Drawing NEXT STEPS – 8 weeks

About this course

Next Steps in Drawing: An 8 - Week Course with Rachel Labovitch

Course Schedule: This 8-session course will run weekly over 9 weeks, from Wednesday, June 4th, to Wednesday, July 30th.

Please note there will be no class on Wednesday, June 11th.

If you loved our beginner’s drawing course or you are looking to refine your drawing skills, this exciting course is for you!

Led by acclaimed artist Rachel Labovitch this course builds upon foundational drawing skills, refining techniques and introducing more advanced concepts to help you create confident, dynamic drawings with depth and precision and with different mediums.

The creative energy of Colne Road Studios, with its light-filled space and welcoming atmosphere, provides the perfect setting to expand your skills.

Whether you're continuing from the beginner’s course or joining fresh, this course will equip you with the tools and inspiration to push your creative boundaries. Join us and discover fresh opportunities to enhance your drawing skills!

Session 1 – Refining Your Tools & Techniques experimenting with different mediums. By the end of the session, you will have:

• Explored the properties of pen and ink using a dip pen

• Looked at the different types of ink available and made small line drawings to practise capturing different textures

• used different mark making technqiues to render a still life of organic forms

• Studied other artists techniques in line such as Aubrey Beardsley and Kathe Kollwitz

Session 2 – Using washes This session focuses on expanding your mark-making vocabulary to create texture, tone, and movement in ink drawings. This session will develop your skills in using ink washes to make gestural drawings By the end of the session, you will have:

• Looked at Rembrandt and Claud Lorraine wash drawing techniques

• Made a tonal chart

• Made drawings of forms and their shadows using ink and a brush to create depth

Session 3 – Expressive Mark Making, Line & Mark This session focuses on layering your ink and wash techniques to create texture, tone, and movement in ink drawings. By the end of the session, you will have:

• Experimented with a variety of marks using different implements including reed pens, feathers, and twigs, and dip pens

• Explored dry brushing techniques to create textures

• Studied how different artists use mark-making for expression and texture.

• Created a layered drawing of organic forms incorporating different techniques of mark making, line and wash, using at least three different drawing tools in your picture.

Session 4 – Exploring charcoal .This session will be an exploration of the properties of both willow and compressed charcoal By the end of the session, you will have:

• Explored the tonal properties of charcoal

• used a plastic rubber and a putty rubber to investigate reducing tone and creating different marks

• Created a still-life drawing with a focus on light and shadow

• Looked at light, mid and dark tones

Session 5 – Developing Tonal Awareness Tonal values help define form, depth, and mood.
By the end of the session, you will have:

• Worked using a toned paper

• Identified light, medium, and dark tones in various scenes.

• Explored edges and transitions in light to create depth.

• Created a tonal charcoal drawing using three key values.

• Studied how tone influences mood and depth in a composition.

Session 6 – Expanding Tonal Range Beyond the three main tones, an extended range adds realism and subtlety to your work.
By the end of the session, you will have:

• Worked using a toned paper

• Created a detailed value scale to refine tonal awareness.

• Applied a wider range of tones in a still-life drawing.

• Experimented with putty rubbers to create seamless transitions in shading.

• Added a white highlight to your drawing

Session 7 – Edges, Transitions and charcoal pencils Edges play a vital role in guiding the viewer’s eye and enhancing realism. This session will refine your ability to transition between tones smoothly and effectively. By the end of the session, you will have:

• Identified and distinguished between soft and hard edges in a drawing.

• Practiced blending techniques to create smooth tonal transitions with a blending stump or chamois

• Employed line and tone together

• Utilised a charocal pencil

• Developed a structured approach to shading using a ‘general to specific’ method.

Session 8 – Composition & Final Drawing Good composition elevates a drawing from a study to a finished piece. This final session focuses on compositional strategies and bringing together all learned techniques. By the end of the session, you will have:

• Used a viewfinder to select a strong composition.

• Created thumbnail sketches to test compositional arrangements.

• Applied the rule of thirds and leading lines for visual impact.

• Produced a well-balanced, fully realized drawing incorporating all previous skills.

About the instructor:

Rachel Labovitch is a highly accomplished visual artist whose practice is
deeply rooted in the art of drawing. With an MA in Drawing, Rachel’s work
has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, reflecting her mastery
of the medium. For over 20 years, she has balanced her studio practice with
a passion for teaching, developing innovative drawing-based programs for
schools, outreach organizations, and gallery spaces. Her academic
contributions include lecturing at prestigious institutions such as the
University of the Arts London and Kingston University.
Rachel’s career highlights include receiving an Arts Council England Grant
for a residency at Forty Hall in 2010, being shortlisted for the Ruskin
Drawing Prize in 2012, and winning second prize in the Diana Armfield
Drawing competition in 2019. Her solo exhibitions, such as "Skyward" at
The Garden Museum in London, have captivated audiences, showcasing her
ability to capture the natural world with a unique perspective.
Currently based in London, Rachel continues to teach painting classes in
Richmond and lead drawing workshops at Orleans House Gallery pursuing
her commitment to art education as well as continuing her own artistic
journey with an ever-evolving body of work.

Materials supplied: Ink and dip pens and brushes with a limited supply suitable paper.

What to bring: range of different weight pencils, putty & plastic rubbers, sharpener and  180gsm cartridge paper, sketch pad or similar .