Tutor - Jazz Thompson

Thursdays, 2pm - 5pm | 5 weeks

Starts Thursday 24 September 2026

This narrative portraiture course aims to explore a range of portrait styles and techniques to create dynamic and vibrant portraits that tell a story of the subject. This course will include some elements of technical drawing, designed to support you to bring out the best of your personal style - but will not be the main purpose. There will be a big focus on learning how to bring an emotional register to portrait drawing, by setting the portrait within a context, and exploring symbolism and visual devices to convey the sitter's story. This course encourages creative thinking and exploration within portrait-drawing.

We will look at how important place-making is within portraiture, and how capturing lived environments can be as powerful as capturing a smile or sentimental items. We will consider stylising, using memory and imagination, explorative use of colour and a range of artistic techniques to create powerful, meaningful portraits.

Suitable for all abilities, and all basic materials provided.

Please wear clothes suitable for a studio environment and bring a bag or portfolio suitable for taking work home with you at the end of the sessions.

Buying as a gift?

When buying a course or workshop you will be automatically emailed a confirmation which you can print off and include in a card for your loved one. Gift vouchers can also be bought if you aren't sure which course they would prefer. Please email us the name and email address of the person attending on drawingschool@rwa.org.uk 

Before booking we ask everyone please read our updated Terms and Conditions.  

Participants must be 18 or over.

If eligible, discounts must be applied when first purchasing your class and cannot be given retrospectively. Please contact us if the discount code is not working.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or mental health issue which you feel may affect your participation in your chosen class, please either email drawingschool@rwa.org.uk or call 07745694563, prior to booking, so we are aware of any needs you may have and can make suitable accommodations if required

Refund/transfer and Cancellation Policy: We are unable to offer full or part cash refunds, but you are eligible for an RWA gift voucher or transfer, minus an admin fee*, provided you notify us more than 14 days before the start of your class with us. If we cancel a course or workshop for any reason, then participants will be offered a different date, course/workshop or RWA gift voucher. 

*Admin fee for courses £25, Admin fee for workshops £15