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 make ...
2021-02-15 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
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 al...
2021-02-14 10:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
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 L...
2021-02-12 10:00:01 +0000 UTC View Post
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 ...
2021-02-10 15:53:39 +0000 UTC View Post
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...
2021-02-08 10:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Now that you have your photographic imagery to work from (check back to pt. 1 for advice on how to find your imagery and 2021-02-07 22:07:15 +0000 UTC View Post
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 our f...
2021-02-06 10:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
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 ...
2021-02-05 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
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 a...
2021-02-03 18:31:25 +0000 UTC View Post
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 referenc...
2021-02-03 17:16:06 +0000 UTC View Post
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 not...
2021-02-01 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
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 ...
2021-01-30 09:33:07 +0000 UTC View Post
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...
2021-01-29 10:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
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 ...
2021-01-27 16:25:17 +0000 UTC View Post
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 b...
2021-01-25 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
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 be...
2021-01-24 19:59:31 +0000 UTC View Post
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...
2021-01-23 12:27:41 +0000 UTC View Post
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 ...
2021-01-22 10:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
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 an...
2021-01-20 14:54:44 +0000 UTC View Post
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...
2021-01-18 10:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
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 b...
2021-01-15 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
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 an...
2021-01-13 14:34:18 +0000 UTC View Post
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.
... 2021-01-11 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
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...
2021-01-08 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
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 an...
2021-01-06 15:25:51 +0000 UTC View Post
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 2021-01-04 10:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
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 ...
2021-01-02 14:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post
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. Her...
2021-01-01 10:32:23 +0000 UTC View Post
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 ...
2020-12-25 15:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
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, ...
2020-12-25 14:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post