I look forward to drawing with Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center. This is the official blog for all students to view their drawing lessons, along with my comments and suggestions.
Course Syllabus:
Draw the Moment: Learning to Draw from Observation and Imagination
4-Week Course with an Emphasis on "Sketchiness" and Spontaneity
Class Duration: 2 hours including 10 minute break
April 8, 15, 22, 29 7:00-9:00 p.m. Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center 831-336-3513
Week 1: Lines, Shapes, and Reconnecting with the Childhood Thrill of Drawing
• Warm-up: Learning to hold the pencil (overhand and extended grip) and moving the arm and
shoulder while sketching. (5 min.)
• Observation: As students sketch from lesson illustrations they learn to compare shapes,
measure proportions, overlap shapes to create depth, and use lines and patterns to indicate texture.
• Break
• Transition doodle: Random doodling turns into an idea.
• Imagination: Create large-format composition using illustrations from previous lesson.
Week 2: Form, Positive/Negative Space
• Warm-up: More fun sketching with lines, shapes, patterns. (5 min.)
• Observation: Sketching guidelines for basic shapes that form a dragonfly; then sketching contour
lines for accurate proportions of its body and wings.
• Break
• Observation: Drawing an egret with an emphasis on positive/negative space, contour edges,
and realistic form.
• Quick-draw mash-up: 5-10 Min. Large format free-sketch from dragonfly and egret, experimenting with drawing media.
Week 3: Form, Space
• Warm-up: Sketching lines through points. (Getting from point A to point B without a ruler.) (5 min.)
• Imagination: 2-point and 1-point perspective: Sketching 3D cubes. Creating a composition of boxes
or buildings; exploring shading and light source.
• Break
• Drawing from a sketch by Van Gogh, students learn how to depict form, space, and textures by
using angled strokes with the pencil
Week 4: "Sketchiness" in the Real World: 3-Dimensional Objects
• Select object to draw (sea shell, rusty lantern, skull, etc.).
• Warm-up: Make numerous thumbnail sketches of object in different positions.
• Observation: Use skills learned in previous lessons to make a detailed drawing of the object,
starting with lightly sketched guidelines, continuing with contours and textures while exploring
shading and light source. (Includes 10 min. break)
Check out what students from schools in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties are doing: Drawing League
Get ready to have fun drawing! --Rob
