The Best Life Drawing Classes in Leeds
Here are the Best Life Drawing Classes in Leeds
While it’s not quite always a naked Kate Winslet saying “Draw me like one of your French girls” to the artists, Titanic got two things right about life drawing – the nudity and the drawing.
Don’t worry if you’re not on a luxury cruise with your beautiful muse, you can do life drawing right here in Leeds. Recently, I’ve visited four local life drawing classes, which range from £2 to £13.50. Let’s see which is the best one yet, from least to most expensive.
1) LUU Art Society Life Drawing *
Where? Royal Park Pub.
When? Every Tuesday from 18:30-20:00.
How much? Members: £2, non-members: £4, materials included.
Before writing this article, I had only ever been to life drawing classes hosted by our very own Art Society. And the reason? It’s cheap, it’s convenient, it’s accessible (alas, not wheelchair accessible).
There is just something so comforting about being cramped on the floor in the upstairs room of RPP with the combination of drunk shouts downstairs and drawing a naked person in front of you.
My one complaint would be how dark the venue is during the winter months. The organisers rely on two spotlights, but my astigmatism and lack of visual purple are screaming in pain. I’ve resorted to only using my darker pencils here because I absolutely cannot see in dim lighting (It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me).
While the vibe is quite casual (super beginners-friendly!) with most people being students, the organisers are also full-time students, meaning it is not as structured as the other events on this list.
And sadly, only students at the three universities (University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, and Leeds Arts University) are welcome.
If you’re a student at Leeds, who has good eyesight, but is too quirky for normal RPP Tuesdays… well LUU Art Society is the place for you. Or, you know, if you can’t afford eggs in this economy but still want to draw some boobs.
2) Bare Canvas Life Drawing*
Where? The Fenton.
When? Every Tuesday from 19:00-21:00.
How much? £6.50, materials included.
This was surprisingly really fun?!
The room itself was quite small with a mix of people, which allowed interaction between participants. Can I just say the two middle-aged women next to me gave my work the nicest compliments? She told me to drop journalism and go study art, and I almost considered it. Everyone was very open about sharing their work and learning from one another, which is perfect for creatives to meet new people!
I’m aware they are keener on hiring models with a dancing or athletic background, and I get why. The model I had was very toned and so flexible (!!!) with her poses, it was incredible for learning to draw muscles and body proportions.
For once, I was not challenged by my eyesight as this venue was perfectly lit and the model was situated on a bench. 10/10 for people who share my struggles.
Overall, it’s a great all-rounder with lots of materials provided, a bar downstairs, and a quiet-but-not-too-quiet environment. And of course, the organisers David and Anne are so so lovely.
3) See You Naked Mondays*
Where? Left Bank Leeds.
When? Every Monday from 18:30-20:30.
How much? £7.50, materials NOT included.
Left Bank really is up there amongst the best venues in Leeds. Come on, just look at how stunning this place is!!!
I might have gotten distracted by the architecture multiple times in the short two hours I was there, but I did make notes on how the class was. In a nutshell? I liked it. Loved? Maybe not.
I don’t think I’ll have to reiterate how I have terrible eyesight, and Left Bank is a big venue, leaving me on the second row but still struggling to see the model clearly. I wish there were some spotlights on the model to create some contrast, not only can I stop squinting but it would also be easier for beginners to shade.
Amelia, who founded See You Naked Mondays, is a local artist at Assembly House. She is passionate about representing different body types in life drawing, which is a really important conversation to have in art, and I absolutely loved how accepting and positive the vibes were there!
Another ‘unconventional’ part of SYNM is there are different themes for special occasions. I went to the International Women’s Day one, with poses and art styles inspired by Amelia’s favourite female artists. It puts a twist on just sketching, and I can imagine how much more interesting it is for frequent-goers.
Anyways, what we’ve learnt here is that the recurring problem is my eyesight, and I’m a sucker for great architecture.
4) Life Drawing with Rob Oldfield
Where? The Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery.
When? First Saturday of every month from 14:00-16:00.
How much? £13.50, materials included.
Who is Rob Oldfield? You may ask (I certainly did).
According to the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery, he is a “York-based artist, graphic designer, sign-writer, art technician and tutor.” He has plenty of experience “modelling for life classes as well as teaching life drawing to his students.”
This was the only life drawing class in the daytime, and on the weekend, which means two things. 1) It’s perfect for anyone who has commitments on the weekdays, and 2), it was weirdly bright. I’m very particular with my lighting, as you can see.
It was quite intimate as we all sat in one big circle around the model, and Rob walked around guiding us if needed. It was definitely helpful for beginners, as he was very encouraging with a girl in my class who has never done life drawing. He also shared lots of his techniques with the class, but I found myself struggling when doing it his way so I just ended up doing what I always do, oops.
I’ve got to comment on the materials as they felt really nice and new (we all know how messy charcoal gets), maybe even nicer and newer than what I have. You really do get what you pay for!
Conclusion
I really do prefer having the option to get a drink while I scrutinise someone’s naked form for two hours straight.
That said, each class listed here all had their own edge over the other, and I really cannot choose a favourite. Boring, I know. But here are my conclusions:
Best for friends looking for a fun thing to do together: LUU Art Society Life Drawing
Best for traditional artists who enjoy a pint: Bare Canvas Life Drawing
Best for unconventional artists who listen to indie music: See You Naked Mondays
Best for budding artists who need guidance: Life Drawing with Rob Oldfield
*Thank you LUU Art Society, Bare Canvas, and See You Naked Mondays for letting me join you for free, this article is not affiliated with them and it does not affect my thoughts and experience!
Featured image credits: author’s own
2 Comments
An excellent article, combining your love of journalism and art. Having model for LUUArtSoc three times and twice at SYNM observations are spot on
Fantastic article Heidi 👏👏
I really enjoyed reading it.