Fabric and the figure: Life drawing summer school

Event information

• Type: Courses: Art making
• Date: 27 July - 29 July 2026
• Tickets: From £486
• Location: The National Gallery
• Address: Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN, UK
• Official page: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/events/fabric-and-the-figure-life-drawing-summer-school-july-2026-0

Details

About

Calling artists of all levels. Refine your skills in this three-day summer school focused on form and fabric. Enter the dramatic world of Baroque art where the human figure becomes a powerful storytelling tool. Inspired by the National Gallery exhibition, 'Zurbarán', and his contemporaries like Diego Velázquez, this life drawing course explores how artists used light, shadow and restraint to create exciting and powerful paintings.

Across three days in the Clore Art Studio and in the Gallery, you’ll draw from a life model in carefully staged poses that reflect the theatre of Baroque painting. Through focused life drawing, close looking and discussion, you’ll explore how light directs attention and how the human body can convey drama through posture, gesture and presence.

This summer school prioritises slow looking and sustained making. With time to observe and experiment, you’ll explore the expressive possibilities of flesh and fabric using a variety of materials, from charcoal to ink.

This summer school is suitable for all levels, with all materials provided, and your work is yours to take home. Handouts with extra resources will be provided in advance of the sessions to enrich your experience.

Suitable for participants aged 18 or over.