Teaching Art Is About So Much More Than Painting

Some days remind me exactly why I love teaching.

This morning was spent exploring Perspective with a lovely young lady who is developing her drawing skills for her degree. This afternoon was all about Painting with another wonderful lady who has discovered a new passion for art.

Although they came to me for completely different reasons, they've both chosen to continue through my full course: DRAW Out Your Potential, CHANGE Your Perspective and SEE the Bigger Picture.

The most rewarding part isn't simply watching their artwork improve... it's hearing them say they can't believe how much they've learnt and how differently they're now seeing the world around them.

I don't simply teach techniques. I teach the science, psychology and maths of what we see, together with what I call the grammar, spelling and punctuation of art. Once you understand these fundamentals, they can be applied to almost any subject, medium or style, giving you the confidence to develop your own artistic voice rather than copying someone else's.

Both ladies were an absolute delight to teach. They found me through completely different routes, yet they now share the same journey... learning to truly observe.

One thing I always tell my students is that the lesson doesn't end when they go home. Once we've started working together, I'm always happy to help in the background with the occasional five or ten minute question between lessons, as often as needed. I genuinely care about my students succeeding, and seeing their confidence grow is one of the greatest rewards of teaching.

Art is so much more than learning to paint... it's learning to see.