This course is a basic introduction to the practice of drawing and painting from an unclothed model. You will work with models of different ages and genders and study a range of poses. You will learn about artists who have worked with the nude and develop your understanding of the position of this practice in art history. There will be poses of different durations, from one minute to two hours. You will learn to draw from observation, measuring for proportion as well as gaining an understanding of the materials you will use. By the end of the course, you will have made line drawings, tonal drawings and drawings in colour and you will have an understanding of what makes an effective composition and how to improve the proportion of your drawings. You will use a selection of different graphic materials and may experiment with some work in colour, charcoal, graphite, pen and ink and chalk. Teaching is informal and encouraging. If you have done a lot of drawing before you may be happier on one of our mixed level Life Drawing classes on Monday or Wednesday. All courses focus largely on making drawings but there are also opportunities to paint for those who wish to. The content of sessions will vary from week to week. In some sessions you might make one piece and in other sessions you might make twenty. Longer poses can be up to two and a half hours.