Articles
Artists
Meet the artists and architects who make the Royal Academy unique.
Artists
23 days ago
My sketchbook: Hockney-inspired painting with Cecilia Caulder
Take a look inside the colourful sketchbook of Making Space participant Cecilia Caulder.
Artists
3 months ago
In memoriam: Norman Ackroyd RA
Ian Ritchie RA pays tribute to a master etcher whose travels at sea inspired his beautiful evocations of the British isles.
Artists
3 months ago
In memoriam: Timothy Hyman RA
Hisham Matar on the artist’s passion for figuration, friendship and a life of the mind.
Artists
4 months ago
My sketchbook: polar painting with Emma Stibbon
Take a look inside the sketchbook of Emma Stibbon and learn how her arctic landscapes come to life.
Artists
8 months ago
My sketchbook: constructing a painting with Mick Kirkbride
Take a look inside the sketchbook of Mick Kirkbride and learn how he structures his paintings.
Artists
8 months ago
In memoriam: Mick Moon RA
Christopher Le Brun PPRA remembers the painter’s generosity as a mentor and his inspirational independence as an artist.
Artists
8 months ago
Clare Woods RA on flowers, fear and pooling paint
The Royal Academician discusses her process of making paintings and her recent focus on still lifes.
Artists
9 months ago
My sketchbook: designing the houses of the future with Peter Barber RA
Take a look inside the sketchbook of architect Peter Barber RA and learn how he draws buildings and neighbourhoods.
Artists
11 months ago
In memoriam: Joe Tilson RA
Michael Craig-Martin RA pays tribute to an influential and generous artist, who was a prime mover in Britain’s Pop art scene.
Artists
> 1 year ago
My sketchbook: colourful drawings by Bob and Roberta Smith RA
Take a look inside the sketchbook of Bob and Roberta Smith RA and learn how to create a visual poem.
Artists
> 1 year ago
In memoriam: Sonia Lawson RA
Nicholas Usherwood celebrates a progressive painter of great range and empathy.
Artists
> 1 year ago
In memoriam: Michael Hopkins RA
Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA pays tribute to his friend, an architect whose innovative use of materials produced exceptional structures.
Artists
> 1 year ago
Video: Catherine Opie on photographing leading British artists
Catherine Opie discusses her portraits of David Hockney, Anish Kapoor, Gillian Wearing, Isaac Julien and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, featured in our free display in the Collection Gallery.
Artists
> 1 year ago
My sketchbook: Emyr’s life drawings and abstract lines
Take a look inside the sketchbook of artist Emyr Williams and learn how drawing with your opposite hand can improve your technique.
Artists
> 1 year ago
In Memoriam: Antony Green RA
Painter Timothy Hyman RA pays tribute to a lifelong narrative-inclined friend and comrade.
Artists
> 1 year ago
In memoriam: Phyllida Barlow RA
Alison Wilding RA reflects on the life and qualities of her fellow sculptor, and their friendship over four decades.
Artists
> 1 year ago
My sketchbook: Adebanji’s people, landscapes and cows
Take a look inside the sketchbook of artist Adebanji Alade, known as the Addictive Sketcher, and learn some of the techniques he uses in his drawings.
Artists
> 1 year ago
Video: Bob and Roberta Smith’s flags for Mayfair
This summer, Bob and Roberta Smith RA is designing flags to be flown throughout Mayfair in London. We visited his studio to find out the story behind the designs.
Artists
> 1 year ago
Quiz: how well do you know art history’s colours?
It’s time to check your knowledge of how artists have harnessed the hues of the rainbow since the 18th century. Test your eye for colour and your head for history with our quiz…
Artists
< 2 years ago
In memoriam: Tom Phillips RA
Remembering the life, career, studio, and artworks of Tom Phillips, as recalled by his friend, the editor and publisher Nick Tite.
Artists
< 2 years ago
My sketchbook: Samira’s geometric drawings
Take a look inside the sketchbook of artist and educator Samira Mian and learn how to draw mesmerising geometric patterns.
Artists
< 2 years ago
What’s on my art agenda: Isaac Julien RA
As he prepares for his solo show at Tate Britain, the pioneering filmmaker and installation artist reveals his current cultural interests.
Artists
2 years ago
In Memoriam: Fred Cuming RA
Printmaker Norman Ackroyd RA celebrates the painter of coastal vistas who earned a place in the canon of British landscape art.
Artists
2 years ago
In memoriam: Paula Rego RA
Sculptor Cathie Pilkington RA pays tribute to the painter’s visual storytelling and recalls her humour amid their own collaborations.
Artists
2 years ago
Cornelia Parker RA: my artistic influences
With her major show currently at Tate Britain, the renowned sculptor and installation artist shares her guiding lights, from Duchamp to Yves Klein, string, and the Summer Exhibition.
Artists
2 years ago
In the studio with Hew Locke RA
The new Royal Academician, renowned for his seafaring sculptures, invites Rosanna McLaughlin aboard his London space.
Artists
> 2 years ago
Family how-to: make a colour wheel
Get inspired by Milton Avery’s colourful canvases, and learn how to mix paint like a pro with this quick colour-wheel activity.
