Capital Art Classes
Claire White
Fancy yourself as the next Picasso or Da Vinci but have no idea how to get started? Well, we have the solution for you right in the heart of Edinburgh! The National Gallery in Edinburgh have started ‘Art For Beginners’ classes with a variety of day/evening, day long or even full 4-6 week courses which are suitable for all levels of experience.
The courses allow people to enjoy looking at or making their own art and as Linda McClelland the founder of the ‘Art For Beginners’ class explains you need not worry about experience levels, realising that “people can be very nervous coming along for the first time”. She hopes that by coming to these classes, people will become confident to come along to other sessions.
With the classes at an accessible price for all, there is a flexible course time as “people can book for as few or as many sessions as they like, so there is no long term pressure to commit”.
The age range of attendees is usually ‘40+ and mostly women’, but everyone is welcome to attend the variety of sessions offered!
She also explained that once attending the morning class a few who would usually shy away from the hands-on approach have been brave enough to try it themselves in the afternoon, as if people can understand what they are looking at, they can appreciate it at a much deeper level.
It’s not just the content of the classes that are extremely appealing, socialising for some is just as important. Many of the participants have “gone on to become great friends socialising outside of the classes and going on other courses together” which Linda finds extremely rewarding.
The classes are now running for a third series in this format and are proving very successful as sessions are expanding already. With 14 places for the AM sessions and 12 for the PM sessions each week, they are almost always fully booked and sometimes even require a waiting list.
Each class runs for 2 hours and the range of classes offered are below;
Art for Absolute B
Clore Education Centre, National Gallery Complex
Thursdays: 27 October; 3, 10 & 17 November; 1 & 8 December
10.30am-12.30pm
£10 (£8) per session
Informal discussion-based tours for those who want to open a door into the mysterious but fascinating world of art. Each stand-alone session is guided by art historian Ola Wojtkiewicz. Places limited.
History Painting -3November
Colour & Art –10 November
Masterpieces -17November
Impressionism– 1 December
Post Impressionism– 8 December
Art for Absolute Beginners – Making Art
Clore Education Centre, National Gallery Complex
Thursdays: 27 October; 3, 10 & 17 November; 1 & 8 December
1.30-3.30pm
£12 (£10) per session
An opportunity to try out lots of different materials and techniques including pencils, pastels, watercolours, acrylics, printmaking and clay, guided and encouraged by artist Rosie Lesso. Places limited.
Clay -27 October
3D construction -3November
Printing 1 –10 November
Printing 2 -17November
Charcoal– 1 December
Graphite– 8 December
If the descriptions aren’t enough to entice you, we can tell you what to expect on attending a class for the first time;
‘In the Looking at Art sessions in the morning, they will enjoy hearing some information about the topic for that session (these are led by freelance gallery educators with a history of art background) but also be encouraged to discuss and ask questions – they generally look at 6-8 works of art per session. They bring stools up into the gallery and move from artwork to artwork.
In the Making Art sessions (led by a freelance educator with a practical art background) they will start by looking at an artwork in the gallery for inspiration, back in the studio they will be led through some simple exercises familiarizing them with certain materials or techniques – they will then work on a final piece applying the knowledge they have learned.’
If you would like to get involved make sure you check the above dates and get in touch by booking early as the classes are guaranteed to sell out – so make sure you reserve your place!
Radio Napier 
Comments
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
No incoming links found yet.