"Drawing is your opinion on the page." Anna Stone
Reviews
|
TOTAL JOY
This was my first drawing escape. I would draw constantly as a kid, and somewhere along the way I forgot that I enjoyed it. Fast forward 25 years and my day to day job is selling medical devices and being a mum and wife. Daily demands squeeze out time for myself, and being able to have time to contemplate on what I enjoy. My visit to Krakow with the group was a total joy. I loved the company of the new faces and the support to share drawings, and stories of our lives. All of us from different backgrounds but brought together through the common interest of drawing. Thank you Martyn and group. Teenage Anthea resurfaced again while sitting in the main square in Krakow, listening to Groove Armada on my pods, feeling free as bird with my sketchbook 🕊 Anthea Menezes UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY If you're looking for a stress-free experience that's great value for money and a unique opportunity to meet and spend time with other creatives; I highly recommend booking a trip with Martyn at Drawing Escapes. This was my first of such trips and I can't wait til the next adventure! Meg White AMAZING These drawing trips are amazing! No matter what your background, you'll learn something new (guaranteed!) and you'll meet some wonderful people. They're focused on drawing, but they really are so much more than that. I've been on almost every one of these trips (apart from the secret trips and Bali - on the list though!) and I seriously cannot recommend them enough! Francine Lorriman BEAUTIFULLY ORGANISED Martyn had everything organised beautifully. I just pitched up at the airport and then spent the whole trip free to focus on my drawing. Martyn’s evening tutorials were cleverly responsive to the different needs of individual members – plenty of advice and guidance. I had a great time, did loads of drawings and I wholeheartedly recommend Drawing Escapes. Bring on Bali! Kathleen Olsson, Teacher ENLIGHTENING AND INSPIRING It was lovely to meet you, to get our drawing tuition and to see so much - so diverse, enlightening and inspiring in so many ways! And fun! We both feel we have improved in our drawing and have so much to develop going forward. So thank you for all your input. What a treat! Nicki Stubley PERFECT FOR EVERYONE An amazing break in the most gorgeous picture perfect little Spanish village. TONS of creative support and tutoring, and a chilled, non-judgmental creative atmosphere. Every single one of us came back more confident understanding of our style, and with so many ideas! This trip is perfect for everyone, whether you feel like you need to push your work that little bit more, or don't think you can draw at all, you will come back so excited. Do it. Seriously, what are you waiting for?! DO IT! Lauren Vickers, NTU ... JUST GO Just come back from an awesome week away in sunny spain! Learnt loads... developed my drawing and design theory, feel prepared for final year of uni, got a tan and ate my weight in tapas! If your thinking of going... just go! Beth Lewton, Decorative Arts, NTU 
ONE OF THE BEST WEEKS OF MY LIFE Literally one of the best weeks of my life!! Everyone should do it. Beautiful sunshine and surroundings, loads of beer, wine and drawing and the best company EVER! I have come back with loads of new ideas, inspiration and feel that I have been able to explore drawing without being judged. SO GOOD! :) Lucy Yates, English Teacher, Spain I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS If you have ever lacked confidence, inspiration or disregarded the importance of drawing, I strongly recommend this. Alternatively, if you just want to get away to a lovely remote Spanish village surrounded by mountains, olive groves and mangos, you won’t be disappointed! Becky Eastgate, Fine Art, Manchester ENTHUSED TO CONTINUE
Just an initial thank your for your hospitality for a most thrilling visit to Cútar. Also your input regarding my painting has been so very helpful and I am now. enthused to continue from the amazing photographs and to paint here in Norfolk - the group was a perfect mix so all in all Wonderful. Denise Guilden A WONDERFUL WEEK
Just a note to thank you for a wonderful week of drawing & painting. You are a brilliant teacher! Missing the focus on art already…but I am determined to keep it up. Sacha Lehrfreund, Photographer |
SUPERBLY ORGANISED
What a wonderful city (Kraków) and a superbly organised trip. Thank you for organising it and letting me join you all. I highly recommend your Drawing Escapes Sharon Cooper, Photographer VARIED AND INSPIRING The long-delayed ( Covid ) Northern Loop was worth waiting for. Not only did Martyn organise brilliant weather, but he also managed all the travelling, navigating and accommodation superbly. This allowed me to concentrate completely on looking and drawing, absorbing three distinctive cities in two very different Baltic states, and some great train journeys. The venues for drawing that he selected were varied and inspiring. Each evening's show-and-tell was stimulating and encouraging and I particularly valued Martyn's suggestions for how to take my work forward on the following day or in the next task. Sheila Blankfield EXPLORING SELF I wanted to work with Martyn and I feel his approach will add great value to the design process. His intellectual approach to drawing - exploring self, viewing the world and translating within various mediums is very valuable in the journey of the designer. This is an opportunity to explore, relax into your work and most importantly enjoy the process. Esther Patterson, Graphic Designer, 
