Royal Drawing School

Drawing from life. For life.

Welcome to the Royal Drawing School. We are an artist-led, not-for-profit, home of observational drawing. The place to learn to draw, discover emerging artists, and advance the practice of drawing.
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As a young boy, learning to draw taught me to see. It gave me the happiest pause to be quiet and truly engage with the physical world. Now my drawings tend to be in service of designing and creating. They are immediate expressions of a thought. They are notes to myself giving body to an idea.

Jony Ive

Book now for 25th anniversary free talks – including Jony Ive, Grayson Perry & Es Devlin
Jony Ive_Observational drawing of Pyrex measuring jug-1

Observational drawing of Pyrex measuring jug, 1981 (Aged 14). Pencil on paper, 43 x 23.8cm.

Jony Ive

I’ve been struck by the exceptional standard of teaching. The tutors strike a rare balance between professionalism and approachability, offering expert insight while genuinely respecting each student’s individual path and artistic voice.

Marie Noëlle van Berkel-Chargois

Online Drawing Development Year' 25

Learn more about Online Drawing Development Year
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Marking 25 years

From Antony Gormley to Tracey Emin – 25 leading artists and creatives share how drawing informs their practice.

View all artworks and insights
Bharti Kerr_Body Incantatory 16-min

Body Incantatory 16

Bharti Kher

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Cut Trees - Timber

David Hockney

Frank Bowling_NORBERT LYNTON_963_acrylic on paper_50.2 x 34.2 cm_Courtesy the artist_Photographed by Anna Arca_Front-min

Norbert Lynton

Frank Bowling

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Bullet Drawing

Cornelia Parker

Tracey Emin - Because you left - I held on-2

Because you left - I held on

Tracey Emin

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Kate number one

Rufus Wainwright

Catherine Goodman_Untitled

Primordial Landscape

Catherine Goodman

About us

We are the independent, artist-led and not-for-profit home of observational drawing. We exist to ensure artists and creatives everywhere can access world-leading skills-based drawing tuition regardless of background, age or circumstances; to bring new audiences to drawing; to champion our practice for this generation and the next.

Learn more
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Support our next 25 years

As a charity, we believe everyone, whatever their financial circumstance, should be able to access our teaching. That’s why all our courses come with a wide range of bursaries and scholarships. Help us sustain and grow these programmes over the next 25 years.

Donate
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