LOCATION NOTE: This class will be taking place at our brand new South Lake Union location, 2107 Westlake Ave.

As artists we know that the fundamental skill underlying all the visual arts is drawing. To achieve successful rendering, one must develop proficiency in three key areas; perception, understanding, and craft – each supporting each other like legs of a stool. This class will cover the essential principles needed to achieve successful drawings and a better understanding of the visual world. 

Core drawing is a 10-week class that is accessible to pure beginners looking to begin their journey into visual arts with a solid foundation, and yet provide value to those with some experience looking to brush up before moving into more advance classes. Each student will gain an understanding of the core concepts, materials and techniques used in observational drawing, emboldening them to successfully pursue their artistic journey. 

Students will create new drawings each week while observing varying structures ranging from simple geometric structures to more complex still life and eventually the figure. The beginning drawings will focus on the techniques and concepts that are important in the early stages of the drawing – the “starts” that lead the artist on a logical path to success but are also critical to holding the structure of the drawing together. Eventually leading to resolved images, the class will progress through more complex subjects as they solidify their foundational skills, strengthen their understanding of form and space, and develop a keen eye for observing the 3-dimensional world around them. 

Specific Course Learning Goals

-       Strengthen perceptual aptitude 

-       Broaden understanding of visual world and the principles used to depict form and space

-       Hone in on technical skills needed to render drawings with sophistication

Assignments; Criteria for Demonstration & Assessment Procedures

-       Student should show and understanding of how they physically relate to the subject matter – meaning, they understand difference between a station point vs perception point, how this affects horizon and perception of the objects portrayed.

-       Student should show a command in mark-making and technical control of tools used and surface rendered on

-       Make sound observations from nature (as opposed to photo or screen)

Learning Resources

Optional:

-       Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters – Robert Beverly Hale