SECOND TO NONE I have had the best week, met some great people and developed ideas that would have been hard to get to otherwise. In terms of improving your visual communication this is second to none. The contrast of each day’s drawing venues alongside the relaxed nature of the evening tutorials, provide an arena to explore your ideas and gain support. It feels very one to one and just has to be experienced – book on next years trip now!! I will be booking on this again next year. In the meantime I will not be shutting up about it for a very long time! Deborah Burke, Dec Arts, NTU. Spain MADE ME MORE CONFIDENT Drawing in Spain was amazing! I feel that this experience has made me be more confident for approaching 2nd year and I have found the strengths and developed them in my drawing and colour skills. I would definitely recommend this trip. Especially if you are like me and feel you want to have an enjoyable and exciting experience before you leave uni! Imogen Cotterill, Decorative Arts, NTU BENEFICIAL TO MY PRACTICE Spent the past few days working through the material generated in Gdansk; both the drawings and photos have emerged wonderfully and the experience as a whole has been really beneficial to my practice and general mindset. Thanks again for the support over the trip! Eleanor Marshman, Fine Art, NUA NEW SENSE OF DIRECTION
Best holiday I’ve ever been on… thank you for a fantastic week Martyn, your attention and encouragement have helped me believe in my future and capabilities. It was an inspirational, relaxed and creatively inspiring week and come back with a new sense of direction and purpose in both myself and in my work! Sarah Kirby, Decorative Arts, NTU CLEARER DIRECTION IN MY WORK Just a quick note to say many thanks for a wonderful experience at Cutar. It has given me a clearer direction and confidence in my drawing which I am sure will be of great benefit to my work. Kath Parkin, Knitwear Design, Nottingham Trent ONE OF THE BEST TRIPS OF MY LIFE 
STRESS FREE DRAWING
A huge thank you Martyn for your support and for making the course a real pleasure. I really enjoyed starting to get to grips with stress free drawing, and will certainly continue. Couldn’t have had a nicer group of people to learn with too. Thanks to all. Janet Tayor 
|
Drawing in Malaga 16 – 23 October 2024 THE PERFECT FIT This was my second trip with ‘Drawing Escapes’. The trips are becoming a central pillar to my mission to re-develop creative skills that have been lost over the years, due to neglect whilst I focussed my professional attention elsewhere. For me, it is the perfect fit: a combination of inspiring cultural environments; relaxed accommodation; a dynamic group of likeminded people and tuition that is tailored to the needs and demands of the group. During the week, we shared stories, food, long walks and exchanged valuable tips and advice on drawing and creativity, to the benefit of everyone in the group. Martyn’s style of teaching draws on a lifetime’s experience of teaching in top institutions, alongside his own artistic practice. The focussed workshops, as well as daily sessions, ‘en plein air’, enabled us all to refresh, reset and progress. This is extremely useful to anyone interested in drawing in the field, from life. I believe that everyone who took part, felt that by the end of the trip, we had all enhanced our creative practice in some way, through a unique, immersive and stimulating location along with skilful tuition and guidance. 😁 🎨 👩🎨 🇹🇷 Rachel Brooke LIFE ENRICHING
I've just returned from a life-enriching week of drawing in Krakow amongst a group of like-minded and fun people. Each day we walked to drawing sites where you could draw what you liked (or ask for suggestions) and we evaluated our drawings with the group in the evening. I would highly recommend Drawing Escapes to learn more about the technical aspects of drawing and to share ideas with the group and of course to enjoy the culture of your host country in evening of food, drinks, and plenty of laughs. I was sad to return home. Thanks for everything Martyn, the trip was very well-organised and I felt looked after. Caroline Pennington, Payments Administrator ONE OF THE BEST Lithuania, you will be missed! Lots of people said I was brave/crazy when I told them I was going on this "secret destination" trip but it has turned out to be one of the best trips of my life. Met some incredible people whom I've shared an amazing experience with. Thank vou so much @martynblundell for being our guide! Can't wait for the next one. Joanna Duchannes, Fine Art, NUA SO SPOILED I went to a life drawing class at the National Portrait Gallery Friday night and I was so disappointed with the tutor and model after you and Yuka! How can we follow that? We were SO spoiled in Berlin!! Jane West, Graphic Designer 
SO INSPIRING
I’ve had such a good experience on this trip and feel more confident in my drawing and project focus. It has been such an amazing time, created some fun memories and met such a lovely mix of creative people. Thanks to Martyn for organising and tutoring, and all the others on the trip who have been so inspiring. Claire Bradshaw, NTU. Gdansk ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC Martyn is an absolutely fantastic teacher of the arts, incredibly inspirational and free - whilst studying in my final year at Trent I took drawing classes with Martyn that were amazing and really helped free up my learning and break out of a mould I was stuck in. I couldn't recommend Martyn more as a tutor and mentor! Seriously good stuff and his personal work rules. TOP! :) Michelle Wood, Digital Marketing Manager at Pinterest 
THE WEEK WAS WONDERFUL
Our drawing trip was a great success on many levels. The ease with which the days were played was a delight. Each of us were happy with the progress made in our drawing skills. My reason for attending the drawing trip was to propel me from the safe corner; overcome the attitude which confined me to producing safe undemonstrative works. The week was wonderful, warm and full of friendship. Sarah Brookman, Leicestershire NEVER FELT SO MOTIVATED Had an amazing time, just looking through the pics so many amazing memories made.It was so nice to meet so many creative people! Never felt so motivated. Special thanks to Martyn for organizing such a wonderful trip! Faiza Hussain, NUA Textiles 
CHANGED MY WAY OF THINKING
This trip was both relaxing and hard work and completely changed my way of thinking about art and drawing and also teaching art and drawing. It was almost too good. Rhiannon Edwards, Art Teacher 
CALM STILLNESS
I loved the calm stillness - the lack of pressure or competition. Felt a supportive & safe place to expose ones drawings and learn. Katy Ferguson, TV Editor |