09/09 Beginning Drawing

Unlock your creativity and build a strong foundation in drawing with this engaging 6-week course designed for beginners! Whether you’re picking up a pencil for the first time or looking to refine your basic skills, this class will introduce you to essential techniques, including line work, shading, perspective, and composition.

Description

Unlock your creativity and build a strong foundation in drawing with this engaging 6-week course designed for beginners! Whether you’re picking up a pencil for the first time or looking to refine your basic skills, this class will introduce you to essential techniques, including line work, shading, perspective, and composition.

Each week, we’ll explore a new fundamental aspect of drawing through hands-on exercises, guided demonstrations, and personalized feedback. You'll learn to observe and capture the world around you, from still life to simple landscapes and human forms.

By the end of the course, you’ll have a solid understanding of drawing principles and the confidence to continue developing your artistic skills. No prior experience is needed—just bring your enthusiasm and a willingness to learn!

Weekly Breakdown

Week 1: Introduction to Drawing & Basic Shapes
Understanding line, shape, and form
Warm-up exercises for hand control
Breaking objects down into basic geometric shapes

Week 2: Light, Shadow, and Shading Techniques
Learning how light interacts with objects
Practicing different shading techniques (hatching, cross-hatching, blending)
Creating simple value scales and shading basic forms

Week 3: Perspective and Proportion
Introduction to one- and two-point perspective
Using grids to maintain accurate proportions
Drawing simple buildings and objects in perspective

Week 4: Texture and Depth
Exploring how to create realistic textures (wood, fabric, metal, etc.)
Techniques for adding depth and contrast
Drawing still-life objects with a focus on texture

Week 5: The Human Figure & Facial Features
Breaking down the human figure into basic shapes
Proportions of the face and body
Sketching simple poses and facial expressions

Week 6: Composition & Final Project
Understanding composition and focal points
Creating a finished drawing using learned techniques
Group critique and discussion on personal artistic growth

About the Instructor

Lourdes Morante-Mieses is a Visual Artist, free-lance Curator and Educator. Lourdes holds a Bachelor’s degree in Radio, TV, Film and Theater at San Jose State University and an Associate degree in Studio Art at Foothill College, California. Born in Lima – Peru, Lourdes has been an artist since childhood. Since her move to California in 2000, she has been submerged in the art world working mainly in painting, sculpture and mixed media.

She has been running Gallery 2905, at Universal Media Access in San Jose, California, for over two years and has been Art Juror at the 2016 San Jose International Performing and Visual Arts Festival organized by Beacon Artists Association, San Jose, CA. Lourdes teaching practice includes Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga CA., St. Mary’s School, Gilroy, CA, Circulo Cultural, Redwood City, CA., The Forum, Sunnyvale, CA., and Mieses Art Studio, San Jose, CA., among others. Lourdes’ works are exhibited in KALEID Art Gallery, San Jose, CA., and in private collections in California, Barcelona, and Peru.

Supply List

All materials will be provided.

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