This session is part of a 3-week course – Booking covers all 3 dates.
A generous donation means you can join this workshop at a fraction of the cost – don’t miss out!
Book the full course here
The Course
Have you ever felt that drawing ‘wasn’t for you’ because of something said years ago? And yet, perhaps you’ve quietly admired other people’s sketches, wondering if you might be able to do the same. If so, and if you’re curious, a little unsure, but willing to give it a go, then Drawing with Confidence is designed especially for you.
This three-week course welcomes complete beginners and anyone who feels nervous about starting. You don’t need experience or natural “talent” … just a willingness to turn up and try. Many people discover that drawing isn’t about being good or bad; it’s about learning to see, to slow down and to enjoy the process.
You’ll be part of a supportive, friendly group of like-minded people, all exploring together in a relaxed, encouraging environment. There is no judgement here … only patience, reassurance and space to grow at your own pace and set you on a path of drawing with confidence.
Throughout the course, your tutor Kate will gently guide you, offering clear instructions as well as plenty of encouragement, so that gradually you can build trust in your own marks and ideas. By the end of the three weeks, you may be pleasantly surprised at what can happen when you simply allow yourself to ‘begin’ and you are Drawing with Confidence!
What we’ll do each week
First Week – Letting Go & Making Your Mark
An introduction to materials, movement and loosening up, designed to ease you in gently and help you begin drawing with freedom rather than pressure.
We’ll explore:
Understanding different types of pencils (H–9B) and how hardness and softness affect your marks
Experimenting with holding the pencil at the top, middle, and near the tip and using it sideways
Releasing drawing anxiety through slow, mindful marks, then switching to your non-dominant hand
Discovering a range of mark-making styles
Guided exercises including cross-hatching, scribbling, loopy lines, and simple tonal shading
Drawing in six squares inspired by different types of music and sounds
Drawing with your eyes closed to build trust and observation
This first week is all about curiosity, play and beginning to feel at home with pencil and paper.
Second Week – Seeing Differently
This week is about slowing down, really looking and beginning to trust what you see.
We’ll explore:
Selecting a mystery object using your non-dominant hand and sketching what you imagine it looks like
Drawing the object without looking at your paper (blind drawing)
Focusing purely on the outline and outer edges
Using overlapping lines to explore shape and depth
Creating a continuous line drawing without lifting the pencil
Experimenting with scale: drawing the object very small and then much larger
Developing a more sustained observational study of the object
This week will gently strengthen concentration and observation, all in a relaxed and supportive way.
Third Week – Creative Confidence: The Magazine Study
In our final week, you’ll bring together everything you’ve explored so far and begin to trust your own creative decisions a little more boldly.
We’ll explore:
Selecting an image from a magazine to work from
Tearing the image in half to create space for your own interpretation
Observing carefully and responding to line, tone and shape
Drawing the missing half in your own way … not copying perfectly, but interpreting
Balancing what is printed with what is hand-drawn
Creating a finished Magazine Study that combines observation with imagination
This session is about stepping forward with conviction, realising that drawing is not about getting it “right”, but about responding, experimenting and enjoying the process. You will now be Drawing with Confidence!
