#ONLINE DRAWING SKETCHPAD PAINTING HOW TO#
#ONLINE DRAWING SKETCHPAD PAINTING MANUAL#
#ONLINE DRAWING SKETCHPAD PAINTING REGISTRATION#

#ONLINE DRAWING SKETCHPAD PAINTING REGISTRATION#

The next run-through of the course with feedback will start on the next Monday, September 26 and registration is now open.Autodesk’s Sketchbook is a comprehensive drawing app free to use on Mac and Windows. I’ve shared two lessons from the course on Youtube (links are below) so that you can get an impression of what the course will be like, and you can watch a preview video with a lot of scenes from the course on the sign-up page. So if you’re looking to get a good foundation to your drawing skills, this might be just be course for you. I’ve seen amazing results from the first group of students in the course this spring. Drawing is the very core of almost any artistic technique, whether it’s nature journaling, travel sketching, painting, or illustration and design, decent drawing skills will always give you a broader range of expression.

#ONLINE DRAWING SKETCHPAD PAINTING HOW TO#

I’ve put this class together in a way that I would have liked when I learned drawing – it’s a foundational drawing class with a focus on nature topics that covers a variety of drawing techniques, concepts like perspective and foreshortening, how to apply shadows and texture. If you prefer to learn on your own and in your own pace, there’s also a self-directed version of the course. Next week I’ll start another 8-week run-through of this course – complete with individual feedback and structured exercises. Revisiting that entire process, and seeing the changes in my drawing skills inspired me to put together the Sketching Fundamentals class – this is basically all I know about drawing right now, and how you can fundamentally build your drawing skills through learning the right techniques and regular practice. I’ve seen this to be true for myself and for many students.

#ONLINE DRAWING SKETCHPAD PAINTING MANUAL#

As I mentioned, drawing is just a manual skill like any other, and if you approach it with the right methods you can get good results in a matter of weeks and months. It was definitely a challenge, but I found that patience and trusting one’s own ability to change habits and techniques can be learned. I followed this practice for several years, although I started to see significant results within a few months.

And I think this was what made me study drawing techniques again – to bring my skills to a stage where I could draw more quickly, and without big effort. I knew that drawing is a skill that can be learnt and improved through practice – just like any other manual skill. I knew that some artists seemed to place just the right lines in a fraction of the time. This was a hit and miss approach, and I was always a bit frustrated with my drawings. So it seemed easier to just forego any measuring and observation and try to compensate by doing quick, spontaneous linework.

At that stage, it took me a long time to get to a precise drawing, because each line took a lot of effort. I used to be really envious of people who were really good at drawing, because it seemed so effortless and like they understood the creative process in an entirely different way.

At least a decent drawing makes what comes afterwards so much easier. But I found out over the years (as many of my art school teachers tried to tell me then) a good sketch or painting has to be based on a good drawing. I didn’t enjoy the process that much and only felt it was a necessary step to get started with painting. I used to be very impatient, although I’ve always liked very precise drawings. Maybe that comes from having taught an intense drawing class this year, revisiting a lot of the principles and exercises myself? Somehow going back to the foundations of sketching has made me rediscover the medium. But I seem to enjoy the drawing process more. It’s still sketching, and that means I don’t want to spend hours on a very finished drawing. Just to clarify, “taking my time” still means that I will typically finish a sketch within 30 minutes. As much as I love quick and spontaneous sketching, I’ve found that when I take my time for the drawing I often like the results better. As I’ve already mentioned in my sketchbook tour, recently I’ve slowed down my sketching process a bit.

Online drawing sketchpad painting