Draw the Line

Strengthen your drawing skills through a classical approach using a step-by-step method.

This 6-week course is for absolute beginners and intermediate students. It covers all the basics of drawing. Through demonstrations, drawing time and individual critique. The instructor will focus on the fundamentals of proportion, gesture, abstract shapes, value, and rendering form or shading. No experience necessary.

Class will discuss and experiment with different materials. Students will also study master drawings to understand the techniques and processes employed for successful drawings.

Students will be able to express their ideas and creativity through the basic marks in sketching and drawing: point, line, shape, value, space, texture, size, direction, and form. In addition, they will experiment with the ideas of unity, contrast, dominance, repetition, harmony, balance, and gradation.

Subjects will include still life, portraits, and interiors. Each class will include one-to-one attention from the instructor and will end with a class critique, where each student will evaluate and respond to their work and that of their peers.

Upon completing the course, students will develop a comprehensive range of drawing skills and a diverse mark-making vocabulary, enabling them to utilize accurate perceptual drawing techniques effectively. They will learn to translate three-dimensional forms and photographic references into compelling two-dimensional representations while making informed choices about drawing tools and materials. Additionally, students will cultivate a more critical and discerning eye for art, enhancing their ability to analyze and appreciate visual works more deeply.

Class Breakdown:

Class 1
Basics, materials review, measuring and seeing, proportions, relationships, plumb lines, shapes, line weight, straights and curves, blind contour drawing

Class 2
Positive negative shapes, gesture drawing, contour and cross contour, notan, bubble drawings

Class 3
Value, tone, hatching, cross hatching , soft, hard, lost, and firm edges, form and cast shadows

Class 4
The grid, composition, enlarging an image, 1 and 2 point perspective, eclipses, foreshortening

Class 5
Head drawing, proportions, symmetry, features, drawing from life ( Dressed model)

Class 6
Copying a Masters drawing

About the Instructor

Will McGaul is a working artist in Miami and has been a professional art instructor since 2011. He prefers a semi-academic approach to teaching in order to provide proven art fundamentals for the student. Will is passionate about sharing his knowledge of drawing and painting in his classes to help simplify the process, encourage improvement and make it fun. McGaul has exhibited in California and Florida and is a member of the Gold Coast Watercolor Society.