Portrait Drawing Masterclass with Curtis Holder

COURSE CODE: WC2403054

COURSE DATES: Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th June 2025

TUTOR: Curtis Holder

DAYS: 2

TIMES: 10:00am - 4:30pm

EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Advanced, Ages 18+

FEE: £230

LOCATION: Bankside Campus, 185 Park Street, SE1 9BL

Our masterclasses are a special feature of the Art Academy. Drawing on our extensive professional network we are able to book sought-after practitioners to teach classes – people who are experts in their field. Masterclasses are designed as a more in-depth course for students who are interested in expanding their skills with an established artist. Teaching groups are deliberately small, with intense tuition, and personalised guidance.

This Masterclass offers the chance to study under the tuition of artist, Curtis Holder.
Curtis Holder is a London-based artist who works in graphite and coloured pencil to create large-scale portraits and figurative works on paper. He gained widespread recognition in 2020 after winning Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year.

The weekend will explore an intuitive approach to capturing the presence and essence of a sitter. Over two days, students will develop their portraits using gesture, rhythm, and layering, focusing on movement and structure rather than rigid academic precision. Working from a live model, they will experiment with observational mark-making, silhouette studies, and the balance between accuracy and expression.

This course is designed for artists who want to think differently about portraiture—moving beyond traditional methods to embrace a more instinctive and layered approach to drawing.

Sessions will cover:
– Gesture and movement as a foundation for portraiture.
– Observing and capturing habitual poses and body rhythms.
– Exploring silhouette and composition before focusing on detail.
– Mapping facial structures through tonal studies.
– Balancing accuracy with expression in portrait drawing.
– Using colour selectively to enhance presence.

By the end of the course, students will:
– Develop a stronger observational approach to portrait drawing.
– Learn to capture movement and posture through gestural studies.
– Understand how to layer drawings to build up a composition.
– Explore colour instinctively rather than rigidly matching tones.
– Gain confidence in balancing structure with expressive mark-making.

This is a Masterclass, suitable for artists with experience in portrait drawing who want to refine their approach and develop new ways of capturing presence and identity.

Teaching will include:
– Live demonstrations by Curtis Holder.
– One-on-one feedback and discussion.
– Practical exercises exploring different aspects of portrait drawing.
– Group critiques to share insights and approaches.

Recommend booking by: May 31, 2025

COURSE SCHEDULE

Advanced

All attendees must be aged 18 and over.

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. Our Advanced courses include our Masterclasses.

  • A selection of graphite pencils (H, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B)
  • Coloured pencils for layering
  • Cartridge paper (A2 & A3) for gestural studies
  • High-quality drawing paper (A1/A2) for final portrait work

CURTIS HOLDER

Curtis Holder (born Leicester, 1968) is a London-based artist who works in graphite and coloured pencil to create large-scale portraits and figurative works on paper.

Holder gained widespread recognition in 2020 after winning Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year. Since then, he has continued to garner critical acclaim through exhibitions, residencies, and commissions, earning numerous accolades, including The John Ruskin Prize in 2024.

Holder is a member of Contemporary British Portrait Painters (CBPP), The Society of Graphic Fine Art (SGFA), and The Pastel Society (PS), and his work is held in prominent public collections, including the National Portrait Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and Soho House.

Bankside Campus

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”.

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.

Terms and Conditions

  • By booking onto one of our courses you agree to our Short Courses Terms and Conditions.

  • You will need to have paid in full before the first session of your class. Your place is not guaranteed until we have received full payment. Please book early in order to guarantee your place on the course.

Materials & Equipment

  • If you purchased a pack online this will be given to you on the first session of your course upon your arrival. Packs can be booked on our Materials Page or on this page when you book the course

  • Please don’t wear your best clothes as there is always a chance you will get messy. If possible bring an apron or overalls.

  • All artwork at the Academy MUST be taken home at the end of each session where possible, with the exception of oil paintings and sculpture works.

  • We cannot store materials at the Academy, so please take these to and from your sessions.

  • Please ensure that your mobile phone is switched off or is on silent during the class.

  • Health and Safety Guidelines will be provided to you a week before the start of your course.

Concessions and Discounts

We offer a number of concessions and discounts, please find more information on what we offer here.

Gift Vouchers

If you would like to purchase a gift voucher to be used on our courses then you can purchase these here.

£230.00

Image / Curtis Holder

Early Bird offer available until 12th March.

Please apply coupon code aa-earlybird-10% at checkout.

£230.00