Some of the happiest memories I have of my mum are the many pictures she painted at home, which have now been passed down to her children. She was a gifted artist like her mother before, and worked most of her life as an art teacher. When she died a couple of years ago, I wondered whether her artistic genes had been passed down to me. I had no formal training in art, so when a friend recommended the London Art College Drawing and Painting Course, which I could follow from home, I jumped at the chance.
Two years on and I’m so glad I took the time to learn the basics, as these have really helped me to develop my skills. I had no idea about the importance of tonal values, or what a difference it would make to get the perspective right (even when I had trained as an engineer and done technical drawing!) I found Paul Weaver’s feedback on each of my assignments particularly helpful as I progressed through the course, as well as his tips on how to tackle each new assignment.
I really enjoyed experimenting with different media, especially drawing in ink and using water mixable oil paints which I had never used before. I found the figure drawing assignments particularly challenging as they took me out of my comfort zone, and was surprised what a difference it made to my work when I drew from observation rather than using photo references.
I’m so pleased I completed the course – I like to think my mum would have been proud! My only regret is that I didn’t embark on the course earlier so I could have discussed my art assignments with her when she was alive. I have now started hanging some of my work on the walls of our home and wonder which of my paintings (if any) will inspire my children to explore the world of art!
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