Creative, sustainable living!

Feeling limited by the "I can't draw" narrative?  Frustrated that your drawings never look quite how you want them to look?  If you're ready to take your drawing to the next level by finally learning drawing techniques such as perspective, proportion, negative space and portraiture - join the next Ready to Draw cohort and learn to draw in  just 12 weeks.  It's time to unlock your hidden artistic talent.

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"Ready to Draw" is a 12-week online drawing course.  Following the international, best selling book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards as the course manual, you'll learn specific drawing exercises designed to help you tune into the creative, visual side of your brain – the right side.  You’ll learn how to see differently - focusing on shape, colour and form to enable you to draw with increasing accuracy and confidence.  You'll cover portraits, landscapes and still life scenes.  You’ll be amazed how in just a few weeks, you’ll start to be able to see more clearly and intuitively, and finally begin to gain the pleasure and satisfaction of being able to draw.

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If you’ve been in the “I can’t draw” camp for a while now, you probably won’t believe it when people say “but everyone can draw”.  The truth is: we can all draw - if we are taught.

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"Drawing used to be a civilised thing to do, like reading and writing.

It was taught in elementary schools.  It was democratic.

It was a boon to happiness."   (Michael Kimmelman)

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Up until the age of 7 or 8 drawing is something that comes naturally to children like talking or walking.  Children don’t hesitate before picking up a felt tip pen or hover over the page nervously, they just get on and draw.  Yes - their drawings are imaginative - they're not observational or photorealistic but they draw unselfconsciously and take pleasure in communicating and expressing themselves in this form.  Around the age of 7 or 8 children start to claim that they “can’t draw” because they think their drawings look “childish” - anything that doesn’t look like a “proper house” or a “proper person” is suddenly dismissed.  And many children give up on this form of communication and self-expression, sadly most often for the rest of their lives.  They put drawing in a box labelled “things I cannot do, talents I do not possess, attributes I was not born with”. 

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The wider benefits of being able to draw:

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Being able to draw is not a gift that is randomly handed out to the lucky few - anyone can learn to draw at any age.  If you are taught how to see and taught how to draw the impact of being able to say “yes, I can draw” goes far beyond the page:

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Wellbeing 

When people draw, it is proven that their stress levels reduce, and their concentration and levels of focus and productivity increase.  Those who can draw express that drawing creates a feeling of wellbeing, peace and inner confidence. 

 

Communication

Drawing is a form of communication, it’s a form of human expression that is innate to all of us – we only have to look at the cave paintings to remember that we, as a race, have always had an innate need to communicate and express ourselves visually.  Drawing helps people to communicate beyond the limiting realm of language and words. 

 

Companionship
Once the basic seeing skills have been taught, drawing has to power to become your most faithful companion in life, it can go everywhere with you and has travel the world with you. 

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Connection 

When feeling overwhelmed and busy, the act of drawing can help you to find your still point on the page. If you find yourself bored or have some time to kill, you can connect with your surroundings through drawing. It can help you to connect with yourself daily, as a form of meditation, a practice and is an accessible way of connecting deeply with the subject you are drawing. 

 

Creativity

Being able to draw opens so many avenues for creative self-expression – it is the bedrock of the artistic process.  Most visual images you see today will have started with a drawing of some sort. 

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Imagine having that skill, that companion, that best friend, a shared language beyond words, being able to express your unique self on the page, in the dirt, in the sand, on the screen.  If you learn to draw no matter where you are in the world drawing will always be there, bringing joy, creativity, peace and connection to your life.

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Who is this course for?

This course is for people who are willing and ready to overcome their limiting self-beliefs, to challenge that inner critic, to quieten the "I can't draw" narrative and finally learn how to see and how to draw.   It's also for those who may have been taught some drawing skills decades ago and need a refresher.  Everyone can benefit from the process of drawing, relearning how to see and being a beginner again.

 

Marigold's drawing story:

 

In August 1998, she finished her A-levels and decided to take a gap year before going to University.  One of her intentions in this year was to finally learn some of the things she'd always wanted to learn but was never been taught in school, namely - how to draw.  With a long summer holiday in rural Wales stretching before her, she set about following the exercises in the book, “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards, and taught herself how to draw.  Later that year she went to Nepal for 3 months and found that her newly acquired skill of being able to draw became her most valued travel companion.  On return to the UK, it was the drawings, sketches and paintings that brought back the most vivid memories from that experience – not the photos she’d taken.  And still, over 20 years later, when she looks at those sketchbooks, the moments, the people, the places, the smells from those drawings come flooding back. So, over the years drawing has become more than just a skill to her, it’s become a language, a faithful friend, a refuge.  When life reminds of its impermanent nature, drawing remains. It’s her daily meditation and it’s become an avenue through which she now earns a living.  In its most literal sense – drawing is her life line.

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Why learn with Marigold?

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With over 20 years drawing experience, 15 years of teaching experience in inner city London schools, a qualified creativity coach with over 300 hours of group and individual coaching experience and having created 6 successful online courses - you'll be in safe hands with Marigold as your tutor and course facilitator.  Drawing is her passion, her vocation.  When people ask her what is the best thing about being an artist and tutor, when she questions her "why?" in her work, her deeper sense of purpose - it's always when one of her students is able to access the joy that comes from unlocking their innate creativity.  Creativity brings joy and there is no greater sense of purpose for her than unlocking joy in people's lives.

