Welcome to the first newsletter of the year. As usual time seems to go twice as fast as I think it should and this month life had it's usual habit of throwing up unexpected obstacles so apologies for the fact that we are nearly in February already! All the 2010 classes are now full but I do run waiting lists 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 and one in North Wales. Contact me to go on the waiting lists

  • Sketching or Drawing? 6 Tips to get you started

  • Exhibitions Update:Find out more about two outstanding exhbitions opening in London in 2010 that you won't want to miss.

  • We're on Facebook Learn to Draw Right now has a page on Facebook so drop and see what's there...

  • 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.



CENTRAL LONDON: Monday May 3rd - Friday May 7th 2010 (9.30 to 5.30pm)
WHERE? Amadeus Centre, 50 Shirland Road, Little Venice W9 2JA (Nearest tube: Maida Vale (Bakerloo line))

HOW MUCH? £475

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT £50 off
Special price of £425 if you book and pay in full before 6th February 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.
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 here

I only supply the Portfolio as part of the 5-day drawing course but you can purchase it separately from Brian Bomeisler's website in the USA at www.drawright.com



CENTRAL LONDON: Monday May 31st - Friday 4th June 2010 (9.30 to 5.30pm)

WHERE? Amadeus Centre, 50 Shirland Road, Little Venice W9 2JA (Nearest tube: Maida Vale (Bakerloo line))

HOW MUCH? £475

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT £50 off
Special price of £425 if you book and pay in full before 27th February 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.
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 here

I only supply the Portfolio as part of the 5-day drawing course but you can purchase it separately from Brian Bomeisler's website in the USA at www.drawright.com


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


"Loved the course from start to finish. I can't believe the difference - I have always wanted to draw but was too afraid to even attempt it. Whilst I'm not yet Leonardo I am so, so pleased with the progress."

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)


SKETCHING OR DRAWING? 6 Tips to Get You Started

People often tell me they want to be able to do 'quick sketches'. What does this mean? Sketching does suggest a drawing done on the 'hoof', perhaps as preparatory work for something that will be more finished however, all the same skills are needed whether drawing or sketching - drawing negative shapes will strenthen your composition, sighting angles and proportions will create depth, using light and shadow will create mood. Someone who draws quickly is drawing with confidence because they have learned the basic skills of drawing. This confidence is often what people are yearning for. Here are 6 tips to get you started:
  • Position yourself somewhere discreet - perhaps with your back against a wall if you prefer not to have people peering over your shoulder to look.
  • Use your hands to create a 'viewfinder' which allows you to 'crop' the image (like looking through a camera). You want to look for negative spaces around the objects in your viewpoint. Draw these shapes and you will get the objects for free.
  • Don't be in a hurry to put pen to paper... just look... and look again... It can be helpful to take your pencil and sketch 'in the air' what you are trying to draw. It's almost as if the body learns what you are seeing.
  • Consider from the start how everything in your compositon relates to each other. Always be asking yourself - where is this in relation to that? Is it bigger or smaller? Where does it join?
  • Start with the big general shapes first. You may not need much detail and any you put in should be the last thing you do.
  • Consider angles of the objects you are drawing... if you can get the angle down correctly you will get the proportions correct.

    • And of course - all of this applies whether you are 'sketching' or 'drawing'

    Here is a link to a travel sketch blog by George Butler that you might want to look at for inspiration. Drawing is a great way to remember a place - whether it's on holiday or just around home... click here


    London Exhibitions in 2010

    THE REAL VAN GOGH: THE ARTIST AND HIS LETTERS
    23 January to 18th April 2010 at the Royal Academy, London.
    This is the largest Van Gogh exhibition since 1968. It's a great opportunity to see letters (he wrote in English and French as well as Dutch)he wrote to his brother Theo, describing the paintings he was working on and often including sketches of them. What comes through is his desire to learn, to improve and persevere... Van Gogh learned to draw and paint only in the last 10 years of his life so there is hope for us yet. It's great too to see some of his larger drawings that are rarely on show.

    The frustration of the exhibition are the crowds - particularly as the letters are so small it's hard to get up close and see them. Still if you can get there on a quiet day I'd highly recommend it. Find out more here

    FRA ANGELICO TO LEONARDO: RENAISSANCE DRAWINGS
    22 April to 25 July 2010 at the British Museum, London
    This exhibition is a unique collaboration between the Uffizi in Florence and the British Museum.

    Over 100 exquisite drawings by Italian Renaissance artists including Raphael, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Verrocchio among others will be on show. A rare opportunity indeed to see drawings from two major collections.

    "This exhibition is a unique opportunity to discover the evolution of drawing which laid the foundations of the High Renaissance style of Michelangelo and Raphael."

    Find out more 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.

    The group is in its infancy so don't be shy... Facebook is free to join and you can visit the group 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

    Received this Newsletter from a Friend?

    If you've been forwarded this Newsletter from a friend and you'd like to subscribe to Drawing Matters yourself, just

    click here

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

    Contact Anna here


    © Anna Black, London, UK 2007
    Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
    is a registered trademark of
    Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Inc.,
    and is used here under licence

    SBI
    SBI!