Contemporary Figurative Painting
with Nick Archer
This course explores contemporary approaches to painting and investigates drawing, monoprinting, collage and photography alongside painting to inform and enhance the image making process.
The resulting work may include elements in any of the above media. Photographs, memory and drawing will be the principal reference material.
This twelve week term is recommended for students interested in contemporary methods and for those seeking mentoring on their own projects: the course materials are a means to inspire and stimulate them in their work.
Course Details
Module One (19 & 26 September, 3 & 10 October)
You will source reference material, bringing in photographs, drawings or images of paintings you like. You will be asked to make drawings from this material exploring scale (working large where possible), using different materials such as charcoal, pencil and collage. Weeks three and four will also introduce monoprint techniques to make images, combining these with collage.
Students who wish to pursue their own projects may include the above as they wish, or they may continue to work in their own way with Nick mentoring as required.
Archer “Pass” (monoprint & collage with gold leaf)
Module Two (31 October, 7 14 & 21 November)
You will take the images created in weeks 1-4 into painting, focusing on mark-making using different methods to create marks with paint. We will examine the working methods of 20th and 21st century artists to develop your own language or ‘style’.
Students who wish to pursue their own projects may include the above as they wish, or they may continue to work in their own way with Nick mentoring as required.
Rousseau “The Dream” 1910
Archer “Finches”
Module Three (28 November, 5 12 & 19 December)
This module concentrates on completing a ‘final painting’. You will be assisted with painting techniques. The development process of Modules One and Two will also help with your techniques and composition when it comes to producing the final piece. We will also study some figurative painters as examples. Some of these artists are post-impressionists but others are more contemporary and owe something to the abstract expressionists. Most will have used photography and memory as reference material for painting.
Students who wish to pursue their own projects may include the above as they wish, or they may continue to work in their own way with Nick mentoring as required.
Bonnard “In Summer” 1931
Reviews for Nick Archer:
“Nick Archer is a very supportive and encouraging tutor, who guides each of us to develop his/her own style. However, far from letting us “run wild,” he is first-rate at ensuring we properly observe, analyse, see correctly, and learn, when relevant, to use colour and tone. All this applies equally to his life drawing and painting classes. Having appreciated that you have grasped the basics, Nick will help you branch out and run wild if you wish!”
— Alison R Noyes
“Nick Archer has a wealth of technical knowledge combined with an ability to stretch the boundaries of what is possible. Always supportive and willing to give constructive advice and feedback were required. I can't recommend his classes enough.”
—Helen Rawlinson
Nick Archer
Nick trained at the Royal Academy Schools in London (1996-1999) and is a BP Portrait Prize finalist. He was a member of the Royal Society of Portrait painters from 2000 – 2008. He has won several awards, including 1st at the Hunting Art Prize in 2001. He has exhibited extensively in the UK and Europe since 1999, including solo exhibitions with Louise Alexander Gallery (Porto Cervo, Italy), Sarah Myerscough Fine Art (London), Long and Ryle (London), Galerie Hug (Paris), Gowen Contemporary (Geneva) and with Christine Park (New York).
Nick is represented in London by Long and Ryle, in New York by Christine Park and in Geneva by Gowen Contemporary.
He is well established as an international artist and teacher, with a busy schedule of exhibitions and commissions.