Goodness yes, it is definitely for beginners. It’s actually an expanded and revised version of a class I taught in person last spring that was called “Getting Started with Drawing — THE BASICS.” I learned pretty quickly though that not everyone in class was needing only the basics. Some were, of course, but a lot of folks coming in were at different levels, switching mediums, looking for encouragement, feedback, and guidance to keep going. This is why I rewrote it to include self-compassion!

In the class I will demo the absolute basic building blocks of drawing, things like composition, shape, value, how to see and measure objects from life. The assignments will be framed to support artists just coming back to the craft for the first time since they were kids and artists who are a little further along, but wanna deepen into drawing.

If you want to build a new rhythm for your drawings and to brush up on skill, this is the class for you. If you just want feedback on your practice, it’s also the class for you.

This class is definitely for you if:

• Drawing has always seemed intimidating and activates your inner critic

• You want the art you make to be guided by curiosity and a tender honoring of the world around you

• You've been searching for an analog way to play that feels fun

• You're longing to deepen into the process of making art, rather than the product or result

• You want to create through drawing as a meaningful craft with manageable goals to keep improving

• Having community around to support your art sounds amazing

This class is for beginner and intermediate artists looking to build, sustain, or restart a practice of keeping a sketchbook for self-study. No previous drawing or art experience is needed for this class.

You’ll leave class with an understanding of how to use drawing materials to define value, shape, and spot from life. You’ll have the simple basics on how to draw from nature, and how to maintain a drawing practice over time by setting clear intentions to come back to when you fall off.

This isn’t a class where we are all going to draw the same thing, and you follow along with my ideas step-by-step. (like you would at a sip n sketch/pinots palette kinda deal) I don’t like to teach in that way!

While I’ll be demoing plenty of techniques you’ll be able to rewatch later and copy each step if you want, my goal is to help you understand the basics of how to draw while applying them to your interests and art style. I want you to draw like you, not copy me. My goal is always to help my students develop independent interests and techniques.

the supply list for this class is quite simple. We will focus on using graphite, crayons, and markers during our time together.

Have supply questions? When you purchase the class, i share detailed suggestions for each supply on our class website!

• a sketchbook

• a set of drawing pencils

• Pencil sharpener

• a box of crayons

• a clip to hold your sketchbook open

• two brush-tip markers

• erasers, 1 clic eraser, 1 kneaded eraser.

• graphite crayon 6B

• 1 graphitone or water soluble graphite pencil in 4B

• 1 1/2” paintbrush

• 1 cup for water

• 1 viewfinder

• bonus (optional, not necessary. I will demo with these on occasion)

  • colored pencils

  • watercolor set (tubes or pans)

  • fun pens, pencils, and supplies that speak to you/that you’ve had in your collection

Critiques can feel super vulnerable and scary but I am teaching the concept of self-compassion alongside the specific techniques of drawing for this reason. Self-Compassion is a term coined by Psychologist Dr. Kristen Neff and it is a practice of extending kindness to yourself when dealing with uncertainty and failure - two big things that starting to draw as an adult can bring up!

In my 14 years of teaching, I have found that often students are working with a lack of safety or deep feelings of discomfort from past trusted adults discouraging their art. I had plenty of terrible experiences in Art School with critiques. Rooting in my own experiences and how they made me feel a lack of safety, I am going to hold these spaces in a way that will encourage encourage your creative flourishing.

Self-compassion is the tool we’ll use to tend warmly to our selves when soft struggles arise in our work. When we are new at something, intense feelings will arise and that is okay! The goal is to have a place to land with those feelings and be open to what our art can teach us.

Self-Compassion is a term coined by Psychologist Dr. Kristen Neff and it is a practice of extending kindness to yourself when dealing with uncertainty and failure - two big things that drawing can bring up! You can learn more about it through Dr. Neffs website.

The use of self-compassion in our class is to teach art through a compassion-centered perspective. To develop a practice we can sustain through the negative emotions it might bring up for us.

In my 14 years of teaching, too often students are working with a lack of safety or deep feelings of discomfort from past trusted adults discouraging their art.

In this class, all feedback, critiques, and conversations are designed to encourage your creative flourishing.

Self-compassion is the tool we’ll use to tend warmly to our selves when soft struggles arise in our work.

This is entirely the point of my YouTube channel! You should check out this video and this video to get a sense of the vibes I’ll be bringing to the classroom.