The Art departments at Wakefield Girls’ and QEGS were thrilled to welcome renowned artist Ian Murphy to the Foundation to provide stimulating and challenging all-day workshop for our A-Level art students.

Ian is a contemporary British Fine Artist who gained initial success with selection to the British Young Contemporary Artists in 1985. He is best known for his powerful, tonal drawings and atmospheric, mixed media oil paintings of architectural places.

The workshop primarily focused on developing skills working with mixed media to create surface texture and to emphasise tone. The workshop began with Ian talking through his creative process: a four stage process beginning with on-location sketchbook studies, moving to larger studies which explore and refine ideas further, through to larger oil paintings.

Students used a variety of tools including graphite pencils, graphite sticks, graphite powder, black ink and fineliners. Texture was created using parcel paper, newspaper, tissue paper, white acrylic and sandpaper. Students prepared textured surfaces for drawing into, and then created several studies that relate to their personal investigations for the coursework component of their Art A-Level. 

The workshop was exciting and challenging for the students – stretching their creativity and artistic techniques and supporting their A-Level studies. A big thank you to Ian Murphy for joining us today and sharing his knowledge.

Mrs K Varley and Mrs M Caines

Head of Art, WGHS and Head of Art, QEGS