Dates: June 4-9, 2027
Hours: Museum Day - 11:30 am-6:00 pm
Hours: Studio Days - 11:00 am-5:00 pm
Lunch: 1:30 pm-2:30 pm

Course Description:

Held in the historic Ashmolean Museum studio in Oxford, this six-day workshop offers artists a unique opportunity to study portrait drawing from life.

This immersive 6-day experience begins with a private guided tour at the National Gallery in London, where participants will study important master artworks up-close, and Darren will lead group discussions that center around real world, directly applicable drawing and composition principles that carry over into the studio for the rest f the workshop. Finally we’ll end our museum day with a discussion around historical methods and materials which will prime artists for the following five days of intensive drawing.

This workshop will concentrate on the process of drawing a portrait over the course of the week. Each day will commence with Darren providing a demonstration drawing that explains the methodology and objectives for each day’s session. Personalized critiques will be offered at easels each day, accompanied by continuing demonstrations as Darren works alongside the students.

Schedule:

On days one and two, the focus will be on the block-in phase of the drawing process. This involves taking time to achieve the most accurate representation of the subject, utilizing contour drawing techniques combined with light and shadow shapes. Emphasis will be placed on skeletal structure, symmetry, and the depiction of large anatomical features.

On days three through five, the focus will shift to building form with value relationships. This involves progressing from large, simple modeling to intricate details and facial features.

The overall emphasis will be on creating an accurate drawing by combining “likeness” (the proper arrangement of shapes and thoughtful expression) with gesture. This will be achieved through the use of large, simple form modeling in conjunction with progressively smaller form modeling until a completed drawing is achieved over the course of the week. Additionally, skeletal and muscular anatomy, as well as the principles of anatomical flow, will be the focal points of the workshop.

Talks will be provided on the tools used in the drawing process, including pencils and paper choices. Topics such as symmetry and anatomy in the head and techniques for simplifying large, complex objects into manageable ones will also be covered.

Instructor Bio:

Darren Kingsley is an instructor at REAL, a drawing and painting academy located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He honed his painting skills over several years under the teachings of Nelson Shanks in Philadelphia, where he delved into color and gestural drawing, drawing inspiration from the Italian masters while incorporating the principles of impressionist color. Prior to this, he attended Atelier Lack in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he participated in a rigorous program that emphasized precise and accurate drawing.

Kingsley’s artistic repertoire encompasses a diverse range of styles, from impressionist landscapes and still lifes to highly detailed tonal figure and portrait paintings. His primary objective is to convey a sense of life and vitality in his work, avoiding methods that can result in stiff and lifeless drawings.

Throughout his career, Kingsley has taught figure drawing, painting, cast drawing, still life, color study, and anatomy at various locations worldwide. His teaching experience includes institutions such as The Atelier in Minneapolis, the original Studio Incamminati, and workshops held at the Bay Area Classical Art Academy in Northern California, Grand Central Academy in New York City, and Lyme Academy in Lyme, Connecticut.

Dates: June 4-9, 2027 (6 days)

One day at the National Gallery, London
Five days of drawing from a live model
Western Print Room Visit (Date TBA)
End of class Group Dinner
Optional Pub night unhosted at your leisure

Included:

One day of Museum lectures, study, critique & demos
Train and Taxi from Oxford to/from London for Museum day
Group Lunch at the National Gallery
Five days of Drawing in the Studio with a live model
Visit the Ashmolean Print Room, lecture, drawing, and critique
End of class group dinner
Easels, tabourets, and chairs
Studio space in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Museum Lectures:
Friday, June 4 - National Gallery, London 
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Portrait Drawing in the Studio from a live Model:
Saturday, June 5 - Wednesday, June 9
Hours 11:00 am - 5:00 pm  
Lunch 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Accessibility:
Local cafes and restaurants within Oxford 
Oxford Bus and rail transit

COST: $1,950.00
( £ 1,477.27)
(Conversion Rates may vary by day)

BACAA/Darren Kingsley Intensive Portrait Drawing - Oxford, UK