The figure drawing course was a varied and enriching experience, exposing us to a variety of different mediums and techniques, many of which I was inspired to take forward further in my A level portfolio. I found the liquid ink brush drawing particularly interesting.

The course was split up into sessions on the weekends and after school, working with different techniques of mark making and representing the human form in different expressive and abstracted ways. We started with timed pencil drawings and built up to a small sculptural drawing into a clay panel. Using people across the room as models, we drew with chalk, charcoal and erasers on different types of paper, considering their relation to the space around them. It was great to practise my observational drawing skills and develop ways of drawing figures and objects. The expressive abstracted style I explored has given me the confidence to refine and develop my drawing skills and techniques.

The most engaging and enjoyable technique, for me, was ink drawing. I found the fluidity and space between pen and watercolour to be really effective in building up depth and expressive detail. I explored this medium further in a series of egg drawings relating to my A level theme of Transformations. Developing these styles of drawing into a three dimensional clay sculpture was also revealing. This was a great opportunity to do something a bit different and it was a pleasure to work with the artist Clio Lloyd-Jacob.