This collection of talks by Francis Hoyland centres on a drawing course which he taught for many years in the Greek Rooms at the British Museum. Accompanied by drawings both by himself and his students, it presents a lively and wide-ranging account of his thoughts about artistic practice, founded on his deep knowledge and feeling for the many roots of our cultural heritage. Francis Hoyland's distinguished career as artist and teacher spans more than fifty years, during which he has instructed and inspired countless students of all ages and backgrounds. His work is in many private and public collections including the British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum, and the Yale Centre for British Art. His is the author of Painting (Michael Joseph), Alive to Paint (Oxford University Press) and A Painter's Diary (Educational Explorers). He has taught in many institutions and was Course Director of Fine Art at the Camberwell. He has broadcast and written extensively on art.