Teaching
Drawing and Painting from Life
Train the Eye. Trust the Hand. Follow the Heart.
Drawing and painting from life sit at the heart of everything I teach. Whether you are picking up a pencil for the first time or returning after many years, it begins with learning to look carefully — and finding the confidence to respond in your own way.
Ethos and Philosophy
Drawing is the foundation of everything I paint.
It is where we learn to see as artists, through patient observation. Every mark is a search for proportion, structure, tone and truth. Drawing gives our imaginations a way into the visible world.
Over the years, I have come to believe that learning begins with slowing down and looking properly at what is in front of us: the structure of a figure, light moving across a landscape, or the small differences that make a face unmistakably someone’s own.
Learning to recognise these things, and translate them into shape, tone and colour, is the process I teach.
Working directly from life is central to that process. Our eyes reveal relationships, depth and subtleties that photographs often lose. Through guided exercises and practical demonstrations, I help students simplify complex subjects and build their drawings and paintings from those important first marks.
We work through observation, comparative measurement, composition and tonal relationships, before bringing colour into the picture. Using the three dimensions of Munsell colour — hue, value and chroma — I teach a practical approach to understanding and mixing colour. With practice, those decisions become more instinctive.
These skills give you the means to express what you see and feel. My aim is to help you develop them while nurturing your own voice, curiosity and enjoyment.
Essential Observations
Learning to see. Finding your own voice.
Perhaps the single most important piece of advice I can offer any artist is to keep a sketchbook.
Not simply as a place to draw, but somewhere to observe, think, question and record our experiences of the world. Words, sketches, colour notes, ideas and compositions all become part of a deeper process of learning to see more clearly, and understanding both ourselves and the world around us.
Over time, these books become far more than collections of drawings. They become records of perception, experience and discovery.
Essential Observations is a developing collection of my own sketchbook studies, paintings, practical observations and personal reflections, gathered through years of working directly from life.
From the streets of London to the quieter corners of the countryside, it explores not only the methods and practices fundamental to drawing and painting, but also the curiosity, courage and individuality that lie behind creative expression.
I’m currently bringing this material together for Essential Observations — Volume One, an illustrated publication planned in both digital and physical editions.
In the meantime, I invite you to subscribe to Studio Notes, my occasional newsletter, where I’ll share new work, observations from my practice, insights into painting and teaching, and updates on the forthcoming publication.
Be among the first to hear about Essential Observations — Volume One, including previews and publication news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.
Private Lessons
Private lessons offer a focused and supportive environment in which to develop your artistic skills with confidence.
Whether you are completely new to drawing and painting or looking to deepen an existing practice, one-to-one tuition allows lessons to be tailored specifically to your individual interests, strengths, and goals. Working directly from life wherever possible, sessions are designed to strengthen observation, drawing, composition, tone, colour, and the practical understanding needed to translate ideas into resolved artworks.
The atmosphere is relaxed, encouraging, and practical — helping students develop both technical ability and confidence over time.
Group Classes
Alongside private tuition, group classes and workshops provide a more shared and collaborative learning environment.
Working together from life, students are encouraged to exchange ideas, learn through observation, and develop their understanding through practical exercises and demonstrations. These sessions place strong emphasis on careful looking, honest observation, and the gradual development of confidence and individual artistic voice.
Workshops and classes are suitable for a range of abilities and offer an opportunity to study within a supportive and inspiring creative atmosphere.
I am proud to be affiliated with Rosemary and Co brushes. You can order my Plein Air Painting Brush Set here.
