Drawing Courses

Everything there is to know about our drawing courses in Bristol.
Take a look at our work and frequently asked questions.

About Our Drawing Courses

We offer drawing and charcoal courses for all creative abilities. Most of our courses are mixed ability and suitable for all, but we also have some specific beginners classes to support people who are just starting to explore their drawing skills.

Our classes and workshops teach drawing techniques on various subjects ranging from figures, faces to portraiture, landscapes and outdoors.

Explore our wide range of exciting courses and sign-up now.

Beginners Drawing Classes

Friendly, supportive and structured courses for beginners developing their drawing skills.

Mixed-ability Drawing Classes

Friendly, supportive and structured courses for all drawing abilities and skills.

Drawing Summer Schools 2025

Drawing Figures In Mixed Media: Intermediates & Advanced Summer School (B31C)
Drawing Outdoors With Mixed Media: Intermediates Summer School (B30C)
Portraiture From Life: Summer Workshop (B39C)
I Wish I Could Draw People! Beginners & Intermediates Summer School (B39D)

Description: Learning to draw people is an exciting and rewarding challenge. This workshop will demystify the process and help you develop your skills.

Tutor: Bill Guilding Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 26 Aug 2025 (Autumn) Times: Tue Wed 10:00-13:00 Duration: 1 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £50 (Concession: £30)

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Description: A practical introduction to drawing skills, using a range of materials and featuring essential techniques.

Tutor: Mary Kelly Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 16 Sep 2025 (Autumn) Times: Tue 09:30-12:30 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £158 (Concession: £99)

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Description: An introduction to charcoal drawing, covering types, tools, and techniques.

Tutor: Jenny Ibrahim Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 18 Sep 2025 (Autumn) Times: Thu 10:00-12:30 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £125 (Concession: £76)

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Description: An opportunity to develop key drawing and observational skills.

Tutor: Bill Guilding Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 19 Sep 2025 (Autumn) Times: Fri 09:45-12:15 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £125 (Concession: £76)

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Description: A personalised drawing course for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Tutor: Roma Widger Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 24 Sep 2025 (Autumn) Times: Wed 13:00-15:00 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £84 (Concession: £51)

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Description: A practical introduction to drawing skills, using a range of materials and featuring essential techniques.

Tutor: Mary Kelly Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 04 Nov 2025 (Autumn) Times: Tue 09:30-12:30 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £158 (Concession: £99)

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Description: A personalised drawing course for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Tutor: Roma Widger Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 05 Nov 2025 (Autumn) Times: Wed 13:00-15:00 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £100 (Concession: £61)

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Description: An introduction to charcoal drawing, covering types, tools, and techniques.

Tutor: Jenny Ibrahim Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 06 Nov 2025 (Autumn) Times: Thu 10:00-12:30 Duration: 7 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £146 (Concession: £88)

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Description: An opportunity to develop figure and portrait drawing skills with different models each week, using various media and techniques.

Tutor: Bill Guilding Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 07 Nov 2025 (Autumn) Times: Fri 09:45-12:15 Duration: 7 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £146 (Concession: £88)

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Description: A practical introduction to drawing skills, using a range of materials and featuring essential techniques.

Tutor: Mary Kelly Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 12 Jan 2026 (Spring) Times: Mon 09:30-12:30 Duration: 11 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £303 (Concession: £182)

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Description: A practical introduction to drawing skills, using a range of materials and featuring essential techniques.

Tutor: Mary Kelly Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 13 Jan 2026 (Spring) Times: Tue 09:30-12:30 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £132 (Concession: £83)

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Description: A personalised drawing course for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Tutor: Roma Widger Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 14 Jan 2026 (Spring) Times: Wed 13:00-15:00 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £84 (Concession: £51)

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Description: An introduction to charcoal drawing, covering types, tools, and techniques.

Tutor: Jenny Ibrahim Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 15 Jan 2026 (Spring) Times: Thu 10:00-12:30 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £105 (Concession: £64)

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Description: An opportunity to develop figure and portrait drawing skills, starting with photographs and moving to clothed models in the last 3 sessions.

Tutor: Bill Guilding Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 16 Jan 2026 (Spring) Times: Fri 09:45-12:15 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £105 (Concession: £63)

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Description: A practical introduction to drawing skills, using a range of materials and featuring essential techniques.

Tutor: Mary Kelly Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 24 Feb 2026 (Spring) Times: Tue 09:30-12:30 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £132 (Concession: £83)

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Description: A personalised drawing course for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Tutor: Roma Widger Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 25 Feb 2026 (Spring) Times: Wed 13:00-15:00 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £100 (Concession: £61)

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Description: An introduction to charcoal drawing, covering types, tools, and techniques.

Tutor: Jenny Ibrahim Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 26 Feb 2026 (Spring) Times: Thu 10:00-12:30 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £125 (Concession: £76)

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Description: An opportunity to develop key drawing and observational skills.

