Experimental Drawing

A 4-week short course for anyone ready to think, see, and create

Join now for £70

Course starts on Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Many of us stopped drawing around the time we started worrying whether we ‘were good at it’.

In the age of AI generated images, it can be tempting to abandon paper and pencil all together and let the computer do the work.

At some point, we forgot (or maybe we didn’t realize) that drawing is a way of making direct contact with the world. We can see things with our own eyes and create something with our bare hands. We can try something new and find flow without knowing the outcome.

Drawing is a way of thinking, being, and playing.

Experimental Drawing is a 4-week course exploring unconventional approaches to mark-making. It’s a space to be curious, imperfect, and alive.

Over four weeks, you’ll work through exercises designed to let go of your inhibitions and build a more spontaneous relationship with the creative process.

  • You’ll start without knowing the outcome, and get comfortable working with uncertainty.

  • You’ll let go of trying to draw something ‘correctly’, and instead let yourself explore the surprises that can show up when you get into a creative flow.

  • You’ll stop asking permission to create something.

  • You’ll develop a personal vocabulary of mark-making and create something unique.

Who this is for

The course is a good fit if:

  • You’re curious about a more spontaneous, less self-conscious creative practice

  • You’re rebuilding a creative life after years spent somewhere else: a career, a role, a version of yourself that didn’t leave much room for experimentation

  • You used to make things, and you miss it

  • You already know your way around the inner work of building creative confidence, and you’re looking for a new way in: one that uses your hands instead of your words

All levels of experience are welcome: from ‘I can’t draw’ to practicing artists.

When this isn’t right:

  • You would like to draw using a realist or strictly representational approach or you don’t want to experiment with different ways of creating art

Why this matters now

As AI image generation gets more sophisticated, and technology progresses, I find myself pulled more deeply into drawing by hand. I enjoy drawing as way of engaging with life, with being a real person in the real world. This course is built on that same desire.

The case for drawing by hand:

What you’ll get

  • 4 weeks of guided exercises in experimental mark-making, delivered by email

  • A private Discord community to share work, get feedback, and discuss your creative process

  • 1 live Zoom session providing a review and discussion of work on Tuesday, 29 September 2026 (Recorded for anyone who can’t attend. Participants must join live to have their work discussed.)

What you’ll need

  • You’ll receive a full list of materials, but the basics will do: a sketchbook, mixed-media paper, graphite pencils, ink, brushes, watercolour, and crayons or colored pencils

  • No prior experience needed. Beginners and working artists are all welcome.

About Francesca

I’m Francesca, artist, mentor, and educator. My approach draws from my professional and personal study of the arts, psychotherapy, altered states, and mythology. I trained at the Cooper Union and Parsons, spent years working as a designer before retraining as a psychotherapist, and have been a painter and experiential artist across all of it.

I teach drawing as a way of bringing what’s beneath the surface into a visible form, and as a way of seeing and relating directly to the world around you.

Pricing

£100 £70 (Save £30)

Join now

Course starts on Tuesday, 8 September 2026

FAQs

Do I need drawing experience?
No. This course is built for complete beginners and experienced artists.

How is the work reviewed?

The work is not graded. Anything we discuss is in the spirit of shared process rather than critique.

What if I’m nervous to share what I draw?

You don’t have to share your work. If you choose to share, the space will be encouraging and supportive.

When is the live session?
We’ll meet on Zoom on Tuesday, 29 September at 11am PDT / 2pm EDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST to review and share work.

What if I miss the live session?
The live session will be recorded. Participants must join live to have their work discussed.

What materials do I need?
You’ll receive a full list of materials, but the basics will do: a sketchbook, mixed-media paper, graphite pencils, ink, brushes, watercolour, and crayons or colored pencils

Is this art therapy?
No. This is a creative and educational course, not a therapy space. It’s taught by me in my capacity as an artist and educator.

What is the refund policy?

The program is non-refundable. The full refund policy is here. If you have any questions, please contact me before joining.

Have a question not answered here?

Please email me: hello@francescasciandra.com. I read and reply personally to all messages.

Join now for £70

References

Fernandes, M.A., Wammes, J.D. and Meade, M.E. (2018). The Surprisingly Powerful Influence of Drawing on Memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(5), pp.302–308. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418755385.

Henshilwood, C.S., d’Errico, F., van Niekerk, K.L., Dayet, L., Queffelec, A. and Pollarolo, L. (2018). An abstract drawing from the 73,000-year-old levels at Blombos Cave, South Africa. Nature, [online] 562(7725), pp.115–118. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0514-3.

Kaimal, G., Ray, K. and Muniz, J. (2016). Reduction of cortisol levels and participants” responses following art making. Art Therapy, 33(2), pp.74–80. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2016.1166832.

Wang, X., Hommel, B., Colzato, L.S., He, D., Ding, K., Liu, C., Qiu, J. and Chen, Q. (2023). the contribution of divergent and convergent thinking to visual creativity. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 49, pp.101372–101372. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101372.

Banner image by Eduardo Casajús Gorostiaga