Foundations of Drawing
This 8 week class is great for beginners as well as for artists who want to increase the sense of depth, form, and accuracy in their drawings or paintings.
Foundations of Drawing Course Outline
Below are descriptions of and thumbnails from the pre-recorded video content for each lesson.
Lesson 1: Sphere in Graphite
This introductory lesson covers the basics of sketching and shading with graphite. We cover hardness grading, sharpening, straight line sketching and the basics of shading with light logic.
Lesson 2: Intro to Sight-Size
Here we cover the process of creating a step-by-step plan for your drawing and measuring using classical techniques to work at the same size as your reference.
Lesson 3: Contour & Realistic Shading
Using the block-in created in Lesson 2, this lesson explores the meaning of lines, the impact of line weight, and what aspects of line and shading create a greater feeling of realism and depth.
Lesson 4: Intro to Charcoal & Angle Sighting
Now we switch gears and move into the medium of charcoal while also exploring how to use angles to recreate proportion at any scale. This is an essential skill for those who wish to sketch quickly or from life!
Lesson 5: Drawing from Life
There are distinct differences between working from a printed reference and observing something in front of you. Here we will learn to apply skills from previous lessons to working from life, as well as tackling the unique challenges of understanding how the eye perceives value and how this differs from the way a camera sees.
Lesson 6: Edge Control
Underrated and underutilized, edges can recreate the feeling of presence, depict startling realism, and control the path of the eye through a drawing. A simple still-life example is used to explore how a variety of edges add depth and interest.
Lesson 7: Developing Your Mark
Explore how to create shading marks that seem to lay on the surface of the object you're drawing. Consider the meaning that you want your marks to convey to the viewer. Lesson 7 begins with a series of exercises meant to inform your mark directions when shading before beginning a demo that continues into the final lesson.
Lesson 8: Everything is in Transition
Subtle but important transitions in value that we often miss or fail to observe bring a composition to another level. Explore transitions in composition, light falloff, and optical illusions in value. Learn how to be purposeful in controlling shading overall, and how to use the background to support your composition.
The examples on this page look really advanced. Is this course good for beginners?
YES! Even if you are a total beginner, if you want to create drawings that are realistic, with a good sense of proportion, depth, and shading, this class is perfect for you. I walk you through every mark in these demos and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish if you invest the time and the practice! In fact, every time I teach this course, my drawings improve because I'm spending the time focusing on these concepts. This is how I know it works!
What Materials Do I Need?
To complete this course you will need white paper, gray paper, graphite pencils, charcoal, white charcoal, some erasers and blending tools, a drawing board, and a few other items that most people have around the house.
It's possible to use materials you already have on hand, but for the full recommended list of supplies, download this PDF.
Download Materials PDF