Meet the tutors: Emma Burleigh

Learning to draw, paint, print or sculpt isn’t always about rigorous discipline and emulating the work of the great artists throughout history. Self-expression and exploration are equally important, and tapping into that part of yourself can sometimes can be tricky to master.

 

We chatted to Drawing School tutor Emma Burleigh who is an expert at drawing out your inner artist. She will be teaching Introduction to Creating Graphic Novels in November:

 

Hi Emma, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your practice?

I’m Emma Burleigh, an artist, tutor and author based just north of Bristol. My practice flows between painting, illustration and graphic narrative, often exploring nature, my emotional experiences, and the odd messy, magical moment. 

 

One of your classes this term is ‘Inner and Outer Landscapes in Watercolour’ - what draws you to watercolour as a medium, and what is an inner landscape?

Watercolour holds both delicacy and depth, and it has a mind of its own, which makes it endlessly fun and fascinating. By “inner landscape,” I mean the emotional weather we carry inside, moods, dreams, memories, - painting what you sense inside as much as what you see outside.

 

 

 

Art for the Afraid as a class name is both compelling and relatable! Can you tell us what students got up to that day?

Art for the Afraid is a friendly antidote to “I can’t draw.” We sidestepped the inner critic with playful exercises, gentle structure and a lot of encouragement. People are often surprised to find they can create something joyful without needing to be perfect — or even neat.

 

Can you tell us about your workshop, Introduction to Creating Graphic Novels? Is there more to it than sci-fi and superheroes?

Definitely! Graphic novels aren’t just capes and explosions — they can hold memoir, poetry, daydreams, or stories about your cat. In this workshop, we play with words and pictures together, discovering how even small sketches and fragments can become stories worth telling.

 

Visit Emma’s website at: www.emmaburleigh.com

Follow her on Instagram: @emmaburleighartist

 

All of this term's courses and workshops are now available for booking online. 

 

If you have any questions, please read the full class description as most details can be found there. If you have further enquiries, contact drawingschool@rwa.org.uk