Drawing Fundamentals

Having good basic drawing skills is the foundation to most art disciplines and anyone can learn to draw. This class is suitable for beginners to intermediate students wanting to discover their hidden drawing skills or develop their own technique further using a variety of drawing mediums. Each session will introduce the student to new drawing techniques developing essential observational skills and learning about form, tone & rendering styles using graphite, charcoal, conte, pastels, ink, & coloured pencils.

Students will be guided through various drawing techniques to improve their drawing skills, gaining more confidence as they find their self expression. The course will cover still life, landscape, plein air sketching, figurative, portrait & loose expressive drawing.

Term 2 Theme: Shapes and Relationships

Using shapes and relationships as starting points, the first 4 classes will allow students to explore light and shade, shape and form, negative space and contrast between organic and manmade objects.

In the last two classes students will be encouraged to work on a more self -directed drawing developed from experiences in the first four weeks.

A range of artist’s works including The Dobell Drawing Prize 2021, The Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing 2021, will be referenced to show the endless possibilities of the medium of drawing and the importance of shapes and relationships to artists.

WEEK 1: SHAPE AND FORM

Using a variety of media we will explore shape and form.

WEEK 2: LIGHT AND SHADE

Using a variety of media we will explore the concept of light and dark.

WEEK 3: NEGATIVE SPACE

Using a variety of media we will explore the importance of negative and positive shape.

WEEK 4: CONTRASTS BETWEEN ORGANIC AND MANMADE

Using a variety of media we will look at ways of drawing that can depict  natural forms in contrast to or combined with, more geometric or mechanical forms.

WEEK 5: SELF DIRECTED DRAWING

Students will be encouraged to work on a self-directed project.

WEEK 6:

Students will continue to work on their own project.

References:

nas.edu.au/dobell-prize-22

Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing 2021 https://www.plc.nsw.edu.au

Materials & Equipment List

• Pencils, a range from H, HB – 2B through to 6B
• Charcoal, sticks and charcoal pencils,
• Conte crayons
• Coloured Pencil
• Pastels (small set of range of colours)
• India Ink
• Blending stumps (thick & thin)
• Putty Erasers and Hard Erasures
• Pencil sharpener or Stanley knife
• Paper, A3 drawing pad
• Apron (optional)