Artists
> 2 years ago
In memoriam: James Butler RA
John Maine RA pays tribute to a fellow sculptor, whose fidelity to figuration bore fruit in military monuments and major commissions.
Artists
> 2 years ago
Five minutes with Ryan Gander RA
From a striking coastal sculpture to a life-size betting shop made entirely of glass, artist Ryan Gander RA’s practice is brilliantly varied. Get to know the life and work of the newly elected Royal Academician.
Artists
> 2 years ago
How to: make a character house
Instead of throwing cereal containers and milk cartons away, use them to make a miniature house with character.
Artists
> 2 years ago
In memoriam: Richard Rogers RA
Norman Foster RA remembers his friend, fellow student, Team 4 partner and pioneer of inside-out buildings.
Artists
> 2 years ago
Step into the wonderful world of children’s art
As we get ready for the Young Artists’ Summer Show 2022, we’re taking a look back at just a few of the incredible artworks from last year’s exhibition.
Artists
> 2 years ago
In memoriam: Chris Wilkinson RA
Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA pays tribute to the architect’s innovative designs for visitor attractions, as well as his great service to the Royal Academy.
Artists
< 3 years ago
Five minutes with Sonia Boyce RA
From her creative upbringing to a 20-year long art project, get to know the artist representing Britain at the 2022 Venice Biennale.
Artists
< 3 years ago
In memoriam: Phillip King PRA
Painter Paul Huxley RA and sculptor William Tucker RA pay tribute to the former President of the RA who expanded the language of 20th century sculpture.
Artists
3 years ago
How to: paint with words like Patrick Moses
Try making a painting inspired by words like Summer Exhibition 2021 artist Patrick Moses.
Artists
3 years ago
In memoriam: Dame Elizabeth Blackadder RA
Victoria Crowe remembers the Scottish painter’s elegant and analytical style.
Artists
3 years ago
Starr Fellow Kevin Gallagher on Rodin, rural Illinois, and his RA Schools residency
The Starr Fellowship provides a bursary and a studio at the RA Schools for a U.S. artist to develop their practice – we met 2021 Starr Fellow Kevin Gallagher.
Artists
> 3 years ago
The artist celebrating the Windrush generation
Veronica Ryan, the sculptor behind a new monument to the Windrush generation in Hackney, shows Ruby Tandoh the fruit markets that inspired the commission.
Artists
> 3 years ago
Nature and myth in art
Author, classicist and comedian, Natalie Haynes, explores the theme of nature in classical mythology, from Bernini and Giambattista Tiepolo, to John William Waterhouse RA.
Artists
> 3 years ago
The life and work of Paula Rego
Paula Rego RA discusses music, marriage and portraying the pregnant body with Imogen Greenhalgh.
Artists
> 3 years ago
In memoriam: Trevor Dannatt RA
Spencer de Grey RA pays tribute to architect Trevor Dannatt RA, who died in February 2021 aged 101.
Artists
> 3 years ago
Saturday Sketch Club: drawing into the abstract
Join Emyr Williams for a workshop in how to create your own abstract drawings
Artists
> 3 years ago
Saturday Sketch Club: experimenting with the figure
Join artist Jake Garfield for this fun and informal life drawing session
Artists
> 3 years ago
How to: design a greenhouse
Experiment with making miniature architectural models using just toothpicks and plasticine.
Artists
> 3 years ago
Saturday Sketch Club: drawing as exploration
Discover repetition and transformation in this workshop with Elinor Stanley
Artists
> 3 years ago
Saturday Sketch Club: botanical drawing
Join Laxmi Hussain for a guided workshop in drawing botanics
Artists
> 3 years ago
Saturday Sketch Club: anatomy drawing
Learn all about anatomy drawing with our online Saturday Sketch Club
Artists
> 3 years ago
How to: make tempera paint
Have a go at making your own paint with eggs, make-up, spices and chalk.
Artists
> 3 years ago
Saturday Sketch Club: collage
Join us for a class in collage with artist Sahra Hersi – all you need is paper, glue and scissors
Artists
> 3 years ago
Saturday Sketch Club: life drawing
Take a lesson in life drawing from Andy Pankhurst in week two of our online Saturday Sketch Club
Artists
> 3 years ago
Saturday Sketch Club: still life
Catch up on the first of our online Saturday Sketch Clubs, focusing on still life drawing with Mark Hampson
Artists
> 3 years ago
Creative tips for still life drawing
As he joins us for the first instalment of our online Saturday Sketch Club, Mark Hampson gives us some practical advice on how to improve your still life drawing.
Artists
> 3 years ago
How to: make paper
Learn how to make your own paper from scratch using a photo frame, a pair of old tights and scrap paper.
Artists
> 3 years ago
Creative tips for botanical drawing
Join artist Laxmi Hussain to learn how to arrange your plants and experiment with continuous line drawing.
Artists
> 3 years ago
In the studio with Michael Armitage
Tristan McConnell reports from the Nairobi studio of RA Schools alumnus, Michael Armitage, whose solo exhibition at the Royal Academy is due to open May 2021.
Artists
< 4 years ago
“Like a portrait painter with their sitters, I have the feeling of a real relationship with the flowers I paint”
100-year-old artist Diana Armfield RA writes about the joy of painting the flowers in her garden.
