Foundations of Drawing: A Beginner’s Journey

Through engaging observational drawing exercises, you’ll learn to see the world with an artist’s eye, building confidence and establishing a strong foundation for your practice. Over eight weeks, the course will cover key principles such as gesture and mark-making, proportions and measurement, form and structure, and light and tone.

Sadhbha Cockburn guides you with combination of demonstrations, group exercises, and individual tuition, and teaches the skills needed to capture movement, depth, and detail in your artwork.

Students will work from still life, historic references, the NAS site, and a life model, experimenting with materials like charcoal, graphite, and ink. With plenty of time to practice, you’ll leave with a greater understanding of drawing techniques and the confidence to continue making your own artworks.

The course also includes visits to the NAS library, where students will have access to resources for the duration of the term, and the on-campus NAS gallery. These visits provide valuable opportunities to learn from both historic and contemporary masters, offering inspiration and helping you develop your own artistic voice.

Whether you’re picking up a pencil for the first time or looking to strengthen your skills, this course will provide the tools and guidance to help you grow as an artist.

* NAS Short Courses are open to students of ages 16 years and over. The NAS Art Club is open to students from ages 15 years and over. 

* Drawing and painting short courses may be held in upstairs studios. If access to stairs is not suitable, please contact us at short.courses@nas.edu.au 

* What to bring? Please refer to the list of required materials in the Art Materials field below. 

Sadhbha Cockburn is an artist and writer, living and working upon Gadigal and Bidjigal country. She holds a BFA (Painting), an MFA (Drawing) from the National Art School, Sydney, and has a background in medicine. A recipient of an Australian Government Research Training Scholarship, she is currently completing a PhD in Visual Art at the University of New South Wales. Sadhbha has participated in multiple group exhibitions and prizes including recent exhibitions at Schmick Contemporary, DRAW Space, aMBUSH gallery and airSPACE projects in Sydney. In 2023, she was awarded the Onslow Storrier Residency Prize at La Cité Internationale in Paris and the Foundations Residency Prize in Portland, NSW.

Sadhbha teaches drawing at the National Art School, at multiple high schools in Sydney, and also worked as an art facilitator and teacher for the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Offering a gentle approach, she aims to foster the unique artistic voices of each of her students.

Students must supply their own art materials, please refer to the list below.

• 1 pad of A2 cartridge paper (approx. 20 sheets)
• Set of graphite pencils from 2B to 8B
• 1 box (approx. 10 sticks) willow charcoal
• Willow charcoal
• Pencil sharpener or Stanley knife
• 1 hard eraser
• 1 putty rubber
• 2 bulldog clips
• Fixative spray
• 1 roll of masking tape
• 1 small bottle black ink (approx. 60ml)
• an old ice cube tray
• 3 x plastic containers with lids for ink
• 1 soft synthetic paintbrush (approx. size 14 to 20) or any paintbrush that you have already

Other materials (not required for first class)

• 2 sheets of brown Kraft paper (around 280gsm)
• 1 white pastel pencil or white charcoal pencil
• 1 Conte crayon: Sanguine or Bistre
  

Enclosed footwear is essential in all studios on campus.