In the world of art, capturing life’s essence, emotions and stories requires a unique skill set, an eye for detail, storytelling talent and a profound understanding of technique. Lisa Ledwick, a gifted graphite artist specialising in hyper-realistic surrealism, distinguishes her work with remarkable precision, breathing life into her creations.

Recently, we had the privilege of welcoming Lisa Ledwick as our Artist in Residence, where she shared her knowledge and skills with our Year 10 students. Her methodical approach to art emphasised the importance of effective planning and storytelling in their creative processes. During her residency, Lisa Ledwick also provided demonstrations on blending techniques, the use of tone and in-depth ways to utilise graphite, with a particular focus on the manipulation of positive and negative space. She further emphasised the art of creating light through the subtraction of darker areas in their artwork.

Lisa Ledwick’s message to the students was clear: effective communication and preparation are essential for a successful creative project. It is vital for students to have a clear understanding of the story they wish to convey, the symbolism they want to incorporate and the setting in which their work will come to life.

By encouraging students to utilise their photographic resources and explore their surroundings, Lisa helped them craft meaningful and narrative compositions that not only reflect her style but also align with their unique artistic visions. The Y10 students who worked with Lisa spent their morning planning their ideas in her style and exploring their visual stories. They created concept sketches using their own reference pictures and began bringing their final designs to life. 

As they progress on their creative journey, we anticipate witnessing their completed works, confident that they have honed their abilities and precision while embracing Lisa Ledwick’s techniques and style.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Lisa for generously sharing her talent with us. If you’d like to explore Lisa’s work further, you can follow this link to learn more: https://www.theartoflisaledwick.com/drawings-ii