Artists
< 4 years ago
Family how-to: multicolour projectors
Follow these instructions to create your own light installation at home, using a simple DIY projector.
Artists
< 4 years ago
John Akomfrah RA on his artistic roots, upcoming London show, and being left-handed
Newly elected Royal Academician, John Akomfrah, has been exploring Black British life since the ‘80s. He tells us about being slammed in the press by Salman Rushdie and his love of Virginia Woolf.
Artists
< 4 years ago
In the studio with Joy Labinjo
Joy Labinjo is quietly changing the course of art history from a small studio in south London. Writer Fiona Maddocks meets Labinjo to discuss her ambitious paintings, and the next steps in her career.
Artists
4 years ago
Meet the winners of the 2020 RA Architecture Awards
Be inspired by four practices who are reimagining the future of architecture and learn more about the evocative work of Cristina Iglesias, the 2020 RA Architecture Prize winner.
Artists
4 years ago
Family how-to: felt-tip printing
Make your own unique and colourful prints using felt-tip pens and an old baking dish.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Hughie O‘Donoghue on celebrating Varnishing Day through collaboration
Hughie O’Donoghue RA discusses a new collaborative artwork – produced by Royal Academicians to raise funds for the Academy during this critical time.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Family how to: chalk printing
Try these two simple techniques and experiment with using chalk to make colourful abstract prints.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Anne Desmet RA: engraving angels
Artist Anne Desmet RA documents the weekly progress of her latest wood engraving – inspired by her mother, the resilience of the human spirit, and Florence Nightingale.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Family how-to: shadow puppets
Follow these instructions to design your own puppets and put on a play in a cardboard theatre.
Artists
> 4 years ago
19 pieces of creative advice from artists and architects
There’s no right way to be creative – but leading artists and architects have plenty of tips to get you started. We revisited some of our most popular interviews to share creative wisdom from Antony Gormley, our President Rebecca Salter, Lubaina Himid and many more.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Family how-to: plastic bag weaving
Follow these simple instructions to make a mini loom and have a go at weaving with recycled plastic bags.
Artists
> 4 years ago
David Hockney: “I’ve never been mainstream. Just be yourself”
Originally released to celebrate David Hockney’s 80th birthday, filmmaker Bruno Wollheim shared 80 short films made with the artist. Now, they are being re-released daily during the Coronavirus pandemic. Watch three of them here.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Family how-to: redesign your street
Experiment with architectural collage and have a go at redesigning your street for future generations.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Rana Begum: “My work is a release, allowing me to feel calm.”
Rana Begum RA discusses moving studios during a pandemic, its impact on her creative process and how having the children at home has introduced some new qualities into her work.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Family how-to: fabric painting
Follow these easy instructions to brighten up your organic fabrics using natural, home-made dye.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Author Tessa Hadley on how we carry art around in our mind
While in lockdown Tessa Hadley pays a visit to her inner National Gallery, contemplating recollections of one of her favourite Renaissance altarpieces, Jacopo Di Cioni’s ‘Coronation of the Virgin’.
Artists
“The pandemic is giving us time to think about the kind of life we want afterwards.”
The Covid-19 pandemic may have isolated us, but for Yinka Shonibare RA it’s given him the space he needs to truly become an artist again.
> 4 years ago
Artists
> 4 years ago
Video: John Maine RA on the impact of coronavirus on his new sculpture, ‘Turning Point’
In this video from our ‘Artists in Isolation’ series, John Maine RA talks us through the process of making a huge, stone sculpture for Salisbury town centre – and what happens when lockdown lands in the middle of it.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Woodwork: how does it work?
The centuries-old techniques of woodcut and wood engraving are alive and well today, holding an enduring appeal for contemporary artists. But what are these processes and what is the difference? Fiona Maddocks investigates.
Artists
> 4 years ago
Digital premiere: watch the PHYLLIDA documentary
Enjoy this exclusive digital premiere of the film ‘PHYLLIDA’, a documentary portrait of the artist Phyllida Barlow RA. Released on her birthday, this film celebrates her pioneering contribution to the field of sculpture.
Artists
< 5 years ago
In the early hours with Léon Spilliaert
Léon Spilliaert’s strange nocturnal atmospheres are pregnant with mystery and silence. Novelist Alan Hollinghurst explores the Belgian artist’s shadowy interiors, shelterless landscapes and probing self-portraits.
Artists
5 years ago
Rebecca Salter PRA: “Do not tell young people they can’t do things”
Meet Rebecca Salter PRA – the first female President in the RA’s 251-year history. Speaking in 2017 upon her election as Keeper of our Schools, she talks art and the next generation, trying a new culture and swimming in the winter.
Artists
5 years ago
Reflecting on Hogarth’s political prints from Brexit Britain
William Hogarth revelled in the vanity and corruption of London’s rakes and harlots. But his Comic History paintings also draw sobering parallels with Britain’s political climate today, writes Simon Wilson.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Norman Foster RA introduces the Museo del Prado extension
In this video, architect Norman Foster RA discusses the redevelopment of Madrid’s Museo del Prado and his practice’s unique take on the boundaries between the old and the new.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Frank Bowling: “I realised that girls liked me at art school.”
