COURSE CODE: E2503P03
COURSE DATES: Wednesdays, 22nd April - 10th June 2026
TUTOR: David Gardner
DAYS: 8
TIMES: 10:30am – 4:30pm
EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Ages 18+, All Levels
FEE: Early bird: £490.50 / Standard price: £545
LOCATION: Bankside Campus, 185 Park Street, SE1 9BL
This course is ideal if you’re looking to push the boundaries of your observational skills. It is suitable for both beginners and for those more experienced in drawing too. This is a chance to treat the studio as a laboratory of ideas, a safe space to test out new ways of working and stretch yourself out of any comfort zones you may have settled into. You’ll be asked to study the elusive yet magical qualities that emanate from an eclectic range of lit objects, still life set ups and the local landscape around the academy, working with both artificial and natural light. You’ll experience the familiar transformed into the unfamiliar through the beauty and drama of light and luminosity.
Students will be able to:
Recommend booking by: April 14, 2025
All attendees must be aged 18 and over.
This course is suitable for all levels. Students can move at their own pace depending on their experience, with as much support from the Tutor as they wish. This means an student from the following experience levels can join this course:
Choose a Beginners course if you are looking for a broad introduction to the medium you are studying. Our Beginner courses are suitable for students with no prior experience.
Choose a Beginner + course if you are looking to hone your skills, focus on a specific subject area and build your confidence. These courses are suitable for those with some basic skills in and knowledge of the taught medium.
Our Intermediate courses are suitable for students who have considerable prior knowledge of the taught medium or have completed a Beginners/Beginners + course with the Art Academy.
Choose our Advanced courses if you have considerable knowledge in the taught medium. You are expected to be able to work independently and have critical discussions around your work.All Levels
Beginner
Beginner +
Intermediate
Advanced
YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN MATERIALS.
Please see the ‘what to bring’ each week sections above for information on what to provide.
If you do not have your own drawing materials, there is an option to order a Drawing Pack at the time of booking which will be available when you arrive for your first class or posted to you. You can purchase this via the following link; http://artacademy.org.uk/evening-classes/materials/
A Drawing Pack contains:
Certain materials can also be purchased from the Academy shop during shop hours. Please check in advance of your class if the item you require is available, as the Academy may not stock all items listed above.
David Gardner
David creates figurative paintings and drawings with a focused interrogation on his own body and its relationship to different spaces, both real and imagined. The body is always half concealed / half revealed, emerging behind flora, fences or veils. The images are staged to slowly reveal themselves, initiating an act of looking, one where the gaze must penetrate a boundary, a threshold, a gateway through and into the picture plane. Colour is a core anchor in Gardner’s imagery, often very vibrant and glowing as if lit from within, radiating from the inside-out towards the viewer. Gardner recently won the ACS Studio Prize and completed the residency programme at Palazzo Monti, Italy. His work is in prominent collections including the V&A, the Royal Collection, Taylor Family collection and private collections in Africa, Europe and USA. David also teaches at the Royal Drawing School and Central Saint Martins. https://www.studiodavidgardner.com/
185 Park Street,London SE1 9BL tel: +44 (0) 207407 6969
This is our new purpose built accessible campus. Find more information here
Nearest Tube/ Rail: London Bridge or Southwark (both a 10-15 minute walk). Please note that London Bridge has two exits, the most direct route is to follow signs to “Borough Market”.
Bankside Campus
Students are welcome to use The Hub during break times, where you can prepare hot drinks and/or food. You must bring your own keep-cup, water bottle or food container to the Academy as mugs, glasses, and containers will not be available in our Bankside campus.
Tea and coffee will be provided by the Academy and is available from the island unit at the end of The Hub.
We offer a number of concessions and discounts, please find more information on what we offer here.
If you would like to purchase a gift voucher to be used on our courses then you can purchase these here. Terms and Conditions
Materials & Equipment
Concessions and Discounts
Gift Vouchers
Early bird 10% off until the 9th of March 2026