Young Artists Winter Holiday Course 2 (aged 10-15 years)

Drawing Myths, Legends and Giant Wolves!  

This special winter course takes inspiration from the legend of the Wolf of Gubbio and the recent St Francis of Assisi exhibition at The National Gallery.   

St Francis is the Patron Saint of animals and the environment. He lived in Gubbio, Italy in around 1220 and legend has it that a fierce wolf appeared and started to terrorise the town, and the towns people were afraid to venture outside the city walls. It was believed that St Francis could talk to animals, and so he spoke to the wolf and made it promise to stop tormenting the city in exchange for the people feeding it, and so it became the town's pet.

During this one-day course we will draw inspiration from this story and look at Italian artists of the past including Sassetta and Givanni di Paolo, whilst also drawing on the imagery of twentieth century painters, such as Horace Pippin and Frida Kahlo.  

Recreating scenes from the story, we will use our observational skills to draw directly from a clothed model, plants and other natural objects, as well as using our imagination, to build up a library of images. 

We will then delve into the magic of creating miniature paper worlds, characters, landscapes and narratives. The day will culminate in the construction of paper theatres that tell the mythical story of the Wolf of Gubbio.  

Students will...

• Gain an insight into the wonders of Art History, legend, myth and storytelling.   
• Develop a confidence in expressing their own personal vision through experimentation with materials and concentrated observational drawing.   
• Have an opportunity to meet other young artists and work together collaboratively.