Drawing course for All – From Fundamentals to Creative Confidence

Description

Discover the joy of drawing in this six-week adult drawing course in Chester, designed to help you build strong, confident skills in a relaxed, encouraging setting. Step by step, you’ll progress from core drawing techniques to creative expression, developing your understanding of line, tone, composition, proportion, and form. Perfect for absolute beginners or anyone returning to art after a break, each week introduces a new drawing technique and subject — from still life and perspective to expressive mark-making and realistic drawing. By the end, you’ll have a sketchbook full of completed drawings, growing confidence, and a personal style ready to shine. 🌟 Learning outcomes: By the end of this course, participants will: - Understand and apply the key elements of drawing: line, tone, proportion, and composition. - Use a range of drawing materials and mark-making techniques. - Develop observational skills and visual awareness. - Combine accuracy with expressive, creative approaches. - Create a series of finished drawings demonstrating personal confidence and style. 🗓️ Weekly Breakdown: ✅ Week 1: Drawing Foundations – Line, Shape, and Seeing Like an Artist - Focus: Observation, contour drawing, hand–eye coordination. - Techniques: Blind contour drawing, continuous line, gesture sketching. - Subjects: Simple still life (everyday objects, shells, bottles). - Materials: Graphite, fine liners. - Takeaway: Build confidence in observational drawing and understanding of form through line. - Key Skills: Seeing relationships, negative space, proportion. ✅ Week 2: Tone & Texture – Creating Depth with Light and Shadow - Focus: Value, shading, and tonal contrast. - Techniques: Hatching, cross-hatching, blending, tonal scales. - Subjects: Drapery studies, fruit, and natural objects under directional light. - Materials: Graphite, charcoal, putty eraser. - Takeaway: Learn how tone creates volume and realism. - Key Skills: Understanding light sources, tonal values, contrast for visual impact. ✅ Week 3: Composition & Perspective – Making Dynamic Drawings - Focus: Layout, balance, depth, and simple perspective. - Techniques: Rule of thirds, one-point perspective, thumbnail sketches. - Subjects: Interiors, windows, chairs, and urban scenes. - Materials: Pencil, fine liner, ruler. - Takeaway: Create balanced, visually engaging compositions. - Key Skills: Perspective, scale, spatial awareness. ✅ Week 4: Drawing Nature – Expressive Mark Making - Focus: Observation and expressive responses to natural forms. - Techniques: Textural marks, mixed media (ink and wash, charcoal and pastel). - Subjects: Leaves, plants, feathers, shells. - Materials: Charcoal, ink, pastel, graphite. - Takeaway: Build confidence in combining materials and working expressively. - Key Skills: Textural variety, energy in line, contrast and composition. ✅ Week 5: Drawing Realistically Using the Grid Method - Focus: Accuracy, proportion, and confident realism. - Techniques: Grid method drawing, section-by-section observation, refining outlines and details. - Subjects: Drawing from a chosen photo reference. - Materials: Graphite, eraser, ruler. - Takeaway: Learn how to use the grid method to achieve accurate proportions and realistic detail in your drawings. Build patience and precision while developing a more confident, measured approach to observational art. - Key Skills: Translating photographic references to paper, proportion, observation, refining detail, removing grid lines for a professional finish. ✅ Week 6: Personal Project – Bringing It All Together - Focus: Applying learned techniques in a final piece. - Techniques: Individual planning, composition development, reflective sketching. - Subjects: Learner choice (still life, landscape, portrait, etc). - Materials: Mixed media (pencil, ink, pastel, charcoal). - Takeaway: Create a finished drawing that showcases your progress and personal artistic voice. - Key Skills: Creative decision-making, self-expression, portfolio development. 🧠 Teaching Style: - Step-by-step demonstrations - Individual feedback and supportive group discussion - Encouragement of personal exploration and creative growth - Suitable for all ability levels 🖌️ Materials Needed: - Basic sketchbook (A4) and Pencils (HB–6B), eraser, sharpener. - All additional materials (charcoal, ink, paper) are provided in class. Meet the Artist tutor: Nia Williams: Nia is a Welsh-born artist and illustrator now based near Chester, celebrated for her bold, playful compositions and welcoming teaching style. With a Fine Art degree and an MA in Graphic Design & Art Direction from Manchester Metropolitan University, Nia combines rigorous drawing technique with a creative, accessible approach. She has facilitated hands-on art sessions in cities across the UK, helping adults of all levels discover their artistic confidence. Her aim is simple: to make drawing fun, meaningful and achievable for you.

What's included in the price?

✔️ 6 fully guided 2-hour drawing sessions (12 hours of expert tuition). ✔️ Professional demonstrations every week. ✔️ All specialist materials provided, including: • Charcoal. • Pastels. • Inks. • A range of high-quality papers. ✔️ Personalised one-to-one feedback each session. ✔️ Beginner-friendly step-by-step teaching. ✔️ Structured weekly themes covering: • Line and contour drawing. • Tone, shading and realism. • Composition and perspective. • Expressive mark-making. • The Grid Method for accurate drawing. • Developing your own final piece. ✔️ A relaxed, supportive learning environment. ✔️ A friendly tutor with a Fine Art background. ✔️ Confidence-building exercises to help you see like an artist. ✔️ All refreshments included. ✔️ Free onsite parking. ✔️ Small group size for plenty of attention.

Cancellation policy

Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts

Maker

The Art Doctor UK 2022

with Craft Courses since 2022

Message the tutor

Dr Helen Jones has 14 years art teaching experience. Helen achieved a 1st Class honours in Fine Art and continues to be a practicing Artist from her home studio in Chester. She completed an MA in Art Education and then completed a Doctorate in the subject. She has delivered adult art workshops nationally and offers regular art classes and workshops in Chester through her small business The Art Doctor UK founded in 2021. Helen has also taught art in Tuscany, the Congo, Rome and Finland. She has a warm and encouraging nature.