Charcoal Workshops: Drawing Calm and Portrait Study

Charcoal has a unique power in drawing. Its softness and depth allow artists to create rich tones, expressive marks and a sense of atmosphere that other mediums cannot quite capture. This month I held two workshops that celebrated the versatility of charcoal: Drawing Calm, a still life session inspired by Ancient Greece, and a portrait workshop focused on capturing character and form.

The first workshop, Drawing Calm, invited participants to slow down and immerse themselves in the meditative process of observation. The still life arrangement was inspired by objects from Ancient Greece: draped fabrics, simple vessels and sculptural forms. Working step by step, participants learned how to build up structure through light sketching, gradually developing their drawings with layers of tone and texture. The session encouraged careful looking, an appreciation of form and shadow, and the quiet rhythm of drawing as a way to find calm and focus.

The second workshop turned to portraiture, where participants were guided in drawing the human face. Portraits in charcoal demand both precision and freedom. There is the discipline of proportion and structure, balanced with the expressive qualities of line and shading. Participants learned techniques for mapping facial features, creating depth through light and shadow, and using highlights to bring life to the eyes. The emphasis was on capturing not just likeness but also presence, mood and individuality.

Both workshops revealed the beauty of charcoal as a medium. In Drawing Calm it brought out the timeless stillness of classical forms. In the portrait session it revealed the subtleties of human expression. What united them was the way charcoal allows artists to work boldly yet sensitively, creating drawings that are both powerful and delicate.

These sessions reminded us that drawing can be more than technical practice. It can also be a way of connecting with history, culture and the human spirit. Whether through the serene objects of Ancient Greece or the intimacy of a portrait, participants discovered that charcoal has the capacity to capture not only what we see but also what we feel.

A Medusa Themed Life Drawing Session

Last month’s life drawing class drew inspiration from one of mythology’s most misunderstood figures, Medusa. Far more than a monster, Medusa’s story speaks of transformation, resilience and reclamation. These themes remain deeply resonant today. Our session invited artists to look beyond anatomy and explore the energy, symbolism and narrative woven into her legend.

Our model for the evening was female, holding bold and evocative poses that reflected the strength, defiance and vulnerability at the heart of Medusa’s myth. Props and references inspired by ancient mythology, from serpentine motifs to draped fabrics, helped set the tone and created an atmosphere charged with both danger and beauty.

We began with a series of short, dynamic sketches. Arms raised like writhing serpents, a gaze cast defiantly outward, a body twisting as though caught between resistance and release. These quick studies encouraged artists to capture rhythm and emotion rather than detail.

As the session developed, the longer poses deepened the narrative. In one, the model sat upright, her form regal and unyielding, embodying strength and resilience. In another, she curled inward, suggesting both fragility and rebirth. The duality of Medusa, fearsome yet vulnerable, cursed yet powerful, gave participants a wealth of inspiration.

The responses were as varied as the story itself. Some artists embraced bold and expressive mark making, channelling raw energy into sweeping strokes of charcoal. Others worked more decoratively, weaving serpentine lines and mythic motifs into their drawings, echoing the iconography of ancient art. Each piece felt like a dialogue with Medusa’s story, part study and part act of reinterpretation.

By the end of the evening, the studio walls were alive with work that reached far beyond the study of form. The drawings told stories of transformation, survival and reclamation. They celebrated Medusa not as a silenced figure of fear but as an enduring symbol of strength.

Themed Life Drawing at Gorilla Bar, Manchester

This session was a reminder that life drawing can be more than observation. It can be storytelling, myth making and above all an act of giving voice.

Nichola

Painting Calm: A Mindful Easter Retreat in Watercolours

At the Easter weekend, our studio became a tranquil creative haven as we hosted our first Painting Calm workshop of the year. While the world outside buzzed with holiday energy, inside we embraced the quiet joy of watercolours—a perfect way to balance the festive season with moments of peaceful creation.

An Untutored Easter Escape

Held on the Sunday of the long Easter weekend, this self-guided watercolour session offered a different kind of holiday activity—one of slowing down and reconnecting with creativity. As your facilitator, I provided gentle support and demonstrations when needed, but the true magic came from each artist's personal exploration of the medium.

Our Easter-themed still life featured:

• Delicate spring blooms (daffodils and hyacinths)

• Pastel-coloured eggs nestled in textured nests

• Sunlit citrus slices and flowing fabrics

• Fresh greenery symbolising renewal

 Why Watercolours for Easter Mindfulness?

The medium's natural qualities mirrored our seasonal themes:

• The rebirth of colours as they bloomed on wet paper

• The patience required between layers, like waiting for Easter's arrival

• The lightness of translucent washes, echoing spring's delicate energy

 

What's Next for Seasonal Painting Calm?

This Easter edition has inspired ideas for future holiday workshops:

·      Summer solstice watercolours with golden light effects

·      Autumn equinox in rich, earthy tones

·      Winter light studies during the festive season

Life Drawing in Gold: A Klimt-Inspired Evening of Figure and Flow

There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when life drawing meets the decadent world of Gustav Klimt. Our recent session was no exception—the studio was glowing, not only with golden hues and candlelight, but with the kind of creative energy that only comes from a room full of people deeply engaged in the act of looking and making.

We began the evening with a short introduction to Klimt’s work—his reverence for the human form, his lavish use of gold leaf, and that sensual quality that runs just beneath the surface of his figures. I encouraged everyone to look beyond anatomy and consider the emotional architecture of the pose—how a hand rests, how a spine curves, how gesture carries mood.

Our model held a series of standing and reclining poses, each inspired by the flowing lines and graceful asymmetry so characteristic of Klimt. One particularly striking pose involved a gentle twist through the torso, the spine creating a soft, natural arc that echoed the decorative spirals so often seen in his work. Artists were invited to observe not just the form, but the movement beneath the surface—the subtle shifts in weight, the story told through posture.

To add a touch of Klimt’s signature style, we introduced metallic elements into the drawings. Charcoal and graphite were paired with gold leaf, gilding pens, and fragments of textured paper. The contrast between rough marks and shimmering detail created a rich interplay between the expressive and the ornate.

The studio was filled with that lovely, focused quiet—the kind you get when people are truly immersed. Occasional sips of wine, the gentle scratch of pencil on paper, and soft conversation added to the atmosphere. It was a joy to watch each artist interpret the model in their own way—some drawings were delicate and minimal, others bold and embellished.

This session reminded me just how timeless the figure is. Whether stripped back to pure gesture or adorned with gold, the human body remains one of the most powerful vehicles for visual storytelling.

I’m already dreaming up our next theme—perhaps something in the spirit of Egon Schiele or a chiaroscuro session in homage to Rembrandt. Until then, thank you to everyone who came and brought such warmth, curiosity, and creative spark.