Drawing: Tone, Light, and Shadow

Explore the representational, atmospheric, and emotive possibilities of tonal drawing. Working from set ups and life models, you will learn to perceive and convey lights and darks in your work in a friendly and supportive environment.
On Campus, Weekly Classes, Evening
8 Oct - 26 Nov 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

Drawing: Tone, Light, and Shadow

Course Details

Explore the representational, atmospheric, and emotive possibilities of tonal drawing. Working from set ups and life models, you will learn to perceive and convey lights and darks in your work. In a friendly and supportive environment, Luke will teach you how to organise tonal values in your drawings and will introduce materials and techniques to express what you see.

Through demonstrations, examples and group discussions, students will also be encouraged to explore the way artists have used lights and darks to add drama, and tension to their work.

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

* 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.

  • 6 sticks of willow charcoal (medium/large)
  • 1 stick of compressed charcoal
  • 1 stick of white pastel
  • 2 compressed charcoal pencil (2B or 4B)
  • 2 graphite pencils (HB and 4B)
  • White plastic eraser and/or kneadable putty eraser
  • Blending stump
  • A hog-hair brush, round no. 10
  • Small journal/sketchbook (approx. A4)
  • 6 sheets of A1 cartridge paper
  • Additional materials and surfaces will be discussed during the course

Enclosed footwear is essential in all studios on campus.

Lecturer Profile

Luke Thurgate Profile Pic 2

Luke Thurgate is an artist living and working on Gadigal Land (Sydney). He teaches drawing and painting at the National Art School, where he graduated in 2021 with a Master of Fine Art. Luke’s exhibition history includes recent projects at Grafton Regional Gallery, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Backwoods Gallery, Burra Regional Art Gallery, National Art School and Adelaide Central Gallery. He has been a finalist multiple times in the Dobell Drawing Prize, the Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award, and in 2020 was a finalist in the Tom Bass Figurative Sculpture Prize. 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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The National Art School acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Owners on whose Country we meet, share and create. We pay our respects to all Gadigal Elders past and present. We celebrate the diversity, history, knowledge and creativity of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. 

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