Drawing Inner Landscapes

Drawing Inner Landscapes is a five-session live online art course to explore image-making that reflects the power and depths of personal imagination.

Join me for a structured yet experimental approach to drawing. Over five weeks, we’ll explore ideas and techniques inspired by dreamwork, surrealism, and creative imagination.

Through drawing, you will create a visual dialogue that brings aspects of your inner world to life, allowing for deeper self-expression and creative exploration. Lessons will include guided drawing exercises, visual research, and group discussions to deepen your understanding of how personal and collective realities merge in artistic practice.

What forms do our inner worlds take when expressed visually?

Drawing Inner Landscapes is for those who wish to push the boundaries of their drawing practice. Whether new to drawing or a practising art professional, you will be encouraged to experiment with creating imagery and working progressively.

You can expect structured exercises with time allocated for drawing and reflection. You’ll also receive group and individual support to refine your drawing practice, enhance your skills, and develop new approaches. We’ll experiment with abstraction, fragmentation, and working with symbols to create compositions that represent elements of your imagination.

Discussions of post-modern and contemporary artists and their approaches will provide insight into past and current methods and inspirations. We will consider how artists such as Remedios Varo, Louise Bourgeois, Julie Mehretu, Odilon Redon, Chantal Joffe, and others have navigated the intersection of personal and collective imagery in their work.

Each session presents frameworks and weekly themes to help you organise your visual language and create your original artwork. You’ll have the chance to develop a focused body of work with guidance to help you shape and refine your artistic vision.

Please note that this course emphasises imagination and personal exploration. This can elicit challenging feelings for some. The course is not a substitute for professional advice or counselling.

Course Details

• Duration: 5 weekly sessions

• Location: Live online via Zoom

• Level: Open to all levels, no prior experience required

• Cost: £279

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About Your Course Tutor

Francesca Sciandra is a UK-based visual artist specialising in painting and experiential art. Her work delves into the depths of imagination, aiming to represent both the seen and the felt. She draws inspiration from nature, dreams, and emotion.

Francesca’s artistic journey began in her teenage years with a foundational drawing class, which ignited a passion that has only intensified over time. She received a Bachelor of Architecture from The Cooper Union in New York City, where she studied drawing with Sue Ferguson Gussow and poetry with David Shapiro. She pursued her artistic development, which led her to study art history and glass sculpture in Barcelona. This experience began a transformative chapter, during which she spent extended periods in Italy and Portugal before moving to the UK.

Beyond her personal art practice, Francesca is a psychotherapeutic counsellor specialising in relationships and sexual issues. Her multifaceted background and commitment to artistic exploration make her a valuable mentor for those seeking to deepen their creative practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who is this course for?

Drawing Inner Landscapes is for anyone 18 and older interested in learning new drawing techniques or expanding their art practice from the comfort of their home or studio.

Q. How is the course delivered?

I deliver the course live on Zoom. I seek to replicate the format and experience provided in a physical art studio as much as possible while being adapted to online learning.

Q. How are the sessions run?

Usually, each class will start with an introduction to the week’s theme. We’ll start with some warm-up drawing exercises. Following the warm-up, you will be given a more extended task in your studio or home space. I will be there during class time if you need any support or guidance while you work. During the mid-point of the lesson, I will ask everyone to come back online to answer questions and check on your progress. At the end of each class, there will be a group share where you can see each other’s work and get feedback from me and your peers.

Q. If I miss a class, can I watch a recorded version?

Classes are not recorded. Online classes are taught live at scheduled times. They are designed to be similar to an in-studio art class experience. If you need to miss a week of your course, you might be able to access some resources to catch up in your own time, but you cannot watch a recording of the whole class.

Q. What do I need to join an online course?

Please connect to the course using a desktop or laptop computer, not a phone or tablet. This will allow you to engage with the classroom, view the lesson materials, and see the artwork during the discussions and shares.

The courses are taught using Zoom. Information is sent to students before the beginning of the course. All you need is a computer or laptop with a webcam, microphone and speaker, a connection to the internet and some space and materials for drawing comfortably in your studio or at home.

Q. How do I join the Zoom class?

You will need to download Zoom onto your computer or laptop. Before class, you will receive the Zoom link and password. Click the link to join the meeting.

Q. What will I be doing in the course sessions?

During the online class, you will spend most of the time drawing in your studio or at home. Drawing requires dedicated time and concentration, so I’ll allow you enough time to get the most out of your class, just as if you were attending a studio-based course. As mentioned above, there will also be warm-up exercises, instructor-led discussions, and group shares during each week of your course.

Q. What materials will I need?

You will need a sketchbook or loose sheets of paper, drawing materials of your choice (such as pencils, charcoal, ink, and pastels), and any other media you feel drawn to explore. An optional materials list will be provided before the start of the course.

Q. Will there be homework?

I might suggest a few activities for you to consider between sessions, but there will be no officially assigned homework. You are welcome to continue working on your drawings and explorations outside of class.

Q. What is the cancellation and refund policy?

Cancellations made at least four weeks before the course's start date are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations made within four weeks of the start date are not eligible for a refund. No refunds will be issued for no-shows or missed sessions. Course enrolments cannot be transferred to other cohorts or courses.

If you have any further questions, please email hello@francescasciandra.art.

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