Isaac Heard

Isaac Heard by Anna-Rose McChesney

Tell us about your practice and the part that drawing plays...

I work mainly with charcoal drawings, etching and comic to make stories that are inspired by my memories and dreams. A lot of my imagery comes from films, TV, and comics as well as from direct observation. I'll then draw from my image archive picking snippets to use in larger works. Drawing is like a sieve which all these initial ideas pass through as I look for something that sticks. Beyond this it's also a way to engage with the world even when I'm not drawing. When you're in the habit of looking intensely at things it's hard to switch it off.

What were you doing before The Drawing Year and what drew you to apply?

I finished my Masters course in Fine Art Practice at The Glasgow School of Art and had been working for a charity in Glasgow before I came to the Royal Drawing School. During my Masters I focused on Film and found that once I graduated I couldn’t get a camera or editing equipment to keep making them. I returned to the most sustainable way I had of making which was to go around the city and museums and draw in small sketchbooks.

I applied because I wanted to return to image making in my work and I noticed that a lot of the artists whose work I loved on Instagram all studied at the Royal Drawing School.

Which courses have most impacted your practice?

Every course gave me something and I’m still processing the year now. I think learning to etch has been quite a game changer for me. I had never tried it before and now at the end of the year I’m mindful that it has given me some of the pieces I’m happiest with. I did two courses with Maggie Jennings and Jasmine Pajdak and then two more with Rossen Daskalov. All these teachers were amazing in knowing the technique profoundly well, as well as having a great ability to keep pushing students forward.

I also got a huge amount from Drawing from Film which I did every term. Mark Cazalet and Charlotte Mann are both superb teachers for always giving the students an unexpected angle to approach the work from, and seeing the work with fresh eyes. I took Drawing Graphic Narratives with Sarah Lightman twice and she encouraged us to use imagery in a very different way to focus on storytelling and authenticity.

I found Drawing at the National Gallery and Drawing at the British Museum classes more challenging at the time but deeply rewarding now. Both have massively helped me in understanding composition and also gave me a boundless source of inspiration.

Tell us about the sense of community on the course...

I think there’s a real culture of dedication and hard work at the school. Not just amongst the students and teachers, pretty much all the staff are practising artists. So wherever you turn there is someone to talk to about art. Throughout the year we were all working so hard and supporting each other I think everyone ended up creating a lot more work than they thought possible.

Which tutors have you most enjoyed working with and why?

I learnt a huge amount from Rossen Daskalov. He always encouraged me to push my work one step further than I thought it needed even if it meant risking destroying the piece. The patience to not move on to something else too early, but to really think about what the work needs (even if it will be extremely inconvenient) has been important for me.

Taking two outdoor classes with Paul Fenner has given me a huge passion for not only drawing outside but also thinking about how abstract space can be and all the different ways a two dimensional page can give the illusion of space. This sounds completely obvious but I find it hugely inspiring.

What are the most important things that you've learned during the year?

There are so many classes, opinions and lessons to be learnt that I am quite excited to see in several years what the lasting lessons will be. But I think for now the most important lesson is in the doing, not the thinking and to let the work lead the way and not intervene too much with what I think it should be or what I’ve done before. Just trying to be present with the work and letting it lead the way.

What has surprised you about The Drawing Year?

Initially I was surprised by how hard I found it. Working relentlessly, it took me quite a long time to get the stamina to draw all day and to lose self-consciousness showing work to others. I would say after the first term I was surprised by how great it was being in the swing of things. Every term I started the week with etching and finished with Drawing from Film on Friday night. After working full-time in a very stressful office environment, I would often pause and feel grateful to spend my weeks in this routine.

How has your approach to drawing changed since the start of the course?

My drawing had become more precise and more driven by storytelling. Before the course, most of my drawings were loose, tonal abstract expressions of space and often really big. Now they are still energetic but much more precise, featuring a lot more imagery and symbolism. They’re also quite a bit smaller.

What opportunities have arisen due to The Drawing Year?

I have started teaching on The Young Artists Program having done my first term in The National Gallery. Immediately I loved it, the students are so passionate about drawing it’s hard to not be inspired. I also plan to apply to the residencies on offer in the coming year. The comic I made for the studio show is also being stocked in two shops.

What does it mean to you that the course has no fees and a free studio space?

If the course was not free there is no way I would have been able to study. Also receiving the London Living Grant helped me massively. London is extremely expensive so it means the course is open to students from all backgrounds which is hugely important. I come from a working class background and received financial support to study on my undergraduate and masters courses so it was amazing to have such a worthwhile opportunity open to me.

Having the studio in Hackney is also very beneficial and you really feel part of the art scene there. The unlimited paper and charcoal is often mentioned but it is also great. The course is unbelievably generous in a world where education usually comes with a heavy price tag.

What is it like to study and live in London?

I come from South London but left for higher education. Returning home to study here was a dream come true. I’ve always loved London and having a reason to go around drawing constantly was highly motivating. Walking the streets there is so much inspiration and I hope to keep making work here for a long time. Being a Londoner, I never really understood the actual geography of London very well at all but doing all the outside classes and walking the streets means I can now walk the streets and have a vague sense of direction!

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the course?

You’ve got to be in it to win it. Keep sketching and apply with the work that you like the most, not what you think others will like.

Find out more about The Drawing Year