With the British-Guyanese artist’s major retrospective at Tate Britain this year, we meet Frank Bowling in his London home to hear his thoughts on painting, family, and the secret to staying alive.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Frank Bowling: the artist who put abstraction on the map
The British-Guyanese artist spent decades in New York at the forefront of experimental abstract painting. Now, at age 85, he’s finally celebrated in a retrospective show at Tate Britain. We trace how he got there.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Family how-to: make a recycled sculpture
Be inspired by the work of Phyllida Barlow RA and create a sustainable sculpture from reusable household rubbish. Build it, play around with decoration and then recycle the parts.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Family how-to: make your own paintbrush
Venture outside to hunt for dry leaves, flowers and twigs so you can construct your own brushes and play with mark-making using natural, foraged materials.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Eight art schools that changed the world
From the influential Bauhaus to contemporary Cuba, centres for studying art have shaped global culture over the past century. Sam Thorne celebrates the most innovative examples.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Travel: on the Bauhaus trail, from Weimar to Berlin
To mark 100 years of the legendary art school, Sam Phillips follows its fortunes from Weimar, via Dessau, to the German capital.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Family how-to: adapt your art tools
Tailor art activities to your needs by adapting the tools you use. Follow our step-by-step way to extend or improve the grip on your pencils, paintbrushes and pens.
Artists
< 6 years ago
Art under threat: the growing crisis in higher education
Britain’s reputation as a creative country is at risk, as threats mount to the education pathway that leads potential artists from school to university to professional life. Sam Phillips reports on the political challenges facing higher education.
Artists
< 6 years ago
The great art quiz of 2018
Well, it’s been quite a year, hasn’t it? Let’s hope you’ve found time to keep up with something that makes it all worthwhile… Take the quiz and find out how much creativity and culture you’ve kept in your life this year.
Artists
6 years ago
Family how-to: make a Christmas cookie cutter print
Why not put your stamp on the festive season with our cookie cutter Christmas prints and Funky Foam reliefs?
Artists
6 years ago
“The sunsets were other-worldly” – artist Barbara Rae RA on her Arctic journeys
RA Magazine’s Sarah Handelman meets Barbara Rae RA in her studio in Edinburgh ahead of her exhibition ‘Barbara Rae: The Northwest Passage’.
Artists
6 years ago
Family how-to: carve a Halloween pumpkin inspired by the RA Collection
Have a go at using a stencil to carve a pumpkin this Halloween. These stencils are all inspired by artworks from the RA Collection. Download it and get crafting!
Artists
6 years ago
Gilbert & George’s advice to today’s art students
Visiting the students of Wolverhampton School of Art, the Turner Prize-winning duo had some wisdom to bestow on today’s “baby artists”…
Artists
> 6 years ago
Family how-to: make a stop-frame animation
Become a film director for the day and create your very own cartoon animation inspired by artworks from the RA Collection.
Artists
> 6 years ago
My Art Agenda: Norman Ackroyd
Norman Ackroyd RA discusses his art agenda.
Artists
> 6 years ago
Gillian Ayres RA: colour dancing across the canvas
Mali Morris RA pays tribute to the inspirational life and work of the painter and printmaker Gillian Ayres RA, who passed away earlier this year.
Artists
> 6 years ago
Remembering Leonard McComb RA
Colleagues, friends and family pay tribute to artist and teacher Leonard McComb, who died on 19 June 2018 aged 87.
Artists
> 6 years ago
A tribute to Will Alsop RA: 1947 - 2018
Architect Will Alsop RA was known for blurring the boundaries between art and architecture. Following the sad news of his death, the RA’s Head of Architecture and Peter Cook RA reflect on his career.
Artists
> 6 years ago
Eva Rothschild RA: “making things feels political”
With news that the Irish artist has been selected to represent her country at the 2019 Venice Biennale, we meet Eva Rothschild in her London studio to talk being a sculptor, parent and feminist.
Artists
> 6 years ago
“Immensely courageous”: a tribute to Gillian Ayres RA
Friends and colleagues remember the exceptional life and career of the painter Gillian Ayres RA, who passed away on 11 April 2018 aged 88.
Artists
> 6 years ago
Family how-to: colour the RA Collection
Have a go at colouring different artworks from the RA Collection! Download a colouring sheet and crack out your pencils and pens.
Artists
< 7 years ago
Family how-to: photograph, paint or collage a portrait
Make a portrait or collage the pieces of a portrait puzzle.
Artists
7 years ago
Family how-to: print with fruit and vegetables
Print a posy of springtime roses, a potato polar bear or some birthday wrapping paper.
Artists
7 years ago
Eight things to know about Gilbert & George RA
With a new show at White Cube Bermondsey, the artistic duo tell us eight things about their lives, art, fame, bigots, liberals, Brexit, and their favourite East End Turkish restaurant.
Artists
7 years ago
Family how-to: use melted crayons to decorate a flag
Melt and grate crayons in our take on Jasper Johns’s encaustic paintings, working with wax to design a flag that represents you.
Artists
7 years ago
Family how-to: collage colourful magnets
Forage for some autumnal inspiration, then get cutting and sticking to create moveable magnetic cut-outs that you can put on the front of your fridge.
