ART students from Wiltshire College & University Centre have taken part in a week-long life drawing course at Sarum Studio, a world-renowned studio based in the heart of Salisbury.
Students based at the College’s Salisbury campus spent a week working at Sarum Studio, developing their observational drawing skills in a professional studio environment. The intensive course focused on traditional life drawing techniques, giving students the opportunity to work directly from a live model while refining their technical approach.
Sarum Studio specialises in sight-size drawing – a classical method in which the sitter is positioned next to the canvas so that both appear the same size when viewed together. This allows artists to accurately assess shape, proportion, colour and tonal values by directly comparing their work to the subject.
Alice Wickes, 16, a Level 3 Art and Design student at Salisbury campus, said: “It was a great way for us to learn about drawing using the sight-size technique, where the canvas and subject are the same size when viewed together. I’ve had a really good time – it’s not something you would usually get the opportunity to do and it’s been a really unique experience.
I’ve learnt a lot of skills about how to draw more accurately, in a way you wouldn’t normally try, because this is real life. I’ve learnt a lot about mark making and how to measure using your pencil. It’s cool to work at the same size as your canvas rather than having to resize everything in your head – this feels much more realistic and accurate.”
Nicholas Beer, who runs Sarum Studio, said: “It’s great to have the students here learning in a world-renowned environment right on their doorstep. They are learning traditional methods for drawing models and are able to do so in a space with incredible natural light, room to step back and analyse their work, and in the heart of the historic Cathedral Close.”
Nicholas spent 20 years developing his practice in Florence and now shares this expertise with students and artists from across the world. The studio regularly welcomes international learners, and Nicholas hopes to continue working with Wiltshire College & University Centre students so they can make the most of the specialist facilities and professional teaching environment.
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