Welcome to this month's newsletter. June saw the second and the last of the London drawing workshops this year. The next course will be in North Wales in early August. This course is full but there is a waiting list in case anyone drops out so do get in touch if you'd like to go on this - or be added to my mailing list so you hear about new dates as soon as they are announced. In this month's newsletter you will find:

  • Information about the content 5-day Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain course, devised by Dr. Betty Edwards. This includes links for viewing a slideshow of participants' work and reading course feedback.

  • UK Course Dates for 2010 Contact me to go on the waiting lists

  • Drawing the Nose: Some tips and advice on drawing the nose in a portrait

  • Portraits on the Undergound View 60 pencil portraits by artist Dryden Goodwin - both as drawings and as short films showing the drawing process as well as the listening to the conversation between the artist and the model. Highly recommended.

  • We're on Facebook Learn to Draw Right now has a page on Facebook

  • Drawing Matters Facebook Group has now been created so why not join it and keep in touch with fellow artists around the world...

If your computer only allows you to view a text only version of this newsletter you can see the colour version with colour images here

I hope you will find Drawing Matters interesting and I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions from you. Please feel free to forward it to anyone who you think might be interested. There is a link at the bottom of the page where they can subscribe.
You can contact me here

Anna Black
Certified Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain instructor, operating under license from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (www.drawright.com)



Course Dates 2010

If you've always wanted to learn to draw, Dr. Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain 5-day intensive course is a proven technique for teaching drawing - particularly to those people who swear they could never be taught to draw! This course is taught in the UK by Anna Black, certified and licensed by Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Inc.


NORTH WALES: Saturday 31st July - Thursday 5th August 2010 This course is residential

WHERE? Trigonos, Nantlle, North Wales (nearest train station is Bangor) HOW MUCH? £475 plus accommodation and full board

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT £50 off
Special Course Fee price of £425 if you book and pay in full before 1st March 2010

Course fee includes:
  • 35 Hours of teaching
  • The Drawing Portfolio (RRP Over £70).
    The contents of the Drawing Portfolio were designed by Dr Betty Edwards and Brian Bomeisler. It includes all the materials you will need for the course, including drawing tools unique to Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. These unique tools were developed by Brian Bomeisler based on those used by the Old Masters. The Portfolio and its contents are yours to take home and keep.
  • The Course Fee does not include accommodation or full board. There is an additional cost for this which varies depending on the room.

This course is now full. Please contact me if you'd like to go on a waiting list in case a place becomes available

Find out more and how to book here



UNITED STATES
If you are interested in purchasing the portfolio separately or for courses in the United States with Brian Bomeisler, follow the link at the bottom of the page.

MAILING LIST
If you would like to hear about new course dates in the UK as soon as they are announced please contact me to be added to the mailing list.

View a slideshow of student drawings and class photos
If you are interested in booking for next year but you are still sceptical that you will really learn the basic skills of drawing in just five days, why don't you view a slideshow showing some drawings done by participants on the course here (a new window will open)


Read participants' feedback on the course devised by Dr Edwards and taught by Anna Black


"I have learned so much and progressed so far - thrilled!! Great venue, great food, refreshments spot on - don't do anything differently"

You can also read some participant feedback and a more indepth account of one participant's experience here (a new window will open)

To find out more about how the course is structured and what you will learn, click here

For further information and a booking form, click here


Read what the media and other people have thought of Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain course here ( a new window will open)



DRAWING THE NOSE

The nose is another feature that people struggle with due to our strongly embedded symbol system. Some points to consider when doing a full face portrait are:
  • Sight the length of the nose in relation to your basic unit. Keep checking it throughout your drawing as it can often be extended or reduced subconsciously!
  • Check the relationship of the length of the nose to the length of ears on your model.
  • Noses are wider than you think! People commonly draw the noses much too narrow. Sight the width of the nose by checking the relationship of the widest point with something like the pupils of the eye above. Do this both sides.
  • Break down the areas of the nose into light and dark ie the plane under the nose is most likely to be in shadow (but it depends on your lighting) so if you block in this overall plane with shadow shape you can then work further darks or erase out lights as necessary.
  • Block in the other planes of the top and the side planes. The side planes in particular are important for determining depth in your portrait.
  • Look for the core or crest shadow – the darker line that runs down the nose where the plane turns away from the light. If this is present don’t be afraid to put it in – it is vital in making the nose look three-dimensional.
  • Avoid putting in the nostril openings too early – people commonly put in very dark circles here which are simply symbols of nostrils – you must observe the shapes you see in terms of light and shadow. The shape of the nostril is unique and important in catching a likeness so draw what you see and don’t go too dark with the nostril.
  • Look for negative shapes of light and dark all the time. If you find yourself falling into the ‘symbol trap’ work on another part of the drawing and come back to this bit later.
  • You don’t have to draw every detail distinctly – it is often much more powerful to leave some things to the viewer’s imagination
  • Remember to sight carefully the distance between the bottom of the nose and the top lip – this is the philtrum. People often make this much too long so check the relationship carefully.

Next month: Hair




PORTRAITS ON THE LONDON UNDERGROUND

It's always fascinating to see how an artist builds up a portrait and you have a unique opportunity to do so here. Artist, Dryden Goodwin has completed 60 portraits of staff on London's Jubilee Line and you can view the collection online - you can also click on individual images to see a speeded up film and commentary of the process of the drawing with Dryden's conversations with the subjects talking of life, drawing, their work and community.

You can read more about the project and

view Dryden Goodwin's portraits here



Visit Learn to Draw Right on Facebook

Visit Learn to Draw Right on Facebook here
You can keep in touch by just becoming a Fan by clicking on the relevant button.

Also, there is now a DRAWING MATTERS FACEBOOK GROUP page you can join. This is interactive and like any group is only as good as its contributors so this is the place you can ask questions, answer other people's questions, share tips etc etc. here


Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain USA

To find out about Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain courses run by Brian Bomeisler in the USA visit www.drawright.com


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www.learn-to-draw-right.com
Anna Black
London, UK

Contact Anna here