Portrait Drawing: From Sketches to Sustained Studies

Explore and learn to draw the forms and structures of the human head, facial features, and body dynamics and discover the connection between the ‘character’ and the ‘face’. Using a variety of drawing mediums from pencil, charcoal, ink and wash to collage, via quick sketches and sustained drawings, students will investigate a range of subjects starting with the skull and plaster casts, to the live model and self-portrait.

Kim Spooner challenges you to find out “What holds the key to a likeness?” He references historical and contemporary portraits to provide insight into artists’ approach their portrait subjects, their methodologies, and use of materials. She welcomes entry level students and caters to more experienced students to enable experimentation with new materials and techniques.  Kim provides the scope to explore compositional possibilities that the sitter/model and surroundings may present, during the sustained and in-depth studies.

* Short courses are open to students of ages 16 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.

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

• 1 x 4B and 1 x 6B graphite pencils
• 4 x sticks willow charcoal 10mm
• 2 x sticks compressed charcoal
• 1 x medium and soft charcoal pencil
• 1 x sepia or sanguine Conte pencil
• 1 x white Conte pencil
• Block rubber
• Soft cloth
• 2 large bulldog clips
• 1 x Aquarelle graphite pencil
• 1 x Aquarelle black pencil
• 3 x sheets good quality drawing paper e.g. Stonehenge 150 gsm A2 size or bigger
• 10 x sheets of A2 cartridge paper
• 1 x sheet of A2 Canson paper mid tone grey
• Enclosed footwear is essential in all studios on campus

Kim Spooner’s artwork incorporates a deep knowledge of art-making techniques, literature, and cultural narratives; with expertise in traditional methods such as egg tempera and encaustic painting. Her paintings and drawings—ranging from intimate to grand in scale—weave together diverse subjects to create a collective narrative and spark social dialogue. She is also an award-winning portraitist with portrait paintings and drawings held in the National Portrait Gallery and regional galleries throughout Australia. She is an inspirational teacher who is skilled at communicating ideas and responding to the individual needs of students and artists. She has completed a number of artist’s residencies, including at the prestigious Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, in 2009. Kim has won major Art Prizes and Awards, is a regular exhibitor at Sydney Contemporary Art Fair and is represented by Nanda Hobbs Contemporary Gallery, Sydney.