Artists
7 years ago
In the studio with David Adjaye RA
The international architect talks art collections, local communities and working for the disempowered at his London studio.
Artists
7 years ago
The text art of Jenny Holzer: “crummy signs, my speciality?”
As the pioneering American artist covers Blenheim Palace with her provocative text-based work this autumn, she discusses a career of making art with words.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Richard Rogers on working with Renzo Piano: “His poet’s soul brought us through”
As Renzo Piano celebrates his 80th birthday, close friend and fellow Academician Richard Rogers looks back at what it was like to work together on one of the 20th century’s most iconic buildings – the Pompidou Centre in Paris.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Family how-to: exploring colour with slime
Play, experiment and explore how colours mix together by making this sensory slime!
Artists
> 7 years ago
Richard Deacon: “Don’t depend on other people’s affirmation”
Turner Prize-winning artist Richard Deacon RA talks obsessive collecting, ambiguous titles and finding the interest in everything.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Sonia Boyce: “If we can go to Mars, we can send more kids to art school”
Currently preparing for her retrospective at Manchester Art Gallery, artist and educator Sonia Boyce is the latest to reflect on art, life and lessons learnt in our ‘As I see it’ series. She talks tuition fees, a love of Liberty and why we should all be prepared to dream of something different…
Artists
> 7 years ago
Studio life: tips from the Summer Exhibition artists
As part of our season exploring artists’ studios, we asked the artists of the 2017 Summer Exhibition – from Royal Academicians to first-time exhibitors – to give us a peep inside their working space, and to share their secrets for a successful studio practice.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Conrad Shawcross: “For the first time I see the political potential in my work”
With his new 16-metre installation suspended above commuters at St Pancras International, London-born sculptor Conrad Shawcross talks activism, optical illusions and why he likes a bit of trapeze.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Exploring watercolour with Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Think you know watercolour? Think again. Join Christopher Le Brun PPRA in his London studio as he debunks some of the myths about this versatile medium and its possibilities.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Eileen Cooper: “Artists love to say they’re unique. We’re not”
With two solo shows this year, her final months as the Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools and the job of coordinating this year’s Summer Exhibition, it’s a busy time for Eileen Cooper. In the latest in our ‘As I see it’ series, the artist talks bad reviews, good dogs, and what she’ll do once all this work is done.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Family how-to: make a paint-splattering spinning top
Stuck for something to do? Learn how to make a spinning top that will spin and spin, splattering paint to create multiple masterpieces.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Podcast: Maggi Hambling in conversation with Tim Marlow
Painter and sculptor Maggi Hambling discusses her work with the RA’s Artistic Director, Tim Marlow.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Remembering Leonard Manasseh RA
The architect Leonard Manasseh, the first Royal Academician to reach the age of 100, passed away in March. Fellow architect Trevor Dannatt looks back on more than half a century of rivalry, collaboration and friendship.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Family how-to: make a relief print
Inspired by the London Original Print Fair, here’s how to scribble, scratch and carve your design into a piece of polystyrene to make a relief print like a pro!
Artists
< 8 years ago
The many masks of Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun
As a new show at the National Portrait Gallery places the two artists side by side, Lauren Elkin explores how Gillian Wearing RA finds identity-blurring inspiration in the inter-war writer and photographer Claude Cahun.
Artists
< 8 years ago
The International Women’s Day art quiz
Know your O‘Keeffe from your Kahlo? For International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating a few of the great female artists who deserve a wider audience. Take the quiz and let’s see how much you know.
Artists
< 8 years ago
Tony Cragg: “sculpture is a vital sign”
How do you make work indoors that’s destined for a life outdoors? With the opening of his exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the artist discusses the realities of making art surrounded by rats, sunshine and Henry Moore.
Artists
< 8 years ago
Family how-to: paint a protest poster
Joining a protest? Here’s how you can collage, stencil or paint a protest poster to hold high above your head!
Artists
< 8 years ago
In the studio with Wolfgang Tillmans RA
The photographer’s workspace in a former Berlin department store houses giant printers, tropical plants and DJ turntables. Anna Coatman meets the acclaimed artist and EU campaigner.
Artists
8 years ago
The great art quiz of 2016
Call yourself an art-lover? Let’s see if you’re a true art addict or a part-time peruser in our big fat quiz of the year. No cheating, now…
Artists
8 years ago
Eddie Peake: “I wanted to do anything but be an artist”
Marking a solo show at White Cube Hong Kong, RA Schools alumnus Eddie Peake spoke to us about football, finding himself and “ferocious attention seeking.”
Artists
8 years ago
Family how-to: make a drawing sculpture-bot
Inspired by Abstract Expressionist sculpture, here’s how you can make a sculptural robot that can move around and draw all by itself!
Artists
8 years ago
Antony Gormley: “We need art more than ever”
In our new series, artists reflect on art, life and lessons learnt. Here, Antony Gormley RA explains how he first found his subject, why the arts are vital in education and why he’s ashamed of Brexit.
Artists
8 years ago
How to… make a wood engraving, with Anne Desmet
In the first part of our new video series looking at artistic techniques, Anne Desmet RA demonstrates each step in creating a wood engraving, from tracing the original drawing through to printing a first proof.
