Drawing course

You look at a cup on the table, and it seems simple. Then you try to draw it: the rim comes out lopsided, the bottom floats, and the whole thing looks flat. That's usually the moment people decide they can't draw. In fact, they just need someone to show them where to start.

This course gives you that starting point. Almost everything around you is built from three shapes: a box, a cylinder and a ball. Once you learn to spot them, capturing everyday objects gets much easier. By the end, you can sit down at a kitchen table or in a café and draw what's in front of you.

What we'll do

We spend three weeks focusing on three basic shapes, then two weeks finding them in real objects.

• Week 1: boxes and other cube-like forms
• Week 2: cylinders, bottles and cups
• Week 3: spheres, fruit and other round forms
• Weeks 4 and 5: still lifes with vegetables, fruit, boxes, bottles and teapots

From the first evening, you’ll shade your drawings with light and shadow, not just outlines. Along the way, you’ll practise line, proportion, hatching and depth.

How it works

Each three-hour evening starts with a short demo from the teacher, showing what you’ll draw and how to approach it. Then most of the evening is yours to practise. The teacher sits with each of you, looks at your drawing and shows you what to adjust, guiding you step by step as your eye and technique develop.

The teacher also sets tasks to suit your level. These five evenings give you a solid foundation. When you join the next courses, she’ll guide you on to more challenging setups like drapery, detailed teapots or groups of objects. Each course builds on the last, so your drawing keeps growing with you.

Recommended experience

None. If you've never drawn, or stopped somewhere around school, this course is built for you.

Five Wednesday evenings, from a simple cube to your first still life. All materials provided. Just bring yourself.