DrawBrighton posts
Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 20: Foreshortening
Foreshortened poses are a common challenge when drawing the figure. The visual effects of perspective cause the proportions of the body to distort as the figure recedes into space, resulting in a perceived compression, or 'shortening' of longer forms. This change to expected proportions can ...
To Paint From Presence: Reflecting on painting in the presence of a subject
In a new three-part blog series painter Tim Patrick will take us through some of the ideas that underpin his work in a series of illustrated essays, with a particular focus on attitude rather than technical process. You might also want to watch the ETC interview with artists featured in the exhibiti...
Portrait Photo-set: Laura
Here to remind us of the joys of summer, we have Laura Ryan - the member of the Draw team who wears all of the metaphorical hats - life model, Atelier alumni, Drawing Circus character and tutor. In her day job Laura is an illustrator and heraldic artist and is soon to be writing some articles for th...
Tutored Life Drawing Week 19: The Figure in Context
Welcome to week nineteen of our tutored life drawing sessions. This video is a recording of the live webinar aired on 10th February 2021. You can watch it as a one-off, or watch it in order with other videos in the course, putting the exercises into action by drawing from our photo reference and onl...
Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 19: The Figure in Context
When drawing, it is easy to get into the habit of just placing the figure on the page without much respect to their surroundings. In this week's lesson, it is time to have a look at creating a bit of context for the figure.This lesson covers managing the visual space the figure sits in and integ...
Drawing from photo reference Pt. 3: Translating your imagery
Now that you have your photographic imagery to work from (check back to pt. 1 for advice on how to find your imagery and pt. 2 for how to prepare it) you’re ready to start drawing, painting or preparing a plate to print. This blog presents a series of different methods for translating a photograph...
Opinions please! New Portrait Pose
We're absolutely delighted to be welcoming so many new people to our online community over the past month. The extra income we're receiving allows us to add a new session to our programme, so I wanted to find out what everybody is after. There are lots of great untutored life classes run by ...
Drawing Circus Photo-set: Prologue Pt 1.
The Drawing Circus has always been cyclical Borrowing from the tropes of folklore, literature and mythology the 'Circuses were often metaphors for the rhythms of the artistic process and the recycling, destruction and rebirth inherent in acts of creations.Prologue marked one such rebirth - it to...
Tutored Life Drawing Week 18: Balance
Welcome to week eighteen of our tutored life drawing sessions. This video is a recording of the live webinar aired on the 3rd February 2021. You can watch it as a one-off, or watch it in order with other videos in the course, putting the exercises into action by drawing from our photo reference and ...
Drawing from photo reference Pt. 2: Manipulating Imagery
So, you have your photograph to work from, what next? (you don’t? Check back to Part 1. for some tips on gathering reference material).Before you start drawing directly from your photo reference, check whether there is anything you can do to the photograph itself to make it an easier to tackle or ...
Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 18: Balance
Balance in figure drawing usually refers to how weight is distributed through a pose. In particular, this is about whether the figure is stable, or about to fall over. Subtle changes can affect the perception of balance in a figure drawing, and if a pose looks off-balance, it is often quickly notice...
ETC: ART/WORK with Wuon-Gean Gean Ho
In the third of our series of online exploring the personal stories of artists we talk to artist Wuon-Gean Ho. These videos have been made possible with your amazing support here on the Patreon - the artists featured are paid for taking part and we make the content free to everybody to watch, so ple...
Clothed Photo-set: Felix
The endless mischievous and delinquent Felix Clement aka Captain Clement of pirate sea shanty band The Captain's Beard is the focus of this weeks photoset - a particular treat for anybody illustrating a 17th century bar scene, or trying to remember what it was like actually being in a pub. As a ...
Tutored Life Drawing Week 17: Weight
Welcome to week seventeen of our tutored life drawing sessions. This video is a recording of the live webinar aired on the 27th January 2021. You can watch it as a one-off, or watch it in order with other videos in the course, putting the exercises into action by drawing from our photo reference and...
Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 17: Weight
Weight is the result of how gravity affects the body, or any other subject. Gravity is always pulling mass down towards the ground – weight can also come from other forces acting on mass, such as muscle tension. Conveying a sense of weight in drawing is challenging because it cannot literally be s...
