Life Drawing: Gesture, Form and Tone

Do you want to develop your life drawing skills? This course is ideal for students and practicing artists interested in drawing from a range of models, both draped and undraped, exploring strategies for understanding and depicting the human form. Learn to draw key anatomical landmarks of the body and express gesture and rhythm.
On Campus, Weekly Classes
23 Jul - 10 Sep 2026
Thursday
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Registration Open
$716.00 $795.00
GST included where applicable.
  • Number of classes: 8
  • Total Course Hours: 24
  • Discipline: Drawing
  • Lecturer: Luke Thurgate
  • Age: 16 years and over
  • Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
  • Location: National Art School

Life Drawing: Gesture, Form and Tone

Course Details

This course is ideal for students and practicing artists interested in developing their life drawing skills. You will work directly from a range of models, both draped and undraped, exploring strategies for understanding and depicting the human form.

The course will begin with an introduction to key anatomical landmarks of the human body. Luke will detail how these can be used to orient your observation of the figure and be used as a building block for expressing a sense of gesture and rhythm in each pose.

From there you will begin to explore the relationship of form and tone by drawing the model under a range of lighting conditions. Emphasis will be placed on the balance between accuracy, feel, and compositional atmosphere.

As an artist predominantly working with the human form, Luke will also discuss the conceptual possibilities of figurative art. Through group discussions and individual guidance, you will be encouraged to consider your own personal approach to life drawing.

* NAS Short Courses are open to students of ages 16 years and over. The NAS Art Club is open to students between 15 - 17 years of age.

*Drawing and painting short courses may be held in upstairs studios. If access to stairs is not suitable, please contact us at short.courses@nas.edu.au 

* What to bring? Please refer to the list of required materials in the Art Materials field below. 

Art Materials

Students must supply their own art materials, please refer to the list below.

  • Small sketchbook – A5 or equivalent
  • Graphite pencils – HB and 2B
  • Charcoal pencil – Medium
  • Stanley knife
  • White plastic eraser
  • 2 bulldog clips
  • 1 stick of willow charcoal - large
  • 1 stick of compressed charcoal
  • 1 stick on Conte - sanguine
  • Fixative spray
  • 1 pad of A2 cartridge or bond paper
  • 2 sheets of brown Craft paper (around 280gsm)
  • 1 white pastel pencil or white charcoal pencil
  • Enclosed footwear is essential in all studios on campus.

Experienced drawers are encouraged to bring their existing materials and paper preferences.

Lecturer Profile

Luke Thurgateprovided1

Luke graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Newcastle. He has an extensive exhibition history including recent exhibitions at Burra Regional Art Gallery, National Art School and Adelaide Central Gallery. He was a finalist in the Dobell Drawing Prize 2019 and has lectured in the Drawing Department at Adelaide Central School of Art. Luke’s studio practice reappropriates cultural signifiers used in the construction and deconstruction of identity. Luke has a significant experience in programming and teaching, having developed and delivered workshops, professional development seminars and masterclasses for Newcastle Art Gallery, the NSW Department of Education and Training, Art Gallery of South Australia, and here at the National Art School.

- luke.​thurgate@​nas.​edu.​au 

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