Life painting: expressionist approaches
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- Start Date: 13 Nov 2025End Date: 11 Dec 2025Thu (Daytime): 14:00 - 17:00In PersonFull fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
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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 methods and approaches to sustain & refresh your life painting practice
- Engage in both analytical and intuitive approaches
- Appraise your own work and make informed decisions as to when a drawing is resolved.
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.
Amanda trained at The Slade School of Fine Art gaining BA Hons and MA Hons degrees. Here, she found a love of figurative painting, tutored by Jo Volley and Euan Uglow. She spent a year studying anatomical drawing in a unique collaboration between UCH and The Slade which won her the Henry Tonks Prize for Drawing. Amanda has a broad knowledge of techniques in drawing and painting. Her work has also encompasssed film, photography and dance. In teaching, this enables her to guide students of any level to learn and develop their processes in a wide scope of materials and ideas. Amanda is also a qualified yoga teacher and has specific interest in links between creativity and mindfulness. She holds an MA Hons in Art History from The University of St Andrews and is passionate about integrating creative practice with inspiration and context from past and contemporary artists. Amanda has 20 years teaching experience in a variety of settings across all age groups including school and gallery workshops, Slade Summer School, private tuition/mentoring and she has devised and facilitated courses and outreach projects for adults with additional needs and mental health challenges.
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.