Fact sheet, Autumn Term 2026 Drawing London's Theatres: Circus, Opera and Ballet
When
Mondays, 15 September to 17 November, 10am to 5pm
Where
Royal Drawing School Shoreditch Studio 2, and various out of house locations, see below.
Who
About
Take inspiration from London’s renowned theatre history and bring performance, dynamism and character to your drawing.
Artists have always worked in theatre. Canaletto and his father painted backdrops for Venice’s many theatres, Piranesi trained first in theatre, Osbert Lancaster, Laura Knight, Hockney, and Degas have all designed for the stage and found themselves obsessed. Students will explore the sets, the performers and their costumes. The course begins with visits to the National Theatre and Royal Festival Hall, a theatrical experience in and of itself.
In the studio students will work with models who have been on stage and bring their unique insights and experiences to the course. There will be a variety of poses from short to full day. Students will draw clothed models using colour and a variety of media. Music will play, dancers will dance, and the stage will be set. There will also be visits to the V&A, The Wallace Collection, London Circus School, among others.
Location & timetable
Occasionally locations/meeting points may need to change so please check your emails the night before classes are due to take place and bring your mobile phone with you on the day so that the administrator can contact you if need be.
It is also very important that you arrive punctually (in time for the class to begin at 10am) for each class as the class will usually move away from the meeting point quite quickly at the beginning of the day.
Week 1 — 15 Septmeber
Please meet at Royal Drawing School Shoreditch, Ground Floor Studios.
When: 10am
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Week 2 — 22 September
Location TBC
Week 3 — 29 September
Location TBC
Week 4 — 6 October
Location TBC
Week 5 — 13 October
Please meet at Royal Drawing School Shoreditch, Ground Floor Studios.
When: 10am
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Week 6 — 20 October
Please meet at Royal Drawing School Shoreditch, Ground Floor Studios
When: 10am
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Week 7 — 27 October
Please meet at Royal Drawing School Shoreditch, Ground Floor Studios
When: 10am
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Week 8 — 3 November
Please meet at Royal Drawing School Shoreditch, Ground Floor Studios.
When: 10am
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Week 9 — 10 November
Please meet at Royal Drawing School Shoreditch, Ground Floor Studios.
When: 10am
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Week 10 — 17 November
Please meet at Royal Drawing School Shoreditch, Ground Floor Studios.
When: 10am
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Materials
Charcoal, easels and drawing boards will be provided in the studio.
There will be newsprint and cartridge paper in the studios. You are welcome to bring alternative types of paper along with you.
Students are welcome to bring their own materials for personal use and are encouraged to bring a range of their preferred coloured and monochrome drawing materials, wet or dry. Our suggestions are listed below.
-
Drawing Pencils - H, HB, 2B and 4B,
-
Conté Crayons
-
Pastels
-
Ink Pens
-
Coloured Pencils
-
Putty and Hard Erasers
-
Pencil Sharpener
-
Sketchbook
For out of house days please only bring materials that you are happy to carry for the day. Including a sketchbook, or drawing board and paper, and dry, non-messy materials for use inside museums. These days will involve walking, so please wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather.
We recommend that students label their materials with their name and if bring their own personal bull-dog clips to attach paper to the drawing board.
*If you wish to use ink or watercolour in the studios, please also bring your own water pots and brushes, as we will not have containers available
What to expect
Easels, drawing boards, and charcoal are provided for free in the studios. A full health and safety talk is given at the start of each course but please be aware that we have a strict no phone and no photography policy within our studios. Sharp blades such as Stanley knives, Swiss pocket knives and other carving tools are also not permitted in the studios.
Please arrive promptly for every session. If you arrive late you may need to wait for a break until you are able to enter the studio. You will be able to arrive up to 15 minutes before the start of the session. Once inside the building you will need to sign in at reception by scanning your QR code, which will be sent to you prior to the start of the course. You will then be allowed up to the studios.
There is step free access up to the 4th floor studios.
There will be a one-hour lunch break generally between 1-2pm each day and regular breaks throughout the day.
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.