Dobell Drawing Workshop

Thomas MacAlpine had the opportunity to participate in the Dobell Drawing workshop at the National Art School Sydney in the April holidays. This program offers selected Year 11 students from government schools the chance to work in a tertiary setting in a visual arts program conducted by practising artists. The project is proudly sponsored by the Sir William Dobell Foundation.

Tom shared his insight into the experience and what it had to offer:“The opportunity was really fun overall, the most enjoyable part being the experience itself and friends made whilst I was there. I completed a portraiture focus with 20 different kids, the workshop lasted for four days. On day one, we were taught about the shape of the head and how to use the tools provided. Day two involved further refining our skills with more time allocated to the artwork. Day three we put our skills to use in drawing with perspective by having a charcoal covered piece of paper, then using a rubber and paper towel to make the face lighter. Day four was an experimental day using collage and, also, the day of our exhibition. The size of the artworks challenged how I used to draw, giving me the confidence and knowledge to draw on a larger scale. What surprised me most about this experience is how quickly my skills developed and what I was able to achieve. I would deeply recommend this to other students that are interested in drawing.”We are incredibly impressed with what you were able to achieve Tom!