A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this reason, in photography a portrait is generally not a snapshot, but a composed image of a person in a still position. A portrait often shows a person looking directly at the painter or photographer, in order to most successfully engage the subject with the viewer. I will cover the basics of proportions, tone lighting etc.

Drawing remains a central and pivotal activity to the work of many artists and designers – a touchstone and tool of creative exploration that informs visual discovery. It fundamentally enables the visualisation and development of perceptions and ideas. With a history as long and intensive as the history of our culture, the act of drawing remains a fundamental means to translate, document, record and analyse the worlds we inhabit. The role of drawing in education remains critical, and not just to the creative disciplines in art and design for which it is foundational. As a primary visual language, essential for communication and expression, drawing is as important as the development of written and verbal skills. The need to understand the world through visual means would seem more acute than ever; images transcend the barriers of language, and enhance communications in an increasingly globalised world.

Art is a broad subject by nature. I begin my lessons with a conversation about what you as a pupil would like to learn and gain form our lessons. We can then draw up a plan and work from there. Art involves a diverse range of activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the author's imaginative, conceptual ideas, or technical skill, intended to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Other activities related to the production of works of art include the criticism of art, and the study of the history of art. Please send me a personal message to discuss what else you could learn in my lessons.

HELPS WITH CREATIVITY The more you fill the pages of your sketchbook and flex your creativity muscles, the easier your ideas and imagination will flow. Sketchbooks are great because you're not confined to just drawing. You can use it as a place to explore different mediums, study different techniques, create color palettes, design patterns, and keep a collection of visuals that inspire you. Using a variety of mediums in a sketchbook also helps grow creativity. Even though I work on a computer all day, I still very much enjoy taking a step back from that to draw or paint, even if it's just a quick doodle. You may find that what you use as inspiration for your sketchbook and the mediums you use cross over into other work. For example, I love hand-lettering, and there are times that skill comes in handy for an editorial feature. What you explore in your sketchbook can open up new doors; it can help push you outside of the norm, where you explore new ideas and maybe even help you define your personal style. KEEPS YOUR SKILLS SHARP Keeping up a sketchbook is a great way to keep my drawing skills sharp. Maintaining that skill is important since sketching out ideas is a major part of my design process. When I get stuck on something, a pencil and a sheet of paper are the first things I reach for because it helps me unload a lot of what’s inside my brain and turn it into visuals. I can then see what ideas are working and what ideas aren't. Sketching is an important aspect of being a graphic designer, and I can see it being a very useful skill in other creative fields as well. By being a creative who practices and keeps your drawing skills sharp, you can quickly and easily sketch ideas that pop into your head and then save that sketch to refer back to when you need it. It’s also comes in handy when you’re trying to communicate ideas to others. Oftentimes I’ll be discussing artwork for an upcoming magazine issue with an editor and sketching layouts frequently comes into play. The ability to sketch has continually proven to be an important and versatile tool for me.