Fact sheet, Summer Term 2026 Transforming Observation: Memory & Imagination
About
This course will present playful and surprising encounters to enliven the way we draw. Through drawing, the ordinary and close at hand can become extraordinary.
The more we look, the more everything reveals itself to us as unexpected. For some artists, the vital spark in their drawing comes from the tenderness of attention in sustained observation, such as the way in which Morandi transformed tin jugs into rhapsodies of matter, air, and light. Whereas for others it comes from a strength of internal vision that transports the close at hand to other imaginative realm.
This course encourages a playful approach to working from life and will offer strategies for developing meaningful images from everyday subjects, as well as from poetry and fiction. Students will combine observation of their surroundings with props, sound, touch, and memory to create something with personal meaning. This could involved dissolving the walls of the room and calling on memory and imagination to make work, or it could simply be the search for something expressive in the depiction of what is seen.
Please note this course has an emphasis on the use of imagination and memory which can at times elicit difficult feelings for some.
When
Tuesdays, KEY DATES
Who
Where & how to find us
Studio 12.
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
- Easels, drawing boards, and charcoal are provided for free in the studios.
- Paper. Newsprint, Snowdon cartridge, and some watercolour paper will be provided in the studio for an additional fee. Students are welcome to bring alternative paper types along with them.
- Please note: a one-off paper fee will be charged at the start of the course for use of paper stock in the studios. We no longer take payments for single sheets of paper on na pay-as-you-go system. Paper stations will be set up around the studios to make paper accessibility easier.
Students are encouraged to bring a range of their preferred coloured and monochrome drawing materials (wet or dry) along for their personal use. We recommend:
- Drawing pencils: H, HB, 2B, and 4B
- Conté crayons
- Pastels
- Ink pens
- Coloured pencils
- Putty and hard erasers
- Pencil sharpener
- Sketchbook
- Bull dog clips to attach paper to their drawing board
In addition to the above, students are welcome to bring their own additional materials that fall outside of this list for personal use. If students plan to bring ink or watercolours, we ask they also bring water pots and brushes as containers will not be available.
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.
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Please note, the 4th floor studios have step-free access.
- 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.
What to expect
There will be breaks throughout the evening.
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.