Artists
> 8 years ago
An architect to the day he died: my friend John Partridge RA
The RA’s former Surveyor to the Fabric remembers his friend and colleague John Partridge, the celebrated architect of housing, colleges and courthouses, who died this summer aged 91.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Cities of dreams: Peter Cook RA on the importance of imagination
As the Academy stages a show of Peter Cook RA’s drawings to mark his 80th birthday, Kate Goodwin asks the architect about his vision for urban ways of life.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Brian Catling RA’s imaginary studio
The ebullient, multimedia artist-poet Brian Catling RA is reluctant to identify his studio as a physical space, as Fiona Maddocks discovered when she met up with him in Oxford.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Making a Japanese woodblock print for the Summer Exhibition
In this video, Rebecca Salter RA explains the traditional tools and techniques used by the Sato Woodblock Workshop in Kyoto when creating her print for the Summer Exhibition 2016.
Artists
> 8 years ago
A tribute to Michael Manser RA: champion of modern housing
Known for his elegant style of housing, the founder of the Manser Medal leaves a legacy of modernism across the UK. Following the architect’s death aged 87, architectural historian Margaret Richardson pays tribute to a remarkable career.
Artists
> 8 years ago
A brush with genius: Barry Humphries on sitting for David Hockney RA
David Hockney RA returns to the Academy this summer with his sparkling new series of portraits. Barry Humphries, creator of Dame Edna Everage and friend of the artist, recounts his experience of sitting for a portrait in Hockney’s Los Angeles studio.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Architect Leonard Manasseh at age 100
As Leonard Manasseh becomes our first centenarian Royal Academician, his cousin, the architectural historian Timothy Brittain-Catlin, takes a look at a career of over 80 years.
Artists
> 8 years ago
A tribute to Zaha Hadid RA: 1950–2016
One of the world’s greatest architects, Zaha Hadid inspired a generation. Following the sad news of her death, the RA’s Head of Architecture and two fellow architects reflect on a visionary career.
Artists
< 9 years ago
Meet six contemporary avant-gardeners
Today’s artists share their avant-garde ancestors’ passion for plants. But instead of paint, they are using unusual materials and media – including gardens themselves – to break creative boundaries.
Artists
< 9 years ago
In the studio with Yinka Shonibare RA
As Yinka Shonibare RA prepares to wrap the Academy’s Burlington Gardens façade in his bold designs, Fiona Maddocks visits the sculptor at his warehouse studio in east London.
Artists
< 9 years ago
10 minutes with… Humphrey Ocean RA
The artist tells us why Van Gogh was his earliest inspiration, and why he still loves Josef Albers’ square paintings.
Artists
< 9 years ago
How I made it, by Ken Howard RA
“I knew I had to paint it in winter,” says Ken Howard. The artist tells us how he became hooked on painting this Chelsea Square, why he had to paint it quickly and when he knew it was done.
Artists
< 9 years ago
In the studio with Rose Wylie RA
In Rose Wylie RA’s Kent studio, paint spatters are everywhere. Fiona Maddocks meets the artist whose star is shining late in life.
Artists
< 9 years ago
Art quiz of the year 2015
Know your art? Take our quiz of the year and see how you measure up…
Artists
9 years ago
10 minutes with… Barbara Rae RA
The artist tells us why she is inspired by Arctic explorations and the Scottish coastline in winter light.
Artists
9 years ago
Painting their life: Diana Armfield and Bernard Dunstan
Royal Academician Diana Armfield tells us about a creative partnership that has stood the test of time.
Artists
9 years ago
10 minutes with… Phyllida Barlow RA
As she turns her focus to a group of small sculptures, Phyllida Barlow tells us what music inspires her and why she loves Picasso.
Artists
9 years ago
David Remfry RA on his portraits of people and dogs
In this video, the Royal Academician discusses his new book which brings together portraits of friends and neighbours with their canine companions.
Artists
9 years ago
Lessons in life, love and art from Marina Abramovic
From losing consciousness to sitting motionless every day for three months, the inimitable artist pushes her body to its limits. Watch her in conversation with Bryan Appleyard.
Artists
9 years ago
Fred Cuming RA: portrait of an artist
Fred Cuming RA reflects on his long career as a painter in this short film, shot in and around his East Sussex home.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Thomas Heatherwick RA: “Inspiration is a cliché”
Thomas Heatherwick RA delights in discovering his ideas don’t work – it’s all part of a process of elimination that results in his extraordinary designs, as Sam Phillips finds out.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Damien Hirst in conversation with John Hoyland RA
The late John Hoyland RA told Damien Hirst about meeting Francis Bacon, and what it is to be a painter.
Artists
> 9 years ago
My studio life: Anthony Whishaw RA
From his studio in south west London, Anthony Whishaw RA tells us how he has been influenced by Goya, and why he enjoys working from two studios.
Artists
> 9 years ago
My studio life: Piers Gough RA
As Piers Gough RA guides us round his practice in Clerkenwell, he tells us what it was like to work with Paul Smith, and what it really takes to be an architect.
