Back to Basics: Drawing Essentials
Thursdays |.6:30 – 8:45 PM | 23 October - 11 December
Tutor: Jill Martin Boualaxai
Cost: £224 | Includes all materials
Drawing is the simplest way of establishing a picture vocabulary. Making marks on the paper has infinite possibilities, forming the alphabet of every drawing. Essential to drawing is the ability to look and engage with subject matter, exploring the world visually through mark-making. This eight-week course expands on these fundamentals—texture, form, light, gesture, and space—by introducing the tools and techniques needed to create a convincing sense of space on the page. Students will explore how line, tone, rhythm, and negative space can be used to build depth and atmosphere—whether working from still-life setups, the figure, or the architectural surroundings of The Heart of Newhaven. Through a mix of short exploratory exercises and sustained studies, the course encourages intuitive mark making, creative risk taking, and the development of a personal drawing language. Format: Weekly 2-hour sessions in studio and on-site at The Heart of Newhaven CommunityMaterials: All drawing tools and papers provided; tuition and supplies included in course fee. Aims • Build a strong drawing vocabulary through texture, form, light, gesture, and space exercises • Understand the unique mark-making qualities of graphite, charcoal, and ink • Translate still-life observations into confident interior space drawings • Grasp perspective intuitively by drawing architectural details and room layouts without overthinking • Layer marks to convey depth, volume, and atmosphere in interiors • Synthesise foundational and spatial drawing skills into resolved composition
