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How to Draw Basics: Still Life Drawing (5 Week Version) (Ages 11-16)

Learn how to draw a still life with five incredible classes that emphasize observational skills and fundamental art techniques!
Adria W.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(332)
Class

What's included

5 live meetings
5 in-class hours

Class Experience

This course will cover naturalistic topics through the lens of still life drawing by utilizing brief lecture periods, technique worksheets, and plenty of in-class time to practice. In this class your learner will learn observational skills, contours, beginning principles of values, composition, and more. They should come away with a large variety of easily repeatable exercises to practice, numerous practice sketches, and a final three to five object still life drawing. Learners will be encouraged to work with both graphite and charcoal mediums. To remove the stress of what is sometimes a very daunting course of study, your learners will not have tests, quizzes, or formal grades in the class. Instead, I utilize positive verbal critiques to provide feedback and encourage improvement. 

How to Draw Basics 101: Materials: This class will teach learners by hands on experience, allowing them to play and draw with materials. They will create a graphite scale and charcoal scale, practice using erasers and other tools. Then, they will learn how to properly take care of these materials. Learners are encouraged to ask questions and bring their own materials to the class! Creation of scales teaches learners about values, how to create them and eventually how to apply them to drawings. Learning how to properly use and take care of materials is one of the first steps on the artistic journey. Learners. should come away from this class with a wealth of knowledge on various drawing materials, respect for these materials, and a sense of artistic responsibility.

How to Draw Basics 102: Contours: This class will teach learners with a combination of a brief PowerPoint lecture followed by practice of various exercises. Your learners will complete a series of three exercises designed to train your learners to separate what they know from what they see, teach them what a contour is, and improve their concentration and hand-eye coordination. These exercises include: knowing versus seeing, an inverted recreation of Picasso’s Great Head, 1946, and a series of blind-contour drawings. Your learners should complete this course with an understanding of what a contour is and how to draw contours, improved concentration and hand-eye coordination, and a familiarization of naturalism. They will have a wealth of exercises to practice and continue to improve! 

How to Draw Basics 104: Light and Values: This course aims to teach your learner how to shade with various methods, including: cross-hatching, hatching, stippiling, and rendering. Through these methods, your student will learn contrast, or the juxtaposition of light and dark to make a beautiful piece. This class will combine a brief PowerPoint lecture designed to explain how light hits objects then proceed to an object study. By the end of the course, your learner will have completed four object studies that use various methods of shading to create volume, dimension, and perspective. Your learner will have an understanding of light and contrast, that will benefit them in any artistic endeavor. With the knowledge of how to complete object studies, they will have plenty of exercises to practice! 

How to Draw Basics 106: Composition: This class is designed to teach your learner about what a composition is, and how to create a successful one through a PowerPoint lecture that introduces important vocabulary and practicing sketching through a view-finder. This course will begin with a brief PowerPoint lecture that will introduce important vocabulary such as open versus closed composition and explain the importance of composition on artwork. Your learner will then use their objects to create interesting patterns and juxtapositions of textures and shapes, then proceed to use their view-finder to find the best angles and places to sketch their compositions. By the end of this course, your learner should have completed five sketches of different compositions using what they have learned in the PowerPoint lecture and discussion. With this knowledge, they will be able to create more interesting and impactful artwork and be ready to continue to create a still life. 

How to Draw Basics 107: Still Life: This class is designed to teach learners what a still life is, allow them to assemble their own, and give ample time for them to complete their first still life in class. This class is will begin with a brief PowerPoint on what still lives are as well as examples of still lives from various artists. The rest of the class period, your learner will be hard at work assembling, composing, and drawing a still life with the knowledge they have gained from previous classes.  I will act primarily as a guide, focusing on helping students by answering questions and giving suggestions. At the end of class, your learner will have completed a three to five object still life worthy of framing and putting on the wall!

Learning Goals

In this class your learner will learn observational skills, contours, beginning principles of values, composition, and more. They should come away with a large variety of easily repeatable exercises to practice, numerous practice sketches, and a final three to five object still life drawing.
learning goal

Other Details

Supply List
***MATERIALS***
Your learner will need:
- A range of graphite drawing pencils including 4H, 2H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, and 6B
-Willow or vine charcoal
- Two erasers: Polymer/Vinyl and kneaded
-A sketchpad
These materials should cost less then $30.00 USD and are multi-purpose. They can be used outside of this course. 

I provide three PDFs for this course: 
-A syllabus outlining course policies, class expectations, and an in-depth material guide
-A PDF with all the print-outs required for the course 
-A glossary for terms
 3 files available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined April, 2018
4.9
332reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
I attend a premier liberal arts college in Ohio as I work on an art history major and a studio art minor. My background in art history means that my classes are created with an art historical twist- all my methods are based on tried and true techniques and practices that master artists and art theorists have used. Your student will not only be learning about techniques that are fundamental to art, they will be examining examples of these techniques by artists. The juxtaposition of these examples is meant to inspire and solidify the importance of the fundamental art techniques I teach. 
My values as a teacher are simple- I wish to create an open environment that is accepting of everyone regardless of skill level, inspires students to continue to practice art, promotes creativity, and supports students in their artistic journey. Even students who are not aspiring artists have much to gain from drawing and should consider taking art courses, including improvement  of hand-eye coordination and hand dexterity skills.

As a child, I was always disappointed in my classes that taught arts and crafts rather than actual artistic techniques. I am delighted to be able to fill this void in art classes with these courses! You will be amazed at what your student can do once they have mastered the basics of art. The completion of these five classes will produce a student who is engaged in art. With the knowledge they gain, they will be able to draw anything! 

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$70

for 5 classes

1x per week, 5 weeks
60 min
Completed by 14 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-16
3-9 learners per class

This class is no longer offered
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