Drawing From Life: Live Online Sessions
Join Fintan Gorley every month for focused practice sessions that'll change how you see and draw. These aren't lectures where someone talks at you for an hour.
We work together. You draw, I guide, and we solve problems as they come up. Real observation takes time to develop, and these webinars give you structured practice with immediate feedback.
Sessions run from September through November 2025, with December reserved for open Q&A. Each one builds on the last, but you can jump in anytime that works for your schedule.
Autumn 2025 Programme
Three months of focused sessions covering the fundamentals that actually matter when you're drawing from observation. Each runs 90 minutes with time for questions.
Measuring What You See
Most people guess at proportions. We'll work through reliable methods for checking relationships between forms. You'll learn why your drawings feel off even when individual parts look right. Bring a pencil and something simple to draw – a mug, a box, anything with clear edges.
Light and Form
Understanding how light describes volume changes everything. We'll break down value patterns and work through exercises that train your eye to see tonal relationships. This one gets technical, but in a practical way. You'll need charcoal or a soft pencil for this session.
Working With Composition
Even a good drawing can fall flat if the composition doesn't work. We'll look at how to arrange elements on the page and make decisions about what to include. This applies whether you're drawing a still life or planning a larger piece. Expect to do several quick sketches during this one.
Led by Fintan Gorley
I've been teaching observational drawing since 2011, mostly in studios around Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. The webinar format took some getting used to, honestly. You lose the ability to just walk over and adjust someone's hand position.
But there's something valuable about working remotely too. Students set up their own spaces, deal with their own lighting, and learn to problem-solve without someone hovering. That independence matters.
My background is in traditional atelier training – lots of cast drawing and figure work. I still think that foundation is essential, though I've adapted the approach over the years. These sessions distill what actually helps people improve rather than covering everything at once.
Each webinar includes recorded access for seven days, so you can revisit demonstrations and work through exercises at your own pace. Questions welcome throughout – that's half the point.