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.
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The Drawing Year

Applications open

The Drawing Year is a full-scholarship, postgraduate-level course offering artists and creatives a transformative year dedicated to developing their drawing practice. Find out more on one of our open days.

Sign up to an open day
Drawing Year in the studio

Drawing makes you see things clearer, and clearer, and clearer still. The image is passing through you in a physiological way, into your brain, into your memory— where it stays—it’s transmitted by your hands... it’s a deep, deep desire to—depict.”

David Hockney

25 leading artists and creatives on drawing
Drawing of cut logs in a pile in the woods

Cut Trees – Timber

David Hockney

Inspire

Our Drawing Year students create hundreds of drawings each year. Explore our archive and be inspired...

Explore over 2500 artworks
Always in search of something

Always in search of something

Natalie Charles

I long for a reflection

I long for a reflection

Akilah Chambers

Pear Tree Island

Pear Tree Island

Lucy Bruce-Gardner

Eku farabale (I celebrate you, for calming [your body] down)

Eku farabale (I celebrate you, for calming [your body] down)

Barbara Majek

Atlantic

Atlantic

Jordan Cook

Do What You Feel

Do What You Feel

Keziah Mornin

Roman Head

Roman Head

Michelle Cioccoloni

Two Pattern Headed Figures

Two Pattern Headed Figures

Chi Park

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
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Support us

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.

Donate
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