, sensitive and individual handling of drawing materials
- Becoming familiar with visual language by looking at a variety of artists' work
What will we cover?
- Mindfulness skills and practices to inspire new directions and help you to draw with more confidence and enjoyment (less ‘inner critic’!)
- A range of methods for arriving at abstraction e.g. starting from observation, sensory perception, chance, conceptual systems and the imagination.
- Ideas and practices re: visual language in drawing: colour, composition, tone and layering
- Discover a range of artists drawings to inspire your work
- Key ideas on how mindfulness works, with reference to scientific theory
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Apply a range of mindfulness skills in drawing to ignite your creativity and inspiration
- Identify materials and subject matter that inspire you
- Select the pictorial and material means with which to express a range of ideas, sensations and emotions
- Become increasingly confident with your use of materials, colour and composition
- Practice mindfulness to help you identify creative blocks and let go of them
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a course for anyone with an open mind and/or some basic drawing or painting skills.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be guided through several processes to produce abstract drawings referring to specific artists or genres. Experimentation will be encouraged.
There will be guided mindfulness practices, demonstration of drawing methods, practical projects, individual guidance and encouragement, group discussion and examination of artists' work.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Pencil, graphite sticks, water-soluble graphite, willow charcoal, coloured pastels, eraser, pencil sharpener, a small range of coloured inks, brushes, 30 sheets cartridge paper e.g. A2 or A3, plus any other drawing materials you’d like to use.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Drawing and Painting from the Imagination, Drawing and mindfulness: modern and contemporary nature, Drawing and mindfulness: releasing the judging mind, Ways into abstract painting,
Clare Barton-Harvey is a full time artist and tutor/trainer living in London. In her teaching, she specialises in life drawing, drawing and mindfulness, working with colour, and painting from the imagination. She is an engaging and inspired tutor responsive to individual need and encouraging of individual growth/expression. In 2003, she studied at the Royal Drawing School, where she engaged in life drawing and the study of contemporary and historic artist’s drawings as part of the Drawing Year. In 2017 she engaged in post-graduate study with Bob and Roberta Smith (RA) and has exhibited solo and in a variety of group shows throughout the UK. You can see her work at www.cbarton-harvey.co.uk. Clare has been a practicing artist & mindfulness practitioner for over 25 years, and has taught drawing and painting for over 18 years, in a variety of locations currently including the National Gallery, British Museum, British Library, Pallant House and Hampton Court Palace. She is also co-founder of LIMINA collective (www.liminacollective.com) who specialise in mindful engagement with art in galleries and museums.
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.