Thinking Composition Without Line

“As an illustrator who has never tired of her school day companion, the pencil, the idea of weaning off line and making an image without the assistance and literalness of line seemed impossible for me. As well as it feeling like an impossibility, the line also felt like a burden that limited my style and kept me stuck in an inflexible habit. Over COVID, I tried new techniques to try and cover different principles of art— in this exercise, principles like shape, colour and composition work together in usurping line.”

During the workshop, we will:

Look at Emily’s use of play and shape to push against stagnation and create a space to fail safely and be creative.
Work through quick exercises in creating shape without line
Create a full spread using a provided text, using the tenets introduced by Emily and playing with size, shape and detail.

This workshop is for anyone interested in creating more playful compositions, furthering their practice, and breaking out of well-trodden ways of working. The exercises will use traditional media, but the theory can be applied to any way of working.

Workshop Structure:

Introductory talk
Composition exercises
Q&A and feedback session

You will have the chance to get independent feedback on your work from Emily at the end of the session, but sharing isn’t compulsory.

Things you will need:

Scissors, Glue stick, 3 A3 sheets, Scrap paper/Coloured paper, A drawing utensil with less control - for example crayons, oil pastel, dry pastel, ink (bigger brush), watercolour, paint, ink pad, sponges.

About Emily Hughes: Emily Hughes is the author and illustrator of the picture books Wild, The Snail and The Little Gardener. As well as an illustrator for the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award-winning Charlie & Mouse series by Laurel Snyder. You may recognise her work through its expressive pencil line, muddy palette and meticulously shaded texture. Though she has been based in London since 2015, she is still very much inspired by nature and adventures from her hometown in Hilo, Hawaii.

The event will be held online via ZOOM - the link will be sent to you directly via email before the event.

All tickets are £60 INCLUSIVE of booking fee - and are non-refundable.

The event is LIVE - but buying a ticket will give you access to a recording of the workshop lecture - which will be available to view back for one month. You will be sent a link for this within 48 hours of the event.

Workshop - Thinking Composition Without Line with Emily Hughes