Preston Life Drawing Group gives light and shade on its work

Once a week, members of Preston Life Drawing Group meet to appreciate the body and sketch their interpretations.The group was founded by local artist, David Crossley, in 2007 as a non-profit, weekly group for artists of all abilities.

David, a full time artist has been painting murals all over the country and for television shows for more than 22 years.

He says: “On average we see around a dozen artists drop in per week. “The artists are a mix of students looking to boost their coursework, professional artists and hobbyists.“The group offers artists the chance to develop their skills by practicing one of the greatest art disciplines of all; drawing the human figure.

“The room is set out with a large circle of chairs and the model is seated on a plinth.“A bright lamp creates interesting shadows and adds form to the subject.

“We have lots of different male and female models on our rota, in fact 32 different models were hired last year.“The models are of varied ages and body shapes - in fact we would welcome a greater mix of ethnicity. “Three poses are provided during the evening, consisting typically of a 20-minute seated pose, 30 minutes sat on the floor and 50 minutes reclining.

“Life drawing is one of the oldest disciplines in fine art. “There is little room for mistakes as any errors will be instantly obvious to the onlooker. “Life drawing helps artists to master their hand to eye co-ordination, whilst developing their quality of line and teaching them to understand challenging perspectives and severe foreshortening.

“Tips and tricks that are learnt in the life class can be infinitely helpful when used in all other areas of creating art. “Our artists enjoy seeing their work develop over time, whilst picking up inspiration from others and trying new ideas. “Some of Preston Life Drawing Group’s artists simply enjoy life drawing as a hobby, as a means to get out of the house and socialise with others whilst taking home a few mementos of their efforts. “Others are much more serious and desperate to make an impression within the challenging world of fine art. “Everyone is welcome at the group regardless of their ability or experience and free to drop in as often as they can. “Their work is not judged though they may share it with others if they are seeking helpful critique.”

Preston Life Drawing Group meets every Wednesday evening between 7pm and 9pm in the back room of Galloway Hall, 131 Brackenbury Road, Fulwood, and it is always looking for new recruits.

Anyone interested in joining should contact David on 07815 676854 to check for availability of spaces.

Artists should turn up at least 10 minutes early to set up as the class starts promptly. The cost per artist is £7 per evening.Payment is taken during the break to minimise class disturbance.

Attendees are asked to bring their own materials, refreshments and easels/drawing boards if required. Artists are free to use whatever materials they wish to use as long they leave no mess and no damage to the hall’s property is caused. Further information can be found on their website http://www.prestonlifedrawing.co.uk