Always wanted to draw, but aren’t sure where to start? Been drawing for years, but want to hone your accuracy and skill? Can’t find that friendly neighborhood drawing teacher who focuses on technique? This class is for you! It’s one of my favorites—I learn new things every time I teach it. Strong drawing and painting skills are really all about fundamentals: they are the magical cure for frustration and those enigmatic challenges in more complex drawing/painting projects. Join us in Arvada and let me share my favorite secrets with you and your pencils!
Not sure? Read some testimonials about classes and lessons here, or mentoring here!
Fundamentals of drawing I: Line, shape, tools, and tricks
Dates & Location: TBA, 2020 (six weeks), Arvada, CO
*feel free to stick around for Life Drawing afterwards!
Cost: $275
Prerequisites: none
Description: This class—one of my favorite to teach, on account of the quantum leaps in perception I witness—is an introduction to drawing as the foundation of all art-related endeavors, beginning with line as a basic method of exploring the visual world and accurately representing the information we discover. You will acquire essential observational and interpretive skills through projects including contour drawing, construction drawing, linear and atmospheric perspective, and an analytical look at form, structure, volume, and space as they relate to elegant, engaging line/mark quality. We will work with the simplest (and cheapest! J) of materials—graphite and white paper—in order to lay a foundation for the atmospheric possibilities of tonal charcoal drawing in Part II of the course. We’ll prioritize visual thinking (structural understanding of three dimensional space) and the development of true observational skills (differentiating between what we know and what we see).
Visit the group classes page to register. For course content or logistics questions, please email Robin via the contact page.
Fundamentals of drawing II: Light and Shadow
Dates & Location: TBA, 2020 (six weeks), Arvada, CO
*feel free to stick around for Life Drawing afterwards!
Cost: $275
Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Drawing I or portfolio review
Description: Building upon the skill set acquired in Part I, this second portion of the course will introduce (or re-introduce!) you to the seductive, beautiful world of light and shadow. You’ll learn about the basics of light logic—those wonderful, reliable behaviors of light and shadow—as well as some of the confounding optical illusions that can make value (light vs dark) decisions tricky. I will show you how to set yourself up for success in spite of these, and how to lean into our psychological and visual tendencies in order to create compelling drawings that don’t simply mimic the objects in front of us, but rather, embody the experience of seeing. This class is highly recommended for those interested in intermediate or advanced drawing (figure, portrait, landscape, etc) and all painting courses.
Visit the group classes page to register. For course content or logistics questions, please email Robin via the contact page.