This 9-week series of workshops guides participants through expressive figure drawing and painting using graphite, charcoal, ink, acrylic, watercolour and oil, working from a live model.
Emphasising intuition, gesture, and layered composition, participants will explore mark-making, colour, and tonal structure, culminating in a refined, limited-palette oil painting that combines technical skill with emotional and expressive depth.
Participants should have beginner to intermediate experience in drawing and painting the figure and feel comfortable working from the human form before joining the workshop.
This nine-week block of workshops offers an immersive exploration of expressive figure drawing and painting across a range of media, including graphite, charcoal, ink, acrylic, watercolour, and oil. Designed for artists seeking to deepen both technical skill and creative intuition, the workshop emphasises gesture, mark-making, and the emotional resonance of the human form.
Participants will begin with intuitive charcoal drawing exercises, reconnecting observation with instinct through blind and semi-blind contour warm-ups and large-scale expressive studies. They will then explore gesture and movement, capturing the figure in motion using quick poses and contrasting media to develop spontaneity and fluidity. The workshop progresses to layering and large-scale drawing, encouraging sequential figure studies that investigate rhythm, transparency, and abstraction.
Later sessions focus on tonal work, giving participants the opportunity to build form and atmosphere through paint and drawn marks. Midway through the block, expressive watercolour techniques are explored, emphasising fluidity, spontaneity, and semi-abstract compositions.
In the final weeks, the focus shifts to oil painting, with an emphasis on flesh tones, expressive colour, and dynamic mark-making.
The workshops culminate in the creation of a contemporary, expressive figure painting using the Zorn Palette - a limited set of four colours: Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre, Ivory Black, and Titanium White. This restrained palette enables participants to achieve harmony, depth, and nuanced tonal variation in their work.
Tools may include brushes, sticks, and other mark-making implements, which can be provided, or you are welcome to bring your own.
Throughout the workshops, participants will work on a variety of provided papers, including sugar paper, cartridge paper, and watercolour paper. A limited supply of canvas will also be available. Participants are welcome to bring their own paper, canvas, or board if they prefer to work on a particular surface or size. During the workshops, participants can work on a variety of sizes up to A1 in size.
Gesso will be available for preparing canvas surfaces before painting with oils.
Learning Methods
This workshops will be delivered on campus from 18:30 – 21:00 every Wednesday for 9 weeks.
Activity Summary
- Minimum of 8 students, maximum of 15 in the group
- 22.5 hours of teaching in total over 9 evenings, 18:30 – 21:00
Timetable
- Week 1: 21 January - first workshop
- Week 2: 28 January
- Week 3: 4 February
- 11 February - no workshop due to public holiday
- Week 4: 18 February
- Week 5: 25 February
- Week 6: 4 March
- Week 7: 11 March
- Week 8: 18 March
- Week 9: 25 March - last workshop
Independent Study
Students are encouraged to create and maintain a personal sketchbook which reflects their own creative practice involving the documentation of processes, inspirations, learnings and basic sketches.
Assessment
This workshop is not formally assessed.
Workshop facilitator
Catriona Platten is an alumna of Gray’s School of Art and has over 30 years of experience as a professional painter since earning her BA Hons in Drawing and Painting. Based in Scotland, she specialises in life drawing and teaches both life drawing and painting in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, where she has been active for 12 years. Platten regularly exhibits her work throughout the UK and is currently preparing for a solo exhibition.
The artist primarily focuses on figurative painting, exploring folklore and symbolism and often places figures within imaginary landscapes. Recently, Platten has been drawn to themes of solitude and isolation, using contrasts of light and dark to depict figures in empty spaces.
The artist is currently working on a body of work that explores the relationship between herself and her mother looking at the aging process of the physical and spiritual self.
Entry Requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this workshop.
This workshop is suitable for those with intermediate-advanced level experience.
Required Age
All students are required to be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of the workshop.
For Academic Year 2025/2026
Course fee: £290 per person
The fee is to be paid as part of sign up process and prior to the first session.
After completing the registration form, you will be directed to the payment page. Your place on the course is not confirmed until payment has been received. If you have any difficulties locating the payment link or if you have registered for this course but have not completed the payment form, please contact us for a direct link to pay which will bypass registration.
Additional Costs
Essential core materials are provided.
The following course-related costs are not included in the course fees:
Workshop Cancellation & Changes
If minimum participant numbers for this 9-week workshop are not met, the workshop will be cancelled and participants will receive a full refund.
If you’ve signed up and paid for this workshop but need to cancel, please email us at engage@rgu.ac.uk at least 7 days before the first evening session begins.
If the named practitioner is unable to deliver the scheduled workshop, the session may be cancelled or delivered by an alternative facilitator.
Disclaimer
Fees are regularly reviewed and published for each series of workshops. Tuition fees are fixed for the duration of a workshop/course at the rate confirmed during the application process.
Any questions?
Get in touch with the Engage Team and we'll do our best to help.