Course Overview

This workshop is designed for tattoo artists who want to understand the fundamentals of drawing and avoid the pitfalls of an overreliance on mannered ‘styles and photographs. Les Rice demonstrates how a broader understanding of form in drawing and painting, can help improve your tattooing skills and artwork. Les draws on 30 years of experience as an internationally award-winning tattooist, and 15 years as a practicing artist and painting lecturer to help students understand the language of drawing and improve their understanding of the key concepts. He provides examples from art history examples as well as many practical drawing exercises, from sketches to sustained studies. He refers to the traditional elements of figurative painting and emphasises the importance of working from the human figure to train the eye to see, including a session of drawing from a live model. Les presents demonstrations, group critiques and time for individual tuition throughout the workshop.

The workshop is suitable for established tattooers who want to refine their observational skills, develop a visual language and improve their artistic knowledge. It is also open to aspiring tattooers who wish to expand their range and prepare a portfolio of drawings.

*Short courses and weekend workshops are open to students of ages 16 years and over. For students under 16 years of age there are School Holiday Workshops, Art Club and other youth art programs.

Lecturer Profile

Leslie Rice was a professional tattooer for more than 15 years before attending art school and realising that everything he loved was awful. Completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) at the National Art School in 2006, Les began to make paintings that both exploited and mocked his poor taste. He won the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize twice, in 2007 and 2012, and his work has been exhibited in many solo, group and award shows. Recently, he has appeared in several films and is currently writing two books, and he continues to paint and teach painting at the National Art School.

Art Materials

A4 sketchbook
1 pad of A2 cartridge paper
Set of graphite pencils from 2B to 8B
Charcoal pencil
Willow charcoal
Compressed charcoal
Kneadable (putty) eraser e.g. Faber-Castel Knetgummi art eraser
Firm white eraser e.g. Staedtler Tradition or Mars plastic
Stanley knife or similar (for sharpening) or pencil sharpener
2 bulldog clips
Fixative spray

PARKERS FINE ART SUPPLIES

Parkers Fine Art Supplies have a location of the NAS campus and offer a discount for NAS short courses students. To discuss and order art materials please contact Parkers on +61 2 9247 9979 or email [email protected]
Website https://www.parkersartsupplies.com/

COVID-19 Policy

Whilst NAS strongly encourages vaccination, students are not required to be vaccinated as a condition of their enrolment at NAS.

Protective clothing and covered footwear essential