The Nine Nature Moods  or Training Sketches are the definitive foundation of Steiner’s new impulse for the Arts. Given as ‘picture seeds’ to lead us into the future, they open the door to the anthroposophic approach to painting.

This fortnightly online course introduces you to Rudolf Steiner’s approach to painting and his understanding of how the formative forces shape and move the world around us through his own pastel sketches. Medium is wet-on-dry veiling but wet-on-wet or pastels also possible if you prefer.

What will we do?

Starting with sunrise, these sketches take us on an imaginative journey following the sun, moon and seasons as expressions of the spiritual laws in play between earth and cosmos. We work with each sketch creatively yet with careful attention to the forces they embody, first in pastel, then in watercolour to create a wonderful series of heavenly and earthly imaginations.

Who is it for?

• For anyone interested in the core anthroposophic approach to art, colour and painting. 
  
• For Steiner teachers, artists, art therapists and art students seeking to understand how the formative forces work in Nature and Human.

This course is a core course of the Art as a Path of Schooling for the Soul training.
Beginners welcome, but some watercolour painting experience desirable. If preferred, you may choose to use soft pastels only.

What IS The importance of the Training Sketches?

Theses nine sketches are part of a comprehensive 28 motif portfolio known as the Training Sketches for the Artists. Along with Steiner’s watercolours, The Seven School or Friedwart Sketches and many others (the Goetheanum epochs motifs are supplementary to the portfolio), they form the foundation of an anthroposophic art training in painting and drawing. Steiner first gave them to artist Henni Geck in 1922 for the new of painting, just as he earlier developed eurythmy as a new art of movement.

So these nine sketches are the starting place for anyone seeking to understand Steiner’s new impulse for the visual arts. But these sketches are not images of external natural events; they refer to acts that are effective in nature and human, says Christiane Haid, head of the Visual Arts Section at the Goetheanum. She believes that working with the creative forces in and around us can become the starting point for facing tasks in healing the world. 

When is it?

3pm-5pm Saturdays AEST, 6 September – 19 November 2025

Seven two-hour fortnightly sessions. Participants are expected to do some homework between classes.

Cost

$290 AUD/$190 USD
$280 AUD for ongoing participants
$300 AUD for PD certificate (75% participation required)

Video recordings included in the fee, available for three months.

How to join the Course

The payment options, Zoom link, a list of materials and suggested readings will be sent to you after booking.

For more information

Feature image: Sunrise I (2022) © Fiona Campbell