Royal Drawing School

Drawing from life. For life.

Welcome to the Royal Drawing School. We are an artist-led, not-for-profit, home of observational drawing. The place to learn to draw, discover emerging artists, and advance the practice of drawing.
RDS_RORY_LANGDON-DOWN_SHOREDITCH_SELECTS_A 37-2

Drawing is an alchemic language. My emotions force the drawing out of my hand—this explains why so many of my drawings are repeated images. It’s not because I draw the same thing, but the same moment wants to be redrawn. And that’s the beautiful thing about drawing: it’s intimate, like handwriting, and the dialogue is between the paper and me.

Tracey Emin

50 artists celebrate 25 years of the School
Tracey Emin - Because you left - I held on-2

Because you Left – I Held on, 2024. Acrylic on lithographic background, Somerset Velvet Warm White Paper 400gsm, 65 x 83.8cm.

Tracey Emin

Marking 25 years

From Antony Gormley to Tracey Emin – 50 leading artists & alumni celebrate our 25th birthday.

Visit exhibition
David Hockney_Cut Trees - TImber copy-1

Cut Trees - Timber

David Hockney

Denzil Forrester-1

King in the Arena

Denzil Forrester

Cornelia Parker_Bullet Drawing (Crosshairs)-1

Bullet Drawing

Cornelia Parker

Rufus Wainwright_Untitled 1

Kate number one

Rufus Wainwright

Es Devlin_Redraw the Edges of Yourself

Redraw the Edges of Yourself

Es Devlin

Catherine Goodman_Untitled

Primordial Landscape

Catherine Goodman

About us

We are the independent, artist-led and not-for-profit home of observational drawing. We exist to ensure artists and creatives everywhere can access world-leading skills-based drawing tuition regardless of background, age or circumstances; to bring new audiences to drawing; to champion our practice for this generation and the next.

Learn more
RDS_RORY_LANGDON-DOWN_SHOREDITCH_SELECTS_A 55-1

Support our next 25 years

As a charity, we believe everyone, whatever their financial circumstance, should be able to access our teaching. That’s why all our courses come with a wide range of bursaries and scholarships. Help us sustain and grow these programmes over the next 25 years.

Donate
DSC04426.ARW.p