ONLINE LECTURES – Art Tales: A Brief History of Making With Sisetta Zappone

London Drawing Art History lectures

Art Tales: A Brief History of Making

Join us for Art tales, our first 4-part lecture series with London Drawing  that uncovers the fascinating stories behind the materials artists have used throughout history.
From prehistoric charcoal to modern acrylics, each 90-minute session explores how tools and techniques shaped the way we see and make art.

Perfect for artists, art lovers, and the creatively curious, this series reveals not only how different mediums work, but also why they mattered in their time—and how they continue to inspire artists today.
Led by practicing artist Sisetta Zappone, these sessions combine rich historical context with visual examples, artist case studies, and a deep dive into the alchemy of making.

Recordings will be sent out after each lecture and available for 6 weeks – so you can rewatch, pause, rewind, and join in via catch up

Lecture Breakdown:

WEEK 1:  Smoke, Lamp & Dust: The Story of Charcoal and Dry Media
Explore the primal origins of drawing with charcoal, graphite, chalks, and pastels. From cave walls to academic ateliers, discover how dry media became the backbone of sketching, study, and expression.

WEEK 2. Liquid Light: Watercolour, Tempera & Gouache
Delve into the luminous world of water-based media—from the sacred icons of egg tempera to the botanical precision of Renaissance watercolours and the bold flatness of gouache. What made these materials so essential, and how are artists still using them today?

WEEK 3. The Oil Revolution: Depth, Drama & Durability
Trace the dramatic rise of oil painting from the Flemish masters to the avant-garde.
Learn how this slow-drying, luminous medium changed the course of Westernart—and opened up new possibilities for texture, colour, and realism.

WEEK 4. Plastic Dreams: Acrylic and the Modern Age
Fast-drying, versatile, and bold—acrylic paint emerged in the 20th century as the darling of Pop artists and experimental painters alike. Explore how and why acrylic was developed, and the many ways artists have harnessed it.

Art Tales: A Brief History of Making with Sisetta Zappone
March 4/11/18/25
7-8pm
£40
Recordings included