Life painting: experimental approaches
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Location: Keeley Street
Choose a start date
- Course Code: VH498
- Dates: 06/02/25 - 06/03/25
- Time: 14:00 - 17:00
- Taught: Thu, Daytime
- Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Amanda Bracken
Course Code: VH498
Choose a start date
Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 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?
This course presents an innovative and exploratory approach to life painting. You will be invited
to identify the value of both analytical and experimental approaches and the relationship between them in the
painting process. Explore the role of spontaneity, perception and empathy in creating paintings that express clarity,
'aliveness' and a sense of meaning. This course is ideal as a companion to more traditional life drawing and painting courses and is suitable for those with experience in life drawing who wish to refresh their practice or
stimulate new ways of working.
What will we cover?
During the course you will explore a range of ways to stimulate a fresh and innovative response to painting the
Figure from life.
There will be guided exercises enabling you to develop a deeper understanding of painting and the value of
expressive mark-making, composition, imaginative use of colour and the role of imagination. You will engage with a
broad variety of painting approaches to inspire new directions. You will find inspiration in a range of
artists’ work, as references to the specific exercises. You will be introduced to ways of evaluating your work and
making informed decisions regarding its development.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Employ a variety of different creative methods and approaches to sustain & refresh your life painting practice
- Engage in both intuitive and analytical approaches
- Appraise your own work and make informed decisions about painting
- Paint from the life model with more coinfidence to explore personal response.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for those students with some life drawing experience who wish to develop their understanding of experimental approaches to painting from the life model.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will learn by practical demonstration, looking at the work of artists, one to one tuition, and group discussion and feedback.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
All basic drawing and painting materials and paper will be provided. Advice on materials will be given.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
This course will feed into Life Drawing and Life Painting courses at all levels including VH753 Year of the Figure and Portrait, Life Painting a Contemporary Approach and Portrait Painting 2 session pose.
Amanda Bracken started her teaching career at the Serpentine Gallery, researching, developing and delivering projects to a range of audiences, which illuminated the art work on show in the exhibition programme, including a teachers’ pack for the Bridget Riley exhibition. She also gained substantial experience developing projects and workshops within the education departments of The Drawing Room, the Estorick collection, The National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria Miro Gallery in particular Alice Neel: Portraits. Bracken holds an MA in Fine Art gained at Central Saint Martins. She also holds a BA in joint Art/Dance and a PGCE gained at Goldsmiths College London. Brackens paintings, drawings and installations have been selected for exhibitions in London and nationally including the Drawing Room, ASC Gallery, C and C Gallery and Atkinson Gallery Millfield. ‘I am interested in colour and form in all its permutations and the qualities of the substance of painting and drawing-the figurative, the abstract and the in-between. Citylit has a diverse Art department where I can use my experience to stimulate students to develop their own work'.
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.