Articles
Life Drawing
Our Collection
2 months ago
Naked truth: the story of female life models at the RA
What does a 230-year-old household bill tell us about life modelling in the 18th-century? Here, we explore the historical role of the female nude life model at the RA.
Inside the Academy
4 months ago
Life drawing with Romeo the pony
Two legs good, four legs better? Grab your pencils and sketch this tiny pony in two short poses from our 2019 event #LifeDrawingLive: the anatomy class.
Our Collection
8 months ago
7 life drawing shorts to do at home
In 2018, we hosted the world’s first-ever livestreamed life drawing class from the Royal Academy’s famous Life Room, #LifeDrawingLive. Grab a pencil and have a crack at each pose by life model Andrew Crayford.
Our Collection
< 3 years ago
The RA Collection in 250 objects: How artists learned to draw
For our 250th birthday, we highlighted 250 beautiful, odd and inspiring objects from the RA Collection in 25 themes. With a free display exploring how artists have traditionally learnt to draw, in this edition we head into the Royal Academy’s historic schools…
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
Strike a pose: 250 years of life drawing at the RA
As our ‘From Life’ exhibition explores the past, present and future of representing bodies in art, we look back at the Royal Academy’s 250-year tradition of drawing nude models.
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
From pencil and paper to virtual reality: working from life today
With our current exhibition exploring the past, present and future of working from life, art critic Ben Luke explores how today’s artists are rethinking this seemingly traditional process in innovative, unexpected ways.
Opinion
> 5 years ago
10 of our most-loved blogs from 2015
From a note from Diebenkorn’s diary that went viral to a peep inside our latest show, these were some of the features our readers loved most this year.
Inside the Academy
< 6 years ago
Five quick tips to improve your life-drawing
The RA Schools’ Head of Sculpture and Printmaking led a life-drawing masterclass as part of our first Friends week. Here he shares five key pieces of advice.
Inside the Academy
> 6 years ago
Back to school… a day in the life of an Outreach tutor
Our Outreach programme has been bringing life drawing workshops to schools for over 20 years. Tutor Paul Brandford tells us what’s involved.
Artists
> 6 years ago
Tracey Emin RA: “It’s like being at art school again”
The Royal Academician describes tackling the medium of bronze as her major new exhibition opens in London.
Inside the Academy
7 years ago
Strike a pose… What it’s like to be a life model
As part of the RA Outreach programme we give school students across the UK the chance to take part in life drawing workshops to discover the important role that drawing can play in developing creativity. But what’s it like to be a life model and pose for these budding young artists?