Tutor: Bill Guilding Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 27 Feb 2026 (Spring) Times: Fri 09:45-12:15 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £105 (Concession: £63)

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Description: One-day life drawing workshop exploring techniques for various media, e.g., charcoal, pencil, pen, soft pastel, acrylics, or watercolours.

Tutor: Bill Guilding Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 21 Mar 2026 (Spring) Times: Sat 10:00-16:00 Duration: 1 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £55 (Concession: £37)

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Description: A personalised drawing course for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Tutor: Roma Widger Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 22 Apr 2026 (Summer) Times: Wed 13:00-15:00 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £84 (Concession: £51)

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Description: An introduction to charcoal drawing, covering types, tools, and techniques.

Tutor: Jenny Ibrahim Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 23 Apr 2026 (Summer) Times: Thu 10:00-12:30 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £105 (Concession: £64)

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Description: An opportunity to draw or paint portraits from a life model.

Tutor: Bill Guilding Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 24 Apr 2026 (Summer) Times: Fri 09:45-12:15 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £105 (Concession: £63)

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Description: A practical introduction to drawing skills, using a range of materials and featuring essential techniques.

Tutor: Mary Kelly Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 28 Apr 2026 (Summer) Times: Tue 09:30-12:30 Duration: 4 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £106 (Concession: £68)

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Description: A practical introduction to drawing skills, using a range of materials and featuring essential techniques.

Tutor: Mary Kelly Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 02 Jun 2026 (Summer) Times: Tue 09:30-12:30 Duration: 5 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £132 (Concession: £83)

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Description: A personalised drawing course for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Tutor: Roma Widger Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 03 Jun 2026 (Summer) Times: Wed 13:00-15:00 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £100 (Concession: £61)

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Description: An opportunity to develop figure and portrait drawing skills with different models each week, using various media and techniques.

Tutor: Bill Guilding Location: Stoke Lodge (BS9 1BN)

Start Date: 05 Jun 2026 (Summer) Times: Fri 09:45-12:15 Duration: 6 week(s)

Availability: Places available Fee: £125 (Concession: £76)

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Testimonials

Clear Instruction

Bill gives excellent feedback and advice. He’s very clear about when and how you’ve gone wrong. The encouragement as well as the criticism. I enjoy drawing people and Bill always gently challenges me to improve.

Drawing Outdoor

Very free-range, not prescriptive. The Tutor came round regularly with input, suggestions, comments. We had the opportunity to draw outdoors, variety of good views using a range of materials/techniques.

Enjoyable

I improved my drawing skills and met some lovely people – very enjoyable

Pleasant Environment

Great tutor, very experienced, helpful to allow us to make mistakes and to learn from them. Really like the venue. Pleasant environment, encouraged to try new approaches.

Inspired

Was good for making friends, learning new skills; inspired me to do more art, improved self-confidence.

Analytical

The Tutor is great at analysing a piece, working out specific issues and giving feedback to improve.

Friendly Class

Lovely relaxed, friendly class. Improved my life drawing skills. More confidence in drawing.

Explore unfamiliar materials

Friendly atmosphere, practiced with unfamiliar materials, increased my ambition to draw more nature.

Gallery

A showcase of our learners’ work

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the courses like?
This depends a bit on the course, but all our courses are led by friendly, supportive and experienced tutors. Ours tutors will help you develop your skills and use techniques and exercises to allow you to explore your drawing, whether it is focused on landscapes, still life or portraiture.
Where do the courses take place?
Courses take place at Stoke Lodge. Stoke Lodge is our adult learning centre off Shirehampton Road in Stoke Bishop. The building has been hosting adult learning classes for over 50 years and is a beautiful old house set in fantastic grounds. We have plenty of free car parking and our back car park is closest to the annexe building and the upholstery classroom.

Drawing courses mostly take place in our annexe building. Either upstairs in our Art studio or in one of our ground floor art and craft rooms.
Are refreshments available
Yes, we have a morning and an afternoon tea/coffee break at Stoke Lodge.

Drinks are served in the main building (just next to the annexe) and we charge £1 for a cup of tea, coffee or herbal tea with biscuits.

Tea breaks are a great way to step away from your project, grab a drink and catch up with learners on your course or those on other courses in the building. Its always a nice social part of the day where everyone gets the chance to stretch their legs and refresh.
Do I need previous experience?
Do I need to bring anything?
Anything else I need to know?

Your question is not here? Contact Us

Contact Us

Need more information regarding our drawing courses? You can call us on 0117 903 8844, email or visit us in person at Stoke Lodge. Office hours applies.

Address

Stoke Lodge Adult Learning Centre
Shirehampton Road, Bristol, BS9 1BN

Info

0117 903 8844

stokelodge@bristol.gov.uk

Drawing Courses