Drawing Essentials by Glenn Vilppu

This course covers the use of materials as well as essential skills needed as a prelude to Figure Drawing which Glenn learned at the beginning of his artistic training. He finds that this basic skill set is often missing in the training of artists today. The focus is as much on training the eye as the hand, with development of visual skills as well as how to study independently. Basic concepts in drawing and their application are demonstrated and incorporated into the weekly assignments, using the same basic materials that will be needed for the Figure Drawing courses.These concepts are applicable to any field of artistic endeavor.

Week 1
The Basics of Drawing: Materials, Physicality, Fundamentals of Line and Value

Week 2
Drawing as a Tool: The Thumbnail, Blocking in /Lay-ins, Final Development Basic procedure of going from the general to the specific.

Week 3
How we Study: Sources

Week 4
Drawing from observation

Week 5
Describing Form: Analysis of Form: Geometrical Solids, Simplification, Combining Forms along with the Modeling Tone, Indirect Lighting to discribe the forms.

Week 6
Creating a Sense of Realism: Direct Lighting, Core, Reflected Light, Cast Shadows

Week 7
This lesson is overview of the use of reference material (photos, etc.) and how to use it most effectively in figure drawing. I discuss some of the basic pitfalls and problems in the use of photographs. The assignment will be to use photos/reference material in a figure drawing of your choice.

Week 8
In this video on using photos in drawing or painting heads I discuss some of the basic pitfalls and problems in the use of photographs in drawing heads. The assignment will be a drawing of the head from a photograph.

Week 9
Use of the camera as a sketchbook/reference for further development of landscape subject matter.

Week 10
Animal drawing and the use of the photo as a means of research and reference. How to work from the photograph.