Drawing for Beginners and Beyond

This course is designed for both beginner and intermediate students who want to strengthen their drawing skills and build confidence in visual expression. Through a series of guided exercises, students will explore fundamental and advanced drawing techniques while developing their own artistic style.

Course Structure

Foundations of Drawing
• Introduction to tools and materials
• Basic mark-making and line exercises
• Understanding proportion and scale

Tonal Value and Shading

• Light and shadow fundamentals
• Creating depth through tonal variation
• Techniques for smooth and textured shading

Composition and Perspective

• Principles of composition
• One-point and two-point perspective
• Balancing elements within a drawing

Observational Drawing

• Drawing from life: still life, objects, and natural forms
• Capturing gesture and movement
• Strategies for accurate observation

Personal Style and Creative Exploration

• Experimenting with mixed media
• Developing a unique visual language
• Final project: a series of drawings showcasing individual style

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply key drawing principles such as tonal value, line quality, proportion, and composition.
• Use a variety of mediums (e.g., graphite, charcoal) to create expressive and accurate drawings.
• Improve observational skills to capture form, light, and texture effectively.
• Develop a personal style and creative approach to drawing.
• Critically evaluate their own work and the work of others.

Carolyn Large is a practising artist located in the beautiful Macedon Ranges. As a member of the Sunbury Art Society and the Woodend Art Group she has participated in a number of exhibitions including Trentham, Woodend, Sunbury and the Melbourne City Council. Carolyn specialises in pet portrait commission work, portraits and landscapes, working primarily in pastel, charcoal and acrylic paint mediums. Carolyn also works as a textile artist, specialising in needle felting. She has achieved commercial success in both 3-D and 2-D felting and continues to expand her skills in “painting” with wool to produce works of beauty that reflect the natural environment.

Please bring to your first class the following materials:

– A3 sketch pad
– Willow charcoal stick
– Kneadable eraser
– HB pencil
– 4B pencil
– Ruler

Further materials requirements will be discussed in the first session. It is expected that materials are likely to cost approx $30 depending on how much you may already own.

Notification of a class cancellation will be advised 48 hours prior to the course commencement date. We advise to purchase your materials once you have received email confirmation that your class is proceeding as scheduled. All efforts are made to ensure that our classes proceed to avoid disappointment.