Drawing from photo reference Pt. 1: Gathering Imagery
Over the last 10 months we’ve been developing a photo library of over 1200 portrait, life and clothed poses, with more images added every Friday. We figured it was high time we put together a short series to help you make best use of that photo reference, so this week we’re starting at the begin...
What's new?
As we have had a flurry of new supporters this months I figured it was time to re-introduce ourselves! We set up this Patreon to provide work for our tutors & models during the pandemic and to create a platform for us to all to connect through drawing. We're really happy to have received such ge...
Portrait Photo-set: Ellie L.
After graduating from a Printmaking Degree at Brighton university last year, Ellie has returned home to the West Country, but thankfully can still join us regularly at online life classes! Ellie was a Wednesday night life drawing regular in the old world, modelling for both Draw and the Drawing Circ...
Tutored Life Drawing Week 16: Form
Welcome to week sixteen of our tutored life drawing sessions. This video is a recording of the live webinar aired on the 20th January 2021. You can watch it as a one-off, or watch it in order with other videos in the course, putting the exercises into action by drawing from our photo reference and o...
Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 16: Form
Form is the expression of three dimensional structure through drawing. This covers multiple different ideas that can include volumes – three dimensional shapes and spaces – as well as their relationships to each other, or an observer, such as orientation and placement.The focus of this lesson wi...
Life Photo-set: Immie
Immie only had a year or so of life modelling at Draw before the pandemic, when she headed up to London to study art. She has always bought a natural confidence and creativity to her poses and has a knack for looking back at you with an artist's steady gaze. You'll find Immie's portrait ...
Tutored Life Drawing Week 15: Gesture in Longer Poses
Welcome to week fifteen of our tutored life drawing sessions. This video is a recording of the live webinar aired on the 13th January 2021. You can watch it as a one-off, or watch it in order with other videos in the course, putting the exercises into action by drawing from our photo reference and o...
Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 15: Gesture in Longer Poses
As poses get longer, you will have more opportunity to add information to our drawings. In this blog, we'll focus on short poses of five to fifteen minutes long. This allows plenty of time to record the initial gesture, and from there it is important to be mindful of how information is added.It ...
Portrait Photo-set: Naomi
Naomi defies pigeon-holing - she is a model, aerial performer, poet (and when I first met her, was working as a professional fairy). She has been the second Drawing Circus aerialist called Naomi and played the metaphorical spark of inspiration at our last big event, more than a year ago now. You can...
Tutored Life Drawing Week 14: Gesture and Rhythm
Welcome to week fourteen of our tutored life drawing sessions. This video is a recording of the live webinar aired on the 6th January 2021. You can watch it as a one-off, or watch it in order with other videos in the course, putting the exercises into action by drawing from our photo reference and o...
Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 14: Gesture & Rhythm
After a short Christmas break our tutored blogs are back! You can find all of the previous 13 blogs linked to on our navigator here and a whole load of other drawing blogs here. If you are following Wednesday tutored webinars (open to life drawing or student tier supporters), you will also find all ...
ETC: ART/WORK with Peter James Field
The second of our live ETC interview series is now posted and ready to watch (or re-watch for those that joined and asked questions). These videos have been made possible with your amazing support here on the Patreon - the artists featured are paid for taking part and we make the content free to eve...
Drawing Circus Photo-set: The Grand Drawing Circus Pt. 3
As we usher in the new year I have been looking back fondly at all of the times when we could pack together in a hot theatre for grand Drawing Circus tableaus, remembering the buzzing drawing events with the Drawchestra riffing raucous from the stage and sketchers packed shoulder to shoulder. Here i...
Clothed Photo-set: Frankie (Merry Christmas!)
As a wee little Christmas present we're sharing this set of photo-reference of the inimitable Francesca Cluney, Ringmistress of the Drawing Circus, the first Draw model and rapunzel-esuqe queen of Brighton life modelling.Have a Very Merry day,Jake--Use the Draw Patreon Navigator to find any of o...
Life Photo-set: Carole
I was torn about whether to post on Christmas Day, but it's a Friday and we're nothing if not dedicated to our commitment to bring your drawing material all year round. However you celebrate this time of the year, I hope you're having a wonderful, warm, cosy day.Warmest wishes,Jake--Use ...




























