Creative Wellbeing: Experimental Drawing and Painting - Learn the Basics

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Creative Wellbeing: Experimental Drawing and Painting – Learn the Basics

Course Type:

Part Time

Entry Requirements:

This course is practical and requires a degree of manual dexterity for you to participate fully.
This programme is designed with beginners in mind and no prior experience is necessary, although some learners may have some previous informal learning experience.

Start date:

May 2026

Course Overview

This course is designed to serve as a taste of drawing and painting media, techniques and processes through an introduction into experimental drawing and reflective annotation.

You will engage in a range of guided explorations of wet and dry supports, media and applications using traditional and non – traditional tools and techniques.

You will be facilitated in reflecting on and evaluating outcomes using subject specific terminology and analytical skills.

You will participate in group discussions of experimental outcomes by a range of Artists from different cultures, eras and backgrounds. You will discuss the properties of the drawings and decipher media, technique, process and personal preference before engaging in the production of informed finished pieces using combined media and approaches.

This programme is designed with beginners in mind and no prior experience is necessary, although some learners may have some previous informal learning experience within the overall curriculum area.

You will be learning over five weekly sessions at 2.5 hours per session, inclusive of tidy up time!

Your tutor will be available for feedback and Q&A at designated time slots throughout the duration of your course.

What will I learn?

Demonstrate a basic awareness of health and safety issues in relation to the subject or activity

Name and identify tools, techniques, equipment and materials commonly used in the subject

Recognise terminology commonly used within the subject

Follow simple step by step instructions to practise basic techniques related to the subject

Develop an understanding of experimental drawing and painting.

Look at the work of relevant artists.

Experiment with drawing and painting tools, techniques and media.

Develop an understanding of the relevance of annotation in observation and recording.

Explore representation of tonal variation using mark making techniques.

Evaluate the expressive properties of different marks, movements, tools, media and surfaces

Build confidence in evaluating and annotating and discussing outcomes.

Identify progression opportunities

Supportively appraise own and others work

How is the course delivered?

You view demonstrations showing and prompting you in your explorations of different techniques and materials and encouraging you to share your outcomes and discuss your progress with your tutor and peers.

You will have access to handouts such as worksheets and prompt lists to encourage your analytical skills, encourage reflective practice and consolidate your learning.

You will be encouraged to share your work and your reflections so that you can help your peers learn and learn from them too.

You will gain 1:1 feedback, advice and inspiration from your tutor verbally in sessions.

How will my learning be assessed?

You will receive feedback from your tutor and peers on your individual outcomes for each topic within the course.

You will also develop your own analytical skills, enabling you to critique your own work and establish ways of moving forward as you move towards independent learning.

You will track your progress in your course booklet.

Additional Information

You will be working on projects that can easily be extended beyond the guided learning hours. We also encourage personal research before and during the course to offer inspiration and context. Optional extra practice and research will support your progress, you may occasionally be provided with individually relevant reference points and links to extend your learning and support your personal projects.

Potential Careers

This course is designed to allow progressing learners to develop transferrable skills within the arts curriculum.

Lancashire Adult Learning offers many arts and crafts courses which you can find within this site.

Course Facilities

What equipment will I need?

Your tutor will arrive with basic materials for each session although you are welcome, and encouraged to bring your own where possible. You may have some materials already. It is advised to have a variety of traditional and not traditional material accessible although it should be made clear that you don’t need all of the following!

Some water soluble media and some dry media, permanent and non – permanent.

For example:

Dry media – Washable felt tip pens, biros, pencils, wax crayons or oil pastels, charcoal.

Wet Media – Watercolour, ink, acrylic paint, poster paint.

Non- traditional media – coffee, tea, sand, soil, oil.

A variety of supports – these are surfaces to draw and paint on – a range of textures and thicknesses would be an advantage.

For Example: Cartridge paper, watercolour paper, tracing paper, cardboard,

A range of tools – This is what you will apply and move your media with.

For Example:

Traditional – Paint brushes of different sizes, textures and shapes, Palette knives, sponges.

Non- traditional – cotton buds, finger tips, sticks, forks, straws.

The Additional Learning Support Team work across college supporting learners with a variety of learning needs in different ways. Support can be requested at enrolment or at any point throughout your course. For more information telephone 0333 0031717 or email als@lal.ac.uk