Artists
> 9 years ago
How to get into the Summer Exhibition? Try this advice
We asked the artists selected for this year’s Summer Exhibition to share their secrets, and tell us their personal rules for making art. Here’s what they said.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Postcards from the edge of the Earth: Emma Stibbon’s polar art
A new exhibition showcases the Academician’s artistic response to her Arctic and Antarctic journeys.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Six ways the Napoleonic Wars changed British art
The conflict blocked artists from travelling – but also led to a boom in the art market and the arrival of works by Titian and van Eyck. As a wave of commemorations marks Waterloo’s 200th anniversary, our Curator of Works on Paper explains.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Preview: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye at the Serpentine
The imagined portraits by this RA Schools alumna and Turner Prize nominee are revelations from another world, says Kelly Grovier.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Michael Craig-Martin, man for all seasons
As Michael Craig-Martin RA co-ordinates this year’s Summer Exhibition, the Curator and Head of the RA Schools Eliza Bonham Carter discovers in a new book what makes this leading artist and teacher tick.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Michael Craig-Martin RA: advice for an aspiring artist
In an extract from his new book, the Royal Academician who nurtured talents including Gary Hume, Sarah Lucas and Damien Hirst offers his insights into how to get on in art and the art world.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Fiona Rae RA: “I’ve always had an experimental approach to painting”
The Royal Academician explains how turning away from colour has had an invigorating effect on her work.
Artists
> 9 years ago
10 minutes with… Michael Landy RA
Each month we catch up with a different Royal Academician. This month, here’s Michael Landy RA on destroying his work, being afraid of Tracey Emin and why young artists need a thick skin.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Hughie O’Donoghue RA: “painting is archaeology in reverse”
The Royal Academician explains how the nature of memory and a sense of place are driving forces in his latest series of paintings.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Remembering Albert Irvin RA
Basil Beattie remembers his friend and fellow Academician, the painter Albert Irvin RA, who has died at the age of 92.
Artists
> 9 years ago
Remembering Robert Clatworthy
A key figure in a group of sculptors who emerged in the 1950s, we look back on the career of Robert Clatworthy, who has passed away aged 87.
Artists
< 10 years ago
In Memoriam: William Bowyer RA
Mick Rooney remembers his fellow Academician, the painter William Bowyer, who has died aged 88.
Artists
< 10 years ago
10 minutes with… Rebecca Salter RA
Each month, we have a quick chat with one of our Academicians to find out what they’re up to and what the RA means to them.
Artists
< 10 years ago
Cornelia Parker’s poppies at the Whitworth
A survey of work by Cornelia Parker RA is the opening show at Manchester’s newly renovated Whitworth Gallery – featuring a room hung with the negatives from a poppy factory.
Artists
< 10 years ago
The story behind John Singer Sargent RA’s ‘Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose’
With an exhibition of paintings by John Singer Sargent at the National Portrait Gallery, we take a look at one of this Royal Academician’s most famous works.
Artists
< 10 years ago
Remembering Ivor Abrahams RA
Past President of the RA Phillip King pays tribute to his friend and colleague Ivor Abrahams RA, who has died aged 79.
Artists
10 years ago
The wizard of Oxfordshire: in the studio with Mick Rooney RA
Behind garage doors at his Cotswolds home, Mick Rooney RA conjures a magical world on canvas.
Artists
10 years ago
Catching up with… Grace O‘Connor
From her studio in Southwark, the former RA Schools student Grace O’Connor describes how her experience at the Academy formed her future painting practice.
Artists
10 years ago
When David Hockney, Allen Jones and Gordon Ramsay met for lunch
In an article from the RA Magazine archive, we find out what happened when two Academicians joined Gordon Ramsay at his Claridge’s restaurant.
Artists
10 years ago
A tribute to Geoffrey Clarke RA
A fellow Academician pays tribute to the celebrated sculptor, who has passed away aged 89
Artists
10 years ago
My studio life: Grayson Perry RA
We caught up with Grayson Perry RA as he moved into his new Islington Studio, where he told us about ceramics, motorbikes and why he wears cashmere socks.
Artists
10 years ago
Behind the mask: Gillian Wearing RA
Shortlisted for a major European art award, the Royal Academician tells us about her recent work on show in The Hague.
Artists
10 years ago
Through artists’ eyes
Three Royal Academicians – an architect, a sculptor and a painter – respond to memory, mystery and material in the work of Anselm Kiefer.
Artists
10 years ago
10 minutes with… Frank Bowling RA
Each month, we have a quick chat with one of our Academicians to find out what they’re up to and what the RA means to them.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Black artists in British art
An insight into Eddie Chambers’s ‘Black Artists in British Art: A History from 1950 to the Present’, the first comprehensive study on the topic.
Artists
> 10 years ago
A look inside the studio of Sandra Blow RA
As abstract art pioneer Sandra Blow RA is celebrated by two Cornwall shows, Jonathan Grimble and Denny Long from her Estate give us a tour of her atmospheric studio space in St Ives.
