Apply by 5 September 2023
Designed by artists, for artists, the Online Drawing Development Year is an innovative course that has been devised to allow arts graduates and those with a developing studio practice, to benefit from live online drawing tuition and a structured critical dialogue with tutors, mentors, and peers over the course of three terms.
Taught at postgraduate level, this programme will provide students with structure, sustained critical engagement and the development of drawing skills, all in dialogue with their existing artistic practice.
This is a flexible, part-time course and students will be able to curate their own programme of courses each term, allowing for a balance between work, studio time and other commitments. Delivered online, the course also suits those who live outside of London and abroad or have specific access needs.
Applications are now open for a course start in January 2024. Application deadline: midday on Tuesday September 5, 2023. Apply here.
Course structure
The Online Drawing Development Year is a three-term remote learning course that features a structured series of drawing courses, lectures, mentoring sessions and one-to-one tutorials with practising artists that will complement and develop your own studio practice.
Over the year students will benefit from:
Up to three online daytime drawing classes per week every term (or equivalent) equating to 540 hours of live tuition—students curate the taught drawing programme from our online drawing courses.
–Six Core online evening classes exclusively for Online Drawing Development Year students
–Six tutorials with a member of our faculty
–Six mentoring sessions with a practising artist
–Three end of term group crits
–Termly online series of lectures and in-conversations with artists, curators and art historians
–Professional development series in the final term
–The opportunity for two days of in-person Core classes at our Shoreditch studios and locations in London
Royal Drawing School Curriculum
The Royal Drawing School is one of only a few institutions in the world offering in-depth, quality tuition in drawing from observation. All courses offered at the School are divided into three main areas: Drawing in the Studio, Drawing from Art and Drawing our Environment. Imagination runs as a theme through all these areas and there are also specific courses designed to investigate the role of imagination in drawing from observation. Each term students will be able to choose from over 45 online daytime and evening courses, specifically designed for distance learning.
Teaching
All courses are taught at postgraduate level by a faculty of over 75 distinguished artists and teachers. Online courses use Zoom as well as Padlet, a platform on which students can access resources and share their work. Daytime courses run from 10am–5pm and evening courses run from 6pm–9pm.
Alumni opportunities
On completion of the course, students will be encouraged to work together to produce a self-directed online or physical group exhibition, supported where possible by the School.
As an alumni of the Online Drawing Development Year you will also receive an ongoing discount of 50 percent on online short courses through our Concessions Scheme and have the opportunity to apply to the Dumfries House Artist Residency programme.
Student experience and open days
You can read more about past student experiences on our blog or come along to one of our online open days where you can hear more about the course, meet tutors and alumni, and participate in a Q&A.
Online open day I: July 26, 2–3pm
Online open day II: August 9, 6–7pm
Online open day III: August 23, 6–7pm
