Drawing and Painting the Head

Course dates: February 27th - March 1st

Painting and drawing the head is more than just about getting a likeness. It is about form, and expression, the direction and quality of the mark. It is about the gaze, the character of the pose, the turn of the head, the angle of the neck, the light. The course will begin with some experimental drawing exercises. Using charcoal as the primary medium, from both short and long poses, you will be encouraged to look differently and experiment with marks and materials, in order to make very direct responses to observing the head, whether by taking a line for a walk or sculpting form out of charcoal dust. You will then go on to make further expressive studies in paint both from long and short poses, exploring overlapping layers, and the flesh like quality of paint being pushed and pulled around the form. Experimenting with marks and materials throughout the course, you will come away with 2-3 paintings which are a vibrant response to the subject.