Draw What Isn’t There

Here’s a drawing trick that will completely change the way you see the world. Instead of focusing on the object itself, you’ll learn to draw the space around it — the gaps, the holes, the “empty” bits that actually define the shape. It sounds a little backwards, but that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.

Negative space drawing is one of the best ways to train your eye and improve accuracy, and the results are often strikingly bold and graphic. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll never look at a chair, a plant, or a pair of scissors the same way again. This is one of those lightbulb-moment classes!

Look Deeper, Remember More

How much do you really see when you look at something? This week puts your observation skills to the test in the most fun way possible. You’ll study a series of images carefully, then they’ll be taken away — and you’ll draw what you remember. No reference, no safety net, just you and your memory.

This isn’t about getting every detail right — it’s about training yourself to look deeper and absorb more. You’ll be amazed at how much your brain actually retains, and the drawings you produce will have a wonderfully loose, expressive quality that’s hard to get any other way. It’s a brilliant exercise for building your visual memory and your confidence.

Get Bold, Get Messy, Get Dramatic

Time to get your hands dirty! Charcoal is one of the most expressive and forgiving drawing materials around, and this session will show you exactly why artists have loved it for centuries. You’ll learn how to use charcoal sticks and compressed charcoal to create rich darks, soft gradients, and beautifully dramatic contrasts.

There’s something incredibly freeing about working with charcoal — it’s bold, it’s immediate, and it practically begs you to be loose and expressive. Whether you’re smudging with your fingers or lifting out highlights with an eraser, you’ll discover a whole new way to create depth and mood in your drawings.

Fair warning: you’ll leave with charcoal on your hands and a big smile on your face.

Colour That Comes Alive Under Your Fingertips

Get ready for a burst of colour! Soft pastels are pure pigment in your hands — vibrant, velvety, and incredibly satisfying to work with. This week, you’ll learn how to layer, blend, and build up rich, luminous colour using these gorgeous sticks of pigment.

The beauty of pastels is how immediate and tactile they are. You’re literally painting with your fingers, blending colours directly on the paper. You’ll explore warm and cool tones, learn how to create depth and atmosphere, and produce a piece that practically glows.

If you’ve never tried pastels before, this class will be a revelation — and if you have, it’ll remind you exactly why they’re so addictive.

The Best of Both Worlds

Watercolour pencils are a bit of magic — you draw with them like a regular pencil, then add water and watch your marks transform into beautiful washes of colour. This week, you’ll explore this wonderfully versatile medium and discover just how many effects you can create.

You’ll learn techniques for layering dry colour, activating it with water, and combining both approaches for stunning results. The level of control is brilliant for anyone who loves drawing but wants to dip their toes into the world of watercolour without the intimidation factor.

By the end of the session, you’ll have a gorgeous piece and a brand-new favourite medium.

Real Life, Real Stories, Real Sketches

Urban sketching is drawing as storytelling — capturing the world around you in real time, right where you are.

This week, you’ll learn what sets urban sketching apart from other forms of drawing and why it’s taken the creative world by storm. It’s not about perfect perspective or photographic accuracy — it’s about capturing a moment, a feeling, a slice of life.

You’ll explore techniques for quick gesture sketching, adding atmosphere and character, and telling a visual story with just a few confident lines. Urban sketching is all about embracing imperfection and finding beauty in the everyday.

Grab your sketchbook — after this class, you’ll want to draw everything you see.

Where Art Meets Mindfulness

Neurographic drawing is a fascinating technique that combines creative expression with the calming benefits of mindfulness.

You’ll start with a simple, intuitive line — then transform it into a complex, mesmerising pattern by rounding intersections, adding layers, and building up depth and texture.

The process is wonderfully absorbing and deeply relaxing. There are no mistakes, no wrong moves — just flowing, organic shapes that grow and evolve under your hand. It’s as much about the meditative journey as the finished artwork.

You’ll walk away feeling calm, centred, and genuinely amazed at the intricate piece you’ve created.

Turn Chaos into Something Extraordinary

We’re ending the term with a bang — and a whole lot of scribbles! Scribble art takes the most basic, instinctive mark you can make and transforms it into something truly stunning.

You’ll start with wild, free-flowing scribbles and then work into them to find shapes, faces, creatures, or whatever your imagination discovers hiding in the lines.

This is creativity at its most playful and liberating. There’s no planning, no precision — just pure, joyful experimentation. The results are always surprising, always unique, and always full of energy and personality.

It’s the perfect way to celebrate everything you’ve learned this term and remind yourself that the best art comes from letting go and having fun.