Fact sheet, Summer Term 2026 Life Drawing: Immersive Narratives
About
This course is designed for students to develop their drawing through narrative and storytelling, combining observation with imagination. Students will draw inspiration from Greek myths to Grimms’ Fairy Tales, cinematic studies, recreations of renaissance history paintings, poetry, and plays. The studio will become a place for inventions of the mind to take hold and expand the possibilities of image making.
Each week, through the use of carefully constructed sets, the life model will be set up in different scenarios to draw from, telling a story of the sublime to the mysterious, either as a moment in an ongoing story or as a sequence of events unfolding over time. Students will be encouraged with personal development and will receive one-to-one tuition.
When
Tuesdays, 28 April to 30 June. 6.30pm to 9pm.
Who
Materials
Free charcoal is provided in the studios.
There will be newsprint, Snowdon cartridge, and some watercolour 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:
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Drawing Pencils - H, HB, 2B and 4B,
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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
We recommend that students bring their own personal bull -dog clips to attach paper to the drawing board.
*If you wish to use ink or watercolour, please also bring your own water pots and brushes, as we will not have containers available.
How to find us
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.
Studio etiquette & facilities
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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.
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To access the studios, please sign-in at reception by scanning the QR code sent to you before the course. Please remember to sign-out using the same QR code when leaving the premises.
- A health and safety talk is given at the start of each course.
- Studios 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 not permitted in studios.
- There is step free access.
What to expect
Studio Facilities: 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 no t permitted in the studios.
Breaks: There will be breaks throughout the evening.
There will be water stations with access to hot and cold water. 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.