Art School for the Rest of Us
You don't have to attend an art school to become an artist. Learn to make realistic drawings and paintings, even if you're a total beginner!
On Demand Video Courses
Level-Up Your Shading Now!
Five days, one half-hour video lesson each day! This course is for you if you have struggled to achieve a sense of realism or depth in graphite and charcoal drawings.
FREE!
Foundations of Drawing
8 week course in realistic graphite and charcoal drawing. Perfect for beginners as well as intermediate artists wanting to perfect proportion and shading.
$97
Foundations of Oil Painting
8 week course in oil painting covering color mixing, how to use color to show form and distance, underpainting and glazing techniques, as well as alla prima, and more!
$97
Portrait Drawing in Graphite & Charcoal
Learn two techniques for measuring and proportion, how to draw all the features, and multiple hair textures through several demos across 6 lessons.
$97
Free Live Zoom Workshop!
Do you want to be able to mix the right color, without creating several piles of mud in the process? Are you confused about which colors you should place on your palette to begin with? This workshop is for you!
Sign Me Up!
Upcoming Live Classes
Zoom Paint Mixing Workshop
Thursday September 1st at 6:30pm
Learn to mix the right color, without creating several piles of mud in the process! Participate live on Zoom PLUS get the recording.
FREE!
Foundations of Oil Painting
Saturdays 1-3:30pm CST
September 10th - October 29th
Learn multiple painting techniques, master color mixing, and create personal compositions.
$475 In-Studio Includes all materials
$425 Via Zoom
Portrait Drawing in Graphite & Charcoal
Thursdays 6-8 pm CST
September 15th - October 20th
Two distinct approaches cover all the skills you need for creating portraits in any situation.
$425 In-Studio Includes all materials
$375 Via Zoom
Classical Drawing
Mondays 3-5 pm CST
September 12th - October 31st
Discover French Academic methods for drawing from 2D or life. Great for beginners & those seeking strong drawing skills.
$425 In-Studio Includes all materials
$400 via Zoom
FREE Sketching Video Course
If you can't draw a stick figure, you need a little guidance for how to even get started drawing, and you have paper and a pencil, this is for you!
Sign Me Up!
School of Realist Art Student Highlights
"I began learning with you feeling like a person who wanted to be an artist, but was not yet. Now I feel confident to say I am an artist!"
~ Sarah Utter
Sarah has taken numerous virtual classes with Lacey including Figure Drawing, Foundations of Oil Painting, Portrait Drawing, Portrait Painting, and is a member of the Realist Art Club. She's currently working on a building portfolio and a website to promote her art. You can find her on Instagram at @Sarah_Utter
"Even going through two colleges, I never learned this really important foundational stuff."
~ Stephen Junceau
Stephen works in a dizzying array of media and has attended SVA in NYC as well as other art programs before attending Portrait Drawing and Painting classes at School of Realist Art. He is currently working on painting, drawing, and digital art commissions in addition to numerous personal projects. Find him on Instagram at @stephen_junceau_art
"There's no better feeling than completely losing yourself in something that you're doing."
~ Jim Lawrence
Jim signed-up for Foundations of Oil Painting after acquiring a set of paints by chance. Since then, he has created numerous remarkable portraits, and has learned how to express complex emotions in his compositions. Jim is now involved in exhibitions and is on the verge of creating his first print series! See what he's been up to on Jim Lawrence's website.
Learn From a Professional Artist Who Didn't Go to Art School
When I was 15, I knew I wanted to be an artist.
At 16, I became a mother.
I wouldn't say that motherhood prevented me from going to art school, but it did force me to think critically about the decision. I graduated from high school with the rest of my class, and went on to get my Associates in Studio Art, graduating Summa Cum Laude.
However, I found that the instruction I found in college wasn't teaching me what I really wanted to know: How to paint and draw realistically. And being a mother meant my priorities dictated that I should not go into an incredible amount of debt to 'find myself' in a 4 year art school somewhere.
So instead, I dedicated every evening from 8pm until midnight to painting, seeking out feedback from artists I admired, and researching methods of art instruction from the French Academy to Golden Age Illustration. I created my own art education, and I can guide you through yours!