Artists
> 10 years ago
In Memoriam: Alan Davie RA
The Academician’s art dealer and lifelong friend remembers a life well lived.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Remembering Sir Philip Dowson PRA
A few personal notes on a fellow architect and mentor by Sir Michael Hopkins RA.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Behind the scenes: Anselm Kiefer’s studio at Barjac
In the lead-up to his major RA exhibition this autumn, we take a look inside the artist’s huge “gesamtkunstwerk” in the south of France.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Richard MacCormac RA remembered
People from around the RA pay tribute to leading architect Sir Richard MacCormac, who has died aged 75 following a long illness.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Zaha Hadid RA on the influence of Malevich in her work
As a major Malevich show goes on view, Zaha Hadid RA reveals how her use of painting and drawing to develop buildings was inspired by the artist.
Artists
> 10 years ago
David Remfry RA’s watercolours at Fortnum & Mason
Painter Mick Rooney RA gives his own inimitable take on David Remfry RA’s witty watercolours, a new installation in the department store’s Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Norman Ackroyd RA discusses his watercolours
A new book of Norman Ackroyd RA’s watercolours captures the immediacy of the moment, as the artist explains.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Tracey Emin talks about ‘My Bed’
Tracey Emin RA’s ‘My Bed’ (1998), one of the seminal works of the Young British Artist generation, goes up for sale at Christie’s on Tuesday 1 July.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Ed Ruscha remembers Dennis Hopper
As the RA prepares for ‘Dennis Hopper: The Lost Album’, Honorary Royal Academician Ed Ruscha reflects on his friendship with the legendary actor, director and photographer in 1960s Los Angeles and beyond.
Artists
> 10 years ago
10 minutes with… Emma Stibbon RA
Each month, we have a quick chat with one of our Academicians to find out what they’re up to and what the RA means to them.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Paint inspiration: Ken Howard RA
Ken Howard RA’s range of interior paints created specially for the Royal Academy is inspired by his beloved Venice, a city where he has had a studio for the past 10 years.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Red Alan’s Manifesto
A new artwork by Grayson Perry RA presents a special manifesto for the Royal Academy.
Artists
> 10 years ago
Georg Baselitz: Artist and collector
Georg Baselitz first encountered chiaroscuro woodcuts on a trip to Italy as a young artist. He went on to become an avid collector of these revolutionary prints, many of which are now on display in our exhibition ‘Renaissance Impressions’.
Artists
< 11 years ago
An extract from ‘Matisse: The Chapel at Vence’
Read an extract from RA Publications’ new book on the chapel that Henri Matisse considered his greatest work.
Artists
< 11 years ago
Cutting it fine
As Tate Modern mounts a major show of Matisse’s cut-outs, painter Mali Morris RA pays tribute to the artist’s directness, inventiveness and exuberance
Artists
< 11 years ago
In memoriam: Maurice Cockrill RA
His huge abstract paintings brought a vibrance to the RA’s Summer Exhibitions, while a spirit of openness characterised his role as Keeper of the RA Schools, writes his colleague, senior lecturer Richard Kirwan
Artists
< 11 years ago
‘Sensation’ works on view at Christie’s
The Royal Academy’s ‘Sensation’ exhibition in 1997 made a major splash in the art world, introducing a wider public to the YBA (Young British Artist) generation of Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and their contemporaries.
Artists
< 11 years ago
Meet the architects: Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura
More than any other architects, Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura have made me look with a fresh eye at the Royal Academy’s galleries and architecture.
Artists
< 11 years ago
Meet the architects: Kengo Kuma
It may seem a strange term for an architect to coin, but Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has been developing an idea of what he calls “weak architecture”.
Artists
< 11 years ago
Meet the architects: Diébédo Francis Kéré
When putting together this group of architects I purposefully sought out those who would bring a variety of perspectives on how we think about architecture and the spaces around us.
Artists
11 years ago
Meet the architects: Li Xiaodong
It was when sitting with Li Xiaodong in a courtyard garden in the Huairou district, a mountainous area near the Great Wall, an hour north of Beijing, that many of his observations of Chinese culture and sensibilities became much clearer for me.
Artists
11 years ago
My studio life: Phyllida Barlow RA
We visited Phyllida Barlow RA in her busy studio as she prepared for an installation at Tate Britain.
Artists
11 years ago
Meet the architects: Sofia von Ellrichshausen and Mauricio Pezo
Spending some time with the Chilean architects who ‘consider’ rather than ‘design’.
Artists
11 years ago
Meet the architects: Grafton
“Buildings tell the stories of our lives in built form… We walk through and feel spaces with our whole bodies and our senses, not just with our eyes and with our minds. We are fully involved in the experience; this is what makes us human.”
Artists
11 years ago
My studio life: Norman Ackroyd
Norman Ackroyd RA has been working from a former leather factory in Bermondsey for 30 years, where he has a printing press and an etching press.
Artists
> 12 years ago
In the studio with Jenny Saville RA
The Academician talks with us from her current studio in Oxford.
Artists
13 years ago
In the studio with Gary Hume RA
The Academician’s Clerkenwell studio is cool, white and ordered - but in it Hume is a warm, unpretentious presence.
Artists
> 14 years ago
In the studio with Antony Gormley RA
Get the vital statistics on the Academician’s studio, his work, and his relationship to the planet.
Artists
< 15 years ago
Out to lunch with Barbara Rae RA
Over a seafood lunch the Academician discusses why the world is her oyster when it comes to making her art.