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Features and benefits:

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• Learn to draw in just 12 weeks  Following a clearly structured program written by an internationally renowned drawing expert, Betty Davis, you'll move from "I can't draw" to "oh I'm quite pleased with that drawing" in just 12 weeks.

• Learn online  learn from the comfort of your own home. No trekking across town to get to an evening class, no cold rooms or uncomfortable chairs, no fluorescent strip lighting or tea in polystyrene cups so often found in adult education centres.  Learn to draw surrounded by all your home comforts, in your favourite chair with an endless supply of tea, just how you like it.

• Be part of a group - Be part of a group of committed learners. Learning as part of a group really helps to ensure that you finish what you started out to do – learn to draw.  It removes that option of shelving your learning or putting it aside for another day, week, month, year.  Embark on this learning journey as part of a group of like-minded people all wanting to learn to draw at different stages in their lives.  Cheer each other on through the ups and the downs of the learning process making sure you don’t get left behind. 

• Learn from an actual book!  Yes, we’ll actually be learning from an old-fashioned book! There’ll be that real learning from a manual based on decades of scientific research about how to access the creative, visual side of the brain.  So you can take the book with you to work and read it in your lunch hour or on your commute.  Ah the pleasure of actually reading an actual book.

• Be part of a thriving online community   Be part of a thriving, friendly and supportive community of people all in the same boat experiencing the same ups and downs along the way.  Remove the isolation of online learning and connect with a group of like-minded people.  You never know - you might end up arranging a real-life meet-up and gain a new friend for life!

• Get the accountability you need  We all know that the act of buying an online course doesn’t mean we’ll ever actually do the online course, if you’re anything like me I rarely get past the first lesson.  We’ve all got those unfinished, or even un started online courses festering in our inbox.  The difference with this online learning experience is that you’ll have the accountability you need to get you past the first lesson, to move you through that dip in motivation once the initial excitement has worn off. Accountability from me and accountability from being part of a group will make sure you go from purchase point to finish line and actually learn the skills you intended to learn.

• Expert tuition  As a former headteacher, with an depth knowledge of drawing, learning and the creative process, you’ll be in safe hands, I’ll make sure  you stay on track and achieve the outcome you want. 

• Live sessions  Online learning can feel a bit remote and disconnected but with the biweekly live group sessions  you’ll get the chance to meet the people in the group not just in the course online group but “face to face” in the live Zoom calls.  There’s nothing like being among fellow students for getting that sense of camaraderie and human connection that we all need and crave from the learning experience.  

• Weekly email check-ins  Stay on track with the weekly accountability emails and check ins – each week you’ll know exactly what needs to be done and receive tips and check-ins to help you stay on track throughout the course. Receive weekly clear steering and guidance through this 12-week learning experience, always knowing where you should be, what needs to be done and by when.

• Homework and submission deadlines   Ooh there’s nothing like a deadline to make sure you finish that chapter and do those exercises.  Each week there’ll be a homework submission deadlines – you‘ll be asked to submit your efforts from the weekly chapters to Marigold via email as another much needed accountability method. 

• Individual feedback  Following each submission deadline, you'll receive personalised feedback from Marigold full of encouragement, pointers and praise!

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What people say:

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“Marigold has taught me that anyone can draw, it’s just about learning to see: the transformation in my drawing skills has been phenomenal!  This drawing course really made such a difference in my life. I’ve been enjoying making art a lot.”  Anush Ramji

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“Ready to Draw totally changed my attitude to drawing! The course gave me confidence in my ability and new ways to approach challenging subjects. I would highly recommend!” Jean Dagg

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“This inspiring course changed my approach to drawing in a fundamental way, both undoing my habitual blocks about drawing, and building up new skills and ways of seeing that brought joy, perseverance, depth and adventure into the practice of drawing." Marian Partington

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“I highly recommend doing this course with Marigold. She is a brilliant guide and so encouraging and nurtures your personal way of expressing yourself through your drawing.” Sue Butler

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“Completely enlightening with regards to seeing and drawing but also enlightening about myself, in the most enjoyable and supportive way. The sessions way transcended my hopes for the course as well as giving me the space and time to practice, learn and play. Now I really look forward to drawing. Marigold is an amazing teacher, I’d really recommend this course.”

Grania Lochnan

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But wait!

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What if I really, really can't draw?  Like what if I haven't drawn for decades, since I left school...!

Then you're in exactly the right place - this course is for people who need support and encouragement to pick up that pencil again and learn to draw.  There is no judgement on your ability to draw, only support and encouragement.

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Do I have to share my drawings with the group?

Absolutely not, if you feel this will inhibit your learning or confidence you can just submit your exercises to me via email.  But I recommend sharing with the group because those who do do end up feeling the benefits from the encouragement from others.

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Starts: 20th June 2022

Ends: 19th September 2022

 

Early Bird Offer: £225

Save £50

when you sign up before 13th June 2022*

*offer ends 12th June 1am UK time

 

Payment Plans Available:

Pay in full or 3 monthly instalments of £75

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