Charcoal Studio is an online group for people who want to develop their charcoal drawing practice, with tuition and guidance from a professional artist specialising in charcoal.
What the Charcoal Studio offers
- A monthly appointment to draw with a practicing artist.
- Support and inspiration for your charcoal drawing habit.
- A regular group where you can ask questions and get feedback.
- A gentle commitment to developing your own charcoal drawing voice.
How it works
- On the second Wednesday of the month you will be emailed a PDF drawing prompt or theme.
- This will include a selection of reference images, a description of the theme with suggestions and tips, plus links to other artists to inspire you.
- You will then have two weeks to draw in response to the theme, if you choose to.
- On the last Wednesday of the month we will meet in the virtual studio for 1.5 hrs of guided drawing activities, including a drawing demonstration and time for questions and feedback on your drawings.
- Classes will be recorded and a private YouTube link will be emailed to you the following day.
Charcoal Studio runs in 3 month ‘seasons’ so you can see how your drawings progress over time. You are welcome to join, leave and rejoin for any season.
Cost: £60 per season (3 months) for 3 PDF resources, 4.5 hours live online tuition plus access to recordings.
Autumn season live dates
- Wednesday 30th September, 7.30-9pm BST
- Wednesday 28th October, 7.30-9pm BST
- Wednesday 25th November, 7.30-9pm GMT
In case you can’t make it live, the sessions will be recorded and emailed to you the following day, so you can draw along to them at any time.
What do I need to take part?
This is my recommended materials list, but you can begin with whatever charcoal drawing materials you have.
You will also need some drawing space near your computer or device, plus an A3 drawing board. Access to wall space or an easel is helpful but not essential and I can suggest ways to adapt your available space.
The most important thing you will need is a curiosity about what you can do with charcoal!
Frequently asked questions
Does it matter if I can’t attend all the live sessions?
No, you can draw along with the recording at any time and each month will be a separate theme so you won’t need to do them in any order.
Do I need all the things on the materials list?
You will need cartridge paper, charcoal sticks and a kneadable eraser to begin with and can gradually build up your kit as you go. Here’s the full materials list to aim at.
Do I have to show my drawings on camera?
Only if you want to. I will invite the group to share their work but will never pressure anyone into doing it – it’s your choice. As a teacher I find it helpful to see how you’re getting on and I will offer feedback if requested, but will also respect your decision to keep your work private.
I’m a total beginner with charcoal, is this the group to learn in?
You will learn in this group but it will be focused on development, so you might feel you’re missing the basics. I teach these in my Discover Charcoal Drawing online course. The next course will run in early 2027.
I’m not great at drawing what I see, does that matter?
This group will focus on how to get the most out of charcoal as a material. A little experience with drawing what you see will be helpful, but an openness to trying new things and a desire to practise is more important. If you’d like help to draw what you see, I also offer Permission to Draw, an online course which teaches observational drawing skills.
Will I be expected to have done my homework before a live session?
No – the theme is not homework, just a suggestion for a new way to try drawing with charcoal. The prompt is intended to enthuse and inspire but I know that sometimes life interrupts our good intentions, so there’s no expectation that you’ll have a pile of drawings to show at the live session. Great if you do, no problem if you don’t.
How can I get feedback on my work?
There will be dedicated time for feedback on the month’s theme during the live sessions. You can bring your drawings and questions to the live sessions or email them if you are not able to attend live. I cannot offer feedback via email between live sessions but you can hear the answers on the recording.
Is it ok to work on my own charcoal drawing project?
Following the monthly themes will give structure and variety to develop your charcoal drawing approach, but you can choose to work from your own reference images or subject matter if you prefer. There won’t be time during our live sessions to give detailed feedback on individual projects.
Will there be anywhere to share drawings and comment outside of the live sessions?
The Charcoal Studio doesn’t currently include any other group platform, but I am looking into using Padlet to enable people to share their work with each other between live sessions if they wish.
Do you offer individual tuition or mentoring?
I don’t currently offer individual support for your drawing practice due to other commitments, but if you would be interested in 1:1 support in the future, please contact me and I’ll let you know if this becomes available.
Email me if you have another question.