Fact sheet, Summer School 2026 The Contemporary Portrait: Drawing and Painting
About
Over the week, the course will offer an opportunity for a sustained period of enquiry, revision and experimentation and seeks to develop both perceptual skills and a personal language in response to the sitter.
This drawing and painting course is taught by two artists each with a different approach to working from the head. Techniques and ideas from the work of both artists will inform approaches of drawing the portrait back in the studio. Referencing a broad range of contemporary and traditional artists from Hans Holbein to Lucian Freud, Alice Neel and Paula Modherson Becker this course will explore the many facets of the drawn and painted portrait. We will explore how scale, depth, focus, tonal range, viewpoint and composition can affect the works’ emotional charge.
When
Monday 20 - 24 July 2026. 10am to 5pm.
Who
Sophie CharalambousWhere & how to find us
Studio 2.
The Royal Drawing School, 19-22 Charlotte Road, Shoreditch, London, EC2A 3SG
Charlotte Road is a narrow street with three/four storey Victorian warehouses on each size. The School is marked on the outside of the building along with our sister charities.
Tube
The nearest underground station is Old Street (Northern Line City Branch). The School is a five-minute walk away. The School is a ten-minute walk or a five-minute taxi or bus ride from Liverpool Street (Central, District, Circle, Metropolitan, Elizabeth and Hammersmith and City lines).
Train
The nearest mainline station is Liverpool Street. Kings Cross and Euston are 2 and 3 stops away on Northern line. There are also overland trains to Old Street and Moorgate, both within walking distance.
Bus
26, 35, 48, 149 and 242 run along Shoreditch High Street. Buses 43, 76, 141, 214 and 271 run along City Road south of Old Street. Buses 55 and 243 run along Old Street.
Bicycle
There are no places for bicycle parking immediately outside the building. There are racks further up Charlotte Rd, on Old Street, the top of Curtain Road and people also use Hoxton Square. It is advisable not to leave anything easily detachable or overnight. There are Barclays Cycle Hire docking stations on Shoreditch High Street at the corner of Rivington Street.
Car or Taxi
Car parking is extremely limited, so we recommend using public transport where possible. There are a small number of Blue Badge parking spaces available on Shoreditch High Street. After 5.30pm and on Saturdays street parking is free off Shoreditch High Street near Arnold Circus. Please note, Charlotte Road and Rivington Street are in the Ultra Low Emission Zone, meaning Petrol, diesel or older hybrid vehicles which aren’t registered for an exemption aren’t permitted to enter the streets during the operating times (Monday to Friday, 7-10am and 4-7pm).
It is easy to flag a taxi at either end of Charlotte Road throughout the day and in the evening.
Materials
Charcoal, easels and drawing boards will be provided in the studio.
Paper
There will be newsprint and cartridge paper in the studios. You are welcome to bring alternative types of paper along with you.
Paper Fees: We charge a one-off fee for the use of our paper stock within the studios, prior to the start of your course. We are no longer taking payments for single sheets, on a pay-as-you-go system. Paper Stations will be set up around the studios to make accessibility easier.
You are welcome to bring your own additional materials for personal use only, in the studio. Students are encouraged to bring a range of their preferred coloured and monochrome drawing materials (wet or dry). Our suggestions include:
Drawing
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Pencils - H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, 8B
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Conté Crayons
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Pastels
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Ink Pens
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Coloured Pencils
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Putty and Hard Erasers
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Pencil Sharpener
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Sketchbook (A4 or A5)
Painting
Demonstrations and advice are provided for oil paint, but acrylic paints may be used.
Oil paints - Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Titanium or Zinc White, Viridian, Phaylo Blue, Lamp Black.
NB - 'Student quality' paints are fine, more advice about pigments will be provided on the course. If you are missing one or two of these colours, the tutor will advise and help you choose an alternative.
Surfaces
Students will be making a number of paintings over the course of the week.
Oil-painting paper/canvas/canvas-boards (or another primed surface).
1 x A4, 1 x A3, 1 x A2
NB - oil painting paper can be bought in a pad = low cost and easy storage.
Other Materials
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Rags for cleaning brushes
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Palette - if you do not have a wooden or a glass palette use tear off palettes, or a surface covered in grease-proof paper. The larger the better!
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Apron
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Palette knife
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2 jam jars with lids for solvent*
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5-7 Hog hair or synthetic brushes (long handled), varied sizes (no smaller than size 8)
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Portfolio case for work
Solvents
There is an added Co-Co Bello Solvent fee for painting courses which includes a 200ml pot of solvent to use during the course. Please note that no other solvents will be allowed in the studios, to protect not only those with allergies but all who paint within our studios.
Co-Co Bello is a plant-based, natural & odourless oil painting solvent. It is a replacement for traditional solvents and thinners such as turpentine, white spirit & alcohol. Co-Co Bello is non-hazardous, non-flammable.
No white spirit or turps substitute or genuine turps or linseed/flaxseed oil.
What to expect
Students will have a one-hour lunch break each day. Students are encouraged to take a break outside of the studio, making sure they scan in and out of the studio with their QR code. There are many cafes, restaurants, and shops in the nearby area.
Hot and cold water stations will be available. Please bring your own reusable cups or water bottles, as disposable cups will not be available.
Contact
If you are unable to attend a class or know that you will be delayed, please email admin@royaldrawingschool.org or call 020 7613 8568 (option 1) in as far advance as possible.