Category Archives: Class
Drawing Dinosaurs!
Docent drawing of displayed ammonite (graphite and pencil on paper)
Sculpted ammonite (Docent artwork)
I am happy to announce that I will be running Drawing Workshops at the ArtScience Museum for their Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction exhibition which opens later this month!
If you are interested, you can get your ticket early to visit the exhibition and make sure to choose one of the dates where I will be running the workshops:
Dates: Sunday 2, 9 & 23 February, 9 & 23 March, 6 & 20 April
– Sketch-a-Fossil:
Bring fossils to life by drawing them in detail. Observation drawing . Make your piece stand out by placing it in a pre-historical landscape (optional collage). Ammonite or Fossilized wood will be our inspiration.
Timing: 45 minute workshops at 12.30pm and 1.15pm
– Sculpting Fun: Shells and Bones:
What better way to understand a fossil than to feel it in 3D? Carve your own sculpted shell or bone out of soap, and bring your replica home. Children under the age of 8 require adult supervision. Ammonite or T-rex claw will be our inspiration.
Timing: 45 minute workshops at 2.30pm and 3.15pm
Drawing Houses
With the drawing classes winding down and the drawing year coming to an end, I have decided it was time to revive this blog by posting regularly about the various themes we have been exploring throughout the last few months. Students at the Observatoire studio range from 5 year olds to teenagers (and the occasional adult), and in most weeks, there is a theme, that will be interpreted in various ways by the different drawing groups. The results are as varied as you can imagine and sometimes throw great insights into how students of different personalities, different age, and in different environments (peers) produce different drawings.
A house. Built by 5-year-olds Henry and Breit.
In each lesson, there would have been a goal, something to explore. Sometimes, it’s a medium, sometimes it’s an aspect of drawing (such as contour drawing, perspective, shading, negative space, composition…), and sometimes it’s about letting the participants take ownership of their drawing (vs. creating a “perfect” drawing). Sometimes the constraints are strong, sometimes there are none. Most of the time, the instructions are only a beginning and the participants are invited to finish their drawing in their own way (or start a second one, on their own)
The themes explored in the last term have been:
- How to draw an apple accurately enough that you might be able to pick it from a bowl?
- Many different cacti.
- Drawing water bottles. Is it boring?
- How hard is it to draw a ping-pong ball? (Challenge)
- Build your own house and draw it.
- Observing insects close-up. Drawing them accurately.
- Understanding Master’s paintings through their mark-making.
I will update the list above with links as the posts come in… stay tuned and do link-up on Facebook where I do post rather informally drawings of various students or comments on classes as they have just happened.
December Camp
- Due to the high demand for the Drawn to Nature Camp, we are opening the camp for a SECOND WEEK from 17 to 21st of December. Sign-up soon as these fill up fast! Call me first to check availability (9273 4991) and fill up the contact form at the bottom of this post so I can send you the registration details.
- There are still places for the PRINTMAKING session on Thursday 20th December afternoon. Call me first to check availability (9273 4991) and fill up the contact form at the bottom of this post so I can send you the registration details.
I hope to see you before the year ends!
Daytime Drawing Classes for Adults
Always wanted to try drawing but think you can’t? Here’s the news: if you can write, you have enough control to draw. If you can see, you can learn to see to draw. Drawing, together with writing and counting is a tool for communicating and understanding the world around us. Come give it a try over the next 5 weeks. First class is on the 23rd of September, at the brand new Observatoire at the Blue House. Full details here.
Announcing: Summer Camps!
Isadora’s Workshop at l’Observatoire
Summer is upon us. Although there will be no camp this June, there will be two new camps this July, and two more in August. The number of participants is limited to 10, so make sure you sign up early!
In line with the new direction taken by Isadora’s Workshop, there will be more tinkering, more science and more discovery in these completely unique art-based workshops. Another novelty is that guest artists, scientists or tinkerers will make their appearance, giving the whole workshop new momentum. Art needs inspiration, so we are going out to get it, and coming back in to do it!
If you want to look at past workshops, check here.
And here are the workshops for this season:
Explorator’s Camp (July and August camps)
Come be a Robinson Crusoe for a week. Learn basic skills for the outdooor. Rope lashing, map-making and navigating, making objects from wood (wood-carving), documenting the world around you… Being an artist in the wild can be hard work, but is very rewarding!
Run by artist-scientist Isabelle Desjeux, these camps provide structured time to learn a skill and open time to discover and perfect personal interests. A guest artist will make an appearance, providing a different perspective!
Making friends is also a great part of the camp and we invite parents to join us on Friday, from 11:00am onward to come and view an exhibition of the works, and meet the new friends. Bring some food to share and we’ll have a picnic – outside if the weather permits.
Book-Making Camp (July camp only)
Run by artist-scientist Isabelle Desjeux, these camps provide structured time to learn a skill and open time to discover and perfect personal interests. A guest artist will make an appearance, providing a different perspective!
Print-Making Camp (August camp only)
Come spend a week re-discovering the ancient art of printmaking. From using naturally-collected material like leaves or wood to new recycled materials like milk-cartons, foam or lino, you will be given the opportunity to try different techniques and experiment with your own. Each participant will be given ample space for exploration and the opportunity to pursue their favorite medium.
Run by artist-scientist Isabelle Desjeux, these camps provide structured time to learn a skill and open time to discover and perfect personal interests. A guest artist will make an appearance, providing a different perspective!
Making friends is also a great part of the camp and we invite parents to join us on the very last day, from 11:00am onward to come and view an exhibition of the works, and meet the new friends. Bring some food to share and we’ll have a picnic.
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Isadora's Workshop 