WHAT TO EXPECT:
How to Draw Basics Studio courses are designed to minimize lecture time to maximize in-class drawing and practice time to allow young artists to master their art skills. As such, How to Draw Basics Studio courses are a fantastic way to learn through experience, with tons of teacher-guided exercises and independent in-class assignments that encourage learners to think and learn about drawing at their pace. Additionally, How to Draw Basics Studio courses incorporate class critique sessions which will teach learners how to give and take a critique, allowing them to engage in positive dialogue with their classmates and myself. 

In this class your learner will learn observational skills, basic human anatomy, how to draw a gesture drawing, critique skills and more. They should come away with several pages of sketches, an ability to observe human proportions accurately, gesture drawing tools, and full-body figure studies.  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.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE:
It is recommended that learners come in familiar with basic drawing skills and vocabulary. Be sure to ask your learner if they know what the grades on their pencils mean, what values are, and if they know what a contour is. If they cannot answer these questions, I recommend checking out my course How to Draw Basics: Still Life Drawing first. If they can answer these questions, but have no experience with gesture drawing, I recommend checking out How to Draw Basics: Figure Drawing first. Gesture and figure drawing can be an intense and frustrating skill to master. It is important that your learner is the type to remain engaged, positive, and open to critique with skills they may not master the first time in this class. 

LESSON SUMMARY: 
How to Draw Basics 211: Featuring You: Our first lesson will begin with introductions, a brief explanation of course expectations, and a review of necessary materials and vocabulary needed to excel in this class. Learners will warm-up with blind-contour drawings of their features, such as their face, hands, fingers, feet, or others. Then, we will complete a series of feature studies. 

How to Draw Basics 212: Critique & Gesture Review:  The second lesson will begin with an introduction to critiques using the provided Critique Guide. Learners will practice critique by looking at the in-class feature study assignment from last week. Then, we will review the five steps of gesture drawing (line of action, landmarks, contours & negative space, connecting the dots, review) with a guided drawing from imagination. Finally, we will practice gesture drawing using Line of Action. I will screen share this website with the class, so they do not need to access it on their own. Our goal will be to complete gestures in 60 seconds!

How to Draw Basics 213: Variations on the Gesture: Our third lesson will begin with another critique. This time, your learner will be critiquing the gesture drawings from the previous week. After, our lesson will be dedicated to different variations on gesture drawing. This will include scribble figures and form gestures. Different variations of gesture drawing will help young artists focus on different aspects of the figure. We will use Line of Action to continue our practice. 

How to Draw Basics 214: Final Figures - Anatomy Focused: The fourth lesson will be dedicated to the completion of an anatomy focused figure study. While working on our figure studies together, I will teach young artists about prominent features of anatomy. Figure studies are an integral part of an artist’s portfolio because they promote naturalistic thinking, showcase life drawing skills, and emphasize an artists’ eye for proportion. Our first figure study assignment will encourage students to build a good sense for how to “build” the human form. 

How to Draw Basics 215: Final Figures - Costumed: Our fifth lesson will be dedicated to the completion of your young artists’ final in-class figure study. The second figure we will draw should be costumed. That means the figures we will draw should be wearing whatever clothing that your student likes. Our second figure study will give young artists the opportunity to practice drawing clothes, fabric, and textures. 

How to Draw Basics 216: Figure Study Critique: The final lesson in the class will be dedicated to a final critique. We will begin by reviewing our Critique Guide once more. Then, each learner who wishes to participate will share their formal gestures and final figures, give an artists statement, and receive critiques from each of their classmates. The goal of the final critique is to allow learners to practice utilizing the vocabulary they have been working with over the duration of the course, master giving and receiving criticism, and be able to respond and engage with each others works.