ATELIER REFRESH - Tutored Practise with Model
Dates: Weekly
Times: 3 hour sessions
Location: Enniskerry
Skill Level: all levels welcome
Please contact us if you have any queries
Drawing & Painting from Life
With William Nathans & Nicholas Robinson
Working from the live model is the ultimate test of your skills. In this tutored studio, you will focus on many aspects (also focussed on within the TUTORED NO MODEL SESSIONS) – proportion, value, edge control, and colour – to the most complex subject of all: the human figure.
The life model studio begins with drawing. You will work in graphite and charcoal before progressing to oil paint. This ensures you have a solid grasp of proportion, structure, and value before adding the complexity of colour and paint handling. However, if you wish to join the classes and start with painting we will support you but we can’t recommend more strongly how valuable following the Atelier curriculum will be to you art practise.
Working with the model are all part of the exercises of classical atelier training, designed to teach you how to see accurately and render form convincingly. You can join these classes as part of our ATELIER REFRESHED program and continue at your own pace.
Check out our booking options HERE
Why is working with a life model so important?
Long Poses with Model
3 or 6 long poses, 30–60 hours each – Sustained observation over multiple sessions (4–8 weeks). You will develop a finished drawing or painting of a live model in a fixed pose. It is up to you to book in based on the schedule for the same pose; see dates below for planned poses
MODEL 1 POSE A;
Dates: 7th Sept - 10th Nov
Mondays 10am - 1pm
Tuesdays 2 - 5pm
60 TOTAL HOURS AVAILABLE
MODEL 2 POSE B;
Dates: 9th Sept - 11th Nov
Wednesdays 6 - 9pm
30 TOTAL HOURS AVAILABLE
Why it works:
The human figure is the most demanding subject. Photography flattens form. Life teaches you to see volume, weight, and presence. Working from a live model over multiple sessions removes time pressure – you learn to check and correct over hours, not minutes.
Do I need to start at the very beginning?
While it is not essential to have completed every foundational project before joining the life model studio, it is very much recommended. Cast drawing and Bargue training give you the structural understanding you need to see the figure accurately. Students who join the life model studio without foundation training often struggle with proportion and value. We recommend starting with cast drawing first.
How long does each project take?
Every student is different. A long pose with the model takes 40–60 hours per pose. Portrait projects take 15–50 hours. Some students complete them quickly; others take longer to refine. You work at your own pace until you are ready to move on.
Who is this for:
Students who have completed foundational training (Bargue and cast drawing) or have equivalent experience. Beginners are welcome to start with cast drawing before progressing to the life model
Meet the Tutors
