Life Drawing Half-Day Workshop with Mick Kirkbride

The first of two intensive autumn term Sunday morning life drawing workshops with Mick Kirkbride. The overall aim is to challenge habitual mannerist solutions, whilst developing perceptual skills, and visual acuity. Each session will start with an exploration of formal systems - building a spatial scaffold, proportion, developing compositional acumen, and seeing the figure in context.

Students will then work on a more sustained pose, issues under investigation will include mark making strategies and developing a flexible graphology (wet & dry media with collage), loose to tight, open to closed, general to specific. Scale will also be explored to encourage the physicality of mark and gesture. All levels of ability are welcome.

There will be a plenary at the end of each workshop. ABOUT YOUR TUTOR Mick is a former Senior Lecturer in drawing at The University of the Arts London and curated the NEAC Education Programme for many years. His work primarily involves invention, yet has its foundations in the observed world where people, objects, styling and gesture are often starting points.

WHAT TO BRING Students should bring a variety of drawing materials that they usually prefer. We suggest bringing paper, willow and compressed charcoal, putty rubber, pencils of various grades (HB, 2B, 4B, etc), masking tape, and craft knife (or sharpener). Coloured chalks and drawing ink would also be useful.

There is a basic materials shop on site if required. DATE AND TIME Sunday 11 October 2026 10:00 – 13:00.