Startup Library: Learn to Draw

Course Overview

This course is designed for beginners who want to master foundational drawing skills to create realistic and accurate drawings. Taught by internationally acclaimed artist Patricia Watwood, you’ll complete four projects, each focusing on different techniques such as hatching, shading, rendering form, and more. By the end of the course, you’ll have four finished works and a new set of skills to showcase.

Lesson 1: The Leaf: Setup & Block-In

Start with the basics by drawing a leaf. Learn to map out lines and angles using techniques like enveloping and subdividing to create a solid foundation for your drawing.

Duration: 30 min

Lesson 2: The Leaf: Contour

Refine your leaf drawing by adding clean, linear contour lines. Connect points to create a realistic shape and understand how a block-in acts as a roadmap for your contour.

Duration: 19 min

Lesson 3: The Leaf: Dimension & Detail

Complete your leaf drawing by adding dimension and detail. Use hatching and shading techniques, and learn about soft and hard edges and line quality.

Duration: 42 min

Lesson 4: The Skull: Building a Geometric Framework

Begin your second project, a deer skull, by laying down geometric lines to create the framework. Use tools like a knitting needle to ensure accurate proportions and curves.

Duration: 18 min

Lesson 5: The Skull: The Block-In & Measured Contour

Develop your skull drawing by blocking it in and focusing on accuracy in measurements, angles, and curves to achieve a realistic depiction.

Duration: 29 min

Lesson 6: The Skull: Tones & Shadows

Add dimension, details, and visual interest to your skull drawing by accentuating contour and tone, making the skull stand out against the geometric background.

Duration: 39 min

Lesson 7: Onion & Leeks: Block-In of Organic Shapes

Start your third project, a still life of an onion and leeks, on colored paper. Explore the importance of lighting and learn to block in mass tone and value alongside shapes.

Duration: 29 min

Lesson 8: Onion & Leeks: Light & Rendering Form

Refine light and shadows in your drawing to develop shapes further. Learn to make your onion look round and voluminous by using light and dark values effectively.

Duration: 28 min

Lesson 9: Onion & Leeks: Local Color & Adding Detail

Finish your onion and leek still life by refining the shape of the leek and adding final details and contour lines. Learn to approach local color changes successfully.

Duration: 28 min

Lesson 10: Pitcher & Mason Jar: Block-In of Geometric Forms

Embark on your final project: a still life of a pitcher and mason jar. Explore perspective and structural drawing, and learn to block in symmetrical shapes.

Duration: 21 min

Lesson 11: Pitcher & Mason Jar: Ellipses

Focus on ellipses in both the pitcher and mason jar. Learn tips for crafting these shapes, spotting and correcting mistakes, and creating realistic guidelines.

Duration: 24 min

Lesson 12: Pitcher & Mason Jar: Creating Dimension

Add highlights, shadows, and details to complete your still life drawing. Patricia shares tips for refining and presenting your work for proud display.

Duration: 50 min