Tag: Workshops

Permission to Draw taster session coming soon

  • Post date January 11, 2025

Permission to Draw taster session image

Permission to Draw 2025

The 2025 ‘Permission to Draw’ course is now full – email me to join the waiting list for the next.

I’ve always told people that drawing is a teachable skill, because I was lucky enough to have some great teachers throughout my career. It’s true – anyone with an interest can learn to draw what they see, I’ve seen proof of that with my own students.

So in 2021 I developed my online observational drawing course to share those skills and pass on the pleasure of drawing.

You can join my 2025 course now – it’s starting soon…

How this drawing course works

Permission to Draw consists of 10 classes in 2 x 5 week Blocks, giving you a full ‘toolbox’ for observational drawing.

Classes will run via Zoom on a Tuesday evening 7.30 – 9.00pm GMT, beginning in February 2025.

Block 1 Perception – starts 4th February

  • The cognitive shift, seeing vs knowing, negative space, relationships and mark making.

Block 2 Representation – starts 11th March

  • Measuring, line into form, tone, visual gym and bringing all the tools together

Free Taster session

I’m offering an introductory session on Tuesday 21st January 7.30 – 8.30pm GMT in my virtual studio, where I’ll show you how the course is structured and answer your questions about participating. Get in touch to get the link and I’ll see you there!

Get the link

Artist Tansy Lee Moir drawing quote

Categories Blog, Teaching

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Charcoal Printmaking with the Gelli plate

  • Post date January 5, 2025

black and white drawings on the wall

Charcoal Printmaking Project

Charcoal printmaking is my new thing. I always seem to need a ‘new thing’ creatively, even though the urge to learn and innovate can slow down the art making.

I’ve made my peace with this little conundrum – I know myself well enough to allow for time spent on the edge of failure or disappointment, for the promise of a new discovery. I know I’d get bored very quickly if every drawing felt like repeating myself.

a layered charcoal drawing of a tree
A layered drawing and redrawing of an old oak tree

Can I transfer a charcoal drawing using a gelli plate?

So my studio project for last autumn was to explore the potential for transferring charcoal drawings via a gel plate. I investigated the range and depth of mark making it offered, the possibilities for layering and combining drawings, making a series from one reworked drawing, tested the extremes of the materials.

a detail of a printed charcoal drawing
Close details of the mark making possibilities

I got properly carried away and made more than 70 prints in my Big Studio with Outer Spaces Scotland. I absolutely loved it – it was still drawing, still charcoal, still very me, just with that extra excitement I needed to make the work feel fresh.

a close up image of a charcoal reduction drawing
Testing the fidelity of the transfer with charcoal powder

My next steps this winter are to incorporate what I’ve learned into a new body of work for a spring exhibition. I’m also teaching a workshop on the technique on Jan 18th in Edinburgh, and considering offering an online version too, so let me know if you might be interested.

examples of charcoal printmaking
Details of some of the test prints
Categories Studio

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