Monday Course
Teacher: Leticia Suarez
Subject: Foundations of Drawing
An Introduction to Observational Drawing
A six-week course introducing the essential principles of drawing, designed to help students see more clearly and translate observation into confident, expressive drawings.
Course Overview
This course offers a focused introduction to the core principles that underpin confident and accurate drawing.
Working from carefully arranged still-life setups, students will explore a variety of everyday objects and organic forms while developing essential technical skills. Each week introduces a key drawing concept - from proportion and contour to form, tone, and spatial depth - helping participants learn how artists observe, analyse, and translate the visual world onto paper.
Through sustained drawing from life, students will gradually strengthen their ability to judge shape, measure relationships, describe three-dimensional form, and organise light and shadow. Examples from master draftsmen will be shared to illuminate the ideas being explored.
Suitable for beginners as well as those wishing to deepen their practice, the course provides a supportive environment in which to build both skill and confidence. By the end of the six weeks, students will have produced a small portfolio of drawings reflecting their growing ability to capture form, light, and space with clarity and sensitivity.
Skills & Themes Covered
Drawing from direct observation
Understanding shape, proportion, and scale
Contour and spatial relationships
Constructing three-dimensional form
Working with light, shadow, and tonal value
Exploring line, edge, and mark-making
About the Teacher
Originally from Colombia, Leticia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the United States and a Master of Science in Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Design from the United Kingdom. Her multidisciplinary background spans fine art, design and sustainability, bringing a thoughtful and contemporary perspective to the studio.
Alongside her painting practice, Leticia is a dedicated drawing tutor who believes drawing is the foundation of every artist’s education, a universal language that cultivates understanding and artistic confidence.
She also brings a particular interest in psychology and human observation. With a perceptive wit, an intuitive understanding of group dynamics, and an ability to read a room with remarkable ease, she creates an environment in which students feel both challenged and encouraged. We know she will be an invaluable addition to the teaching team at Saltaire Art School.
Tuesday Course
Teacher: Jamie Steward
Subject: Portrait Development
Course Coverage:
Basic Principles: Gain a solid foundation in composition, measuring, scale, proportions, perspective, versatile pencil use, shading, and contrast.
Face Proportions: Learn the divine proportions of the face and human anatomy as established by Leonardo da Vinci and verify the theory through conscious practice.
Expert Guidance: Receive close guidance from an expert tutor and professional artist.
Individual Growth: Benefit from personalised attention, with the tutor focusing on your individual growth and often engaging in artistic and philosophical conversations.
Expressive Style: Develop your own expressive, charismatic pencil movement to create a unique piece of art.
About the Tutor
Jamie Steward is a Leeds-based portrait artist whose practice is rooted in careful observation. Working with a restrained palette and expressive mark-making, Jamie creates portraits that look beyond physical likeness to capture presence, atmosphere and character.
As a tutor, Jamie encourages students to slow down, trust their observations and enjoy the process of drawing. His teaching combines strong technical foundations with an open, supportive approach, helping students build confidence while developing their own way of seeing.