Basic Drawing

Basic Drawing Skills

Session 1 - Focussing on Graphite

- mark making practice - developing a personal vocabulary

- Blind, continuous line drawing

- focussing on negative shapes

- using graphite to develop tone

- drawing the basic geometric forms and observing form, contour, shadow, midtone, highlight, and reflected light

- drawing still life objects in a composition

What you’ll need to bring: graphite pencil (2 B or softer), sketchbook, eraser (not pink)

Optional: charcoal, Sharpie or black drawing pen, such as Stabilo

Session 2 - Focusing on Charcoal

- Willow Charcoal will be provided, along with newsprint, drawing boards, and clips

- Loosening up to music

- Gesture drawing with willow charcoal on newsprint

- Landscape drawing with willow charcoal - basic shapes and composition in landscape

- Aerial or atmospheric perspective and one or two point perspective

- Working with compressed charcoal on toned paper

- Introduction to conte

What you’ll need to bring: Photographs or photocopies of landscape images you’d like to draw. I suggest printing images to 8 1/2 x 11” or using old calendars. I will have a few images to work from, too. Bring your sketchbook or loose cartridge paper and whatever charcoal you might have. This could also be done with graphite sticks, though you will not get the rich black and range of tone that charcoal offers.

Session 3 - Pen or Brush and Ink

- Mark making with a pen: stippling, hatching, crosshatching, calligraphic line, etc.

- Drawing on the go - How to carry a few simple supplies and sketch en plein air.

- Demo of brush and ink painting, if interested

What you’ll need to bring: Fine point Sharpie, Pigma pen, or Stabilo pen, sketchbook or loose cartridge paper. Bring some images to sketch, such as photos of flowers, plants, etc., which make nice subjects for ink drawings.

Optional: Sumi-e (Japanese brush and ink) supplies and rice paper, if you have them. I will have my own, which I am willing to let students play with. (I am no expert with them, but I have taken a couple of classes.)

Session 4 - Student Choice (Coloured Drawing Materials?)

- Figure and portrait drawing basics - gesture drawing, basic proportions of figures and faces

- Drawing for painting and other reasons - thumbnail sketches, value studies, compositional planning, etc.

What you’ll need to bring: Your choice of drawing media and either your sketchbook or loose paper. Photos you’re interested in drawing (selfie?)