Another question that came up was how to handle models sitting, lying down, or seen from extreme angles — in other words, figures in perspective . Many students can draw a standing figure straight on, but things fall apart when the body tilts or recedes. I've always found that treating the figure as a set of simple volumes in space can help. That coupled with some observational drawing techniques like plumb lining to see which points line up. Resource to Study: Marcos Mateu-

Over the last few weekends, I taught anatomy workshops on Drawing Anatomy: The Head & Hands  and Drawing Anatomy: Full Body  at The Art Academy, London. Many students asked what to study next, so I’ve written this two-part series to help anyone continuing their figure-drawing journey. Each post tackles a common question from class - from simplifying the body into planes to drawing figures in perspective and designing your own characters. Part 1 - Understanding Planes of the B

Learn how the Munsell colour system helps artists understand hue, value, and chroma — and why our perception of colour is always relative. Discover simple tricks to see and mix colours more accurately when painting from life.

During the Head and Hands Drawing  workshop I taught this past weekend, quite a few students asked if I could recommend any good resources on perspective. It’s a question that comes up a lot, so I thought I’d share my favourite perspective books (and one excellent YouTube channel) that have helped me most over the years. Some of the books are available in the public domain and some aren't so I've linked them either to where you can read the pdf or where you can buy them if yo

If you’re thinking about starting oil painting, you’ve probably already had a look in an art shop or online supply list — and felt overwhelmed. The truth is you just need a few carefully chosen materials to get going confidently — and that’s what this post is here to help you with. SHOPPING LIST: TOOLS (these things you will only buy once) Easel Palette Brushes - here you'll find a pack tha will give you most of the hog hair brushes covered in the video - perfect to get sta

One of the most important—and challenging—skills in representational art is figure drawing. In this post, I’m sharing a recent drawing I made of a standing female model, drawn from the front view with Wolff carbon pencils. The video is a short, slightly sped-up time-lapse, but I’ve also put to one side some skeletal and muscle diagrams to show how I think about form beneath the surface. What I Focused On in This Study In this particular drawing, I kept my focus on a few core

Plaster casts have long been a cornerstone of classical art education — and for good reason. Their simplified white surfaces, strong form, and timeless elegance make them ideal for studying light, shadow, and structure. In my latest YouTube video, I take you through my charcoal drawing of a particularly challenging plaster cast head, from start to finish. This was a complex sculpture — a Roman or Ancient Greek-style mask, full of deep-set features, sharp planes, and flowing l

Understanding the structure of the human skull is essential for any artist looking to improve their portrait and figure drawing skills. In my latest YouTube video, I break down the process of drawing a skull using a simplified planar model alongside a real skull reference. This exercise helps train your eye to see the underlying forms and volumes, making it easier to draw realistic heads with confidence. Why Use a Simplified Skull Model? When learning to draw the head, it's e

Want to improve your drawing accuracy? In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to draw from a 2D reference that is the same size as your paper.

Charcoal: Time-Lapse Drawing of a Male Torso and Legs In my latest YouTube video, I’ve created a time-lapse of a charcoal drawing focusing on the male torso and legs, breaking down the process of rendering anatomy, light, and form. The Power of Charcoal in Figure Drawing I love charcoal for it's versatility. It can render deep shadows having a large tonal value range, soft transitions if desired, and is relatively inexpensive. When working on this study, I focused on: Structu

There are many different ways to paint with oils. One of these ways is 'glazing'. 'Glazing' is the brushing on of a thin, transparent, darker paint layer over an area of dry paint. It’s a common technique used in a form of academic painting in which artists first establish a finely detailed, monochromatic underpainting (called a grisaille if done in greys and a bistre if done in browns) and then apply a s eries of coloured glazes. This indirect method of painting achieves a