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Lifestyle Arts & Crafts Drawing

The Complete Beginners Drawing and Shading Course

The ideal drawing course for beginners. Super easy pencil drawing method. Everything explained in detail.
Rating: 4.4 out of 54.4 (1,602 ratings)
8,400 students
Created by Cindy Wider
Last updated 10/2018
English
English [Auto]
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

What you'll learn

  • Use basic shapes to easily construct drawings and outlines
  • Develop a real understanding of light and shade
  • Gain mastery of shading techniques to create the illusion of depth and form
  • Create drawings in one-point, two-point and three point perspective
  • Create a realistic drawing using just six pencil techniques
  • Understand the basics of portraiture by creating a child portrait

Requirements

  • Suitable for complete beginners - absolutely no experience necessary
  • Pencils (HB, 2B and 4B) and a sharpener
  • A4 paper sketchpad
  • Plastic eraser (plus optional putty eraser & battery eraser)
  • Cotton buds (or optionally a paper stump)
  • Fine grain sandpaper (240 grit or similar)
  • A Ruler
  • A printer (if you want to print the course books and example outline drawings)
  • plus a genuine desire to really learn how to draw!

Description

Have you always wanted to learn to draw?
Have you struggled to take your drawing skills to the next level?

You’re in exactly the right place. This course is for beginners and also for those who want to gain confidence with the fundamentals.

I start you off nice and easy - Basic shapes and construction drawing

Master these and you’ll feel your confidence growing already. Lots of fun introductory projects like ‘Peppie the Pup’ build your skills step-by-step.

Wow! It looks so realistic! - Shading and Form

Those skills you’ve admired in other artists for so long can be your skills too. Projects like ‘The Shoe Well Travelled’ will challenge you (but you are up to the task!) Your drawing will almost ‘pop’ off the page, amazing yourself and those around you.

One of the most admirable skills in art - Portraiture

Capturing a likeness is one of the most admirable skills in art. It’s so satisfying. Render individual facial features and create a wonderful child portrait.

Look at the world in a whole new way - Perspective and Proportion

How can you represent the three-dimensional world on a flat piece of paper? How do things we see change as they get closer, further away or turn towards us? These questions are all answered with perspective. Your eyes are now open to a whole new way of seeing and drawing.

Plus an extra bonus...
For additional inspiration I've include an extra bonus section where I detail my approach to drawing people and cute characters using construction drawing.

This is the beginners drawing course you've been looking for...

Even if you think you're not naturally talented my super easy methods and in-depth explanations will set you on the path from your first pencil lines towards creating professional grade artworks.

I've been teaching beginner artists for over 20 years. I know exactly what you need to get started the right way, and I've jam packed it into this course.

Plus, if you have any questions at all throughout your drawing journey, just ask. My team and I are right here for you.

With more than 4100 students enrolled the written reviews tell you all you need to know

"I am really enjoying this course. The explanations are brilliant and there is so much material (among videos, documents and exercises) to explore! However what I love most is the possibility to be part of the course related FB group. That is amazing indeed!! Cindy does give a lot of feedbacks and all the members and the administrators are great!!"  - Giorgio

"I'm learning things that seem so simple but have increased my artistic ability ten fold" - Gideon Swanson

"I learned a lot right from the beginning... I always wanted to draw and this lady is bang on." - Elizabeth Brown

"The step by step instruction is so in-depth, easy to follow and produces real results. Cindy and Tannis as well as the online facebook support group that goes with the course provides an extra dimension of responsive and kindly criticism and loads of support." - Helen Hanby

"Cindy Wider is a beyond amazing teacher! She constantly interacts with her students and gives lots of encouraging comments, helpful tips to make sure everyone gets the help they need... You'll never feel alone and got lost in the path of being a better artist!" - Zehra Eylem Kazgöz

"Great match for me - and the FB group discussion and feedback has been super wonderful, too!" - Ann Petrochko

" I love that she’s so thorough with the basics and love her accent too." - Rebecca Douglass

"Clear and appropriate for beginners... I have noticed that she is very active and helpful in the facebook drawing community... Impressed with everything so far." - Shak Man

" Cindy is very engaged with her students and is always very kind, supportive and encouraging!" - Patricia Gliniecki

"Great to have a course that starts off with the foundations and then builds upon them." - Andrew Bensch

"This course is perfect for complete beginners." - Lindsay Ferrara

My students say we have "the best Facebook group on the internet!"

When you enroll in this course you can join my Facebook group "The Beginner Drawing Family". It really is the most supportive and friendly community you'll find anywhere. My students call themselves 'DrawPj'ers" (after my website).

It's family friendly place where you can ask questions and request feedback from the community. When you're feeling confident you can share what you've learned with others taking the same exciting journey.

I'll be there too with my team too. I look forward to meeting you and seeing all the wonderful things you create.

Who this course is for:

  • Complete beginners
  • Students with some experience (but who need fundamental drawing skills to progress)
  • Hobby Artists
  • Students setting out on the journey to becoming an artist, illustrator or designer
  • Crafters who want to go beyond pre-made designs
  • Adults and Children (10+)

Featured review

Sivakami S ; MBA ; Ph.D (ongoing)
Sivakami S ; MBA ; Ph.D (ongoing)
20 courses
9 reviews
Rating: 5.0 out of 5a year ago
This is an amazing Course. I hardly know any sketching or shading but I have always wanted to learn. Cindy makes it very systematic and easy. I would highly recommend this Course to everyone. Thanks, Cindy !

Course content

16 sections • 97 lectures • 10h 30m total length

  • Preview00:46
  • The Beginner Drawing Family Facebook Group
    00:30
  • Sketching
    05:46
  • Halving Lines
    03:44
  • Angles
    03:01
  • Introduction to Basic Shapes
    01:22
  • Drawing Rectangles
    04:01
  • Drawing Triangles
    02:55
  • Drawing Circles
    03:23
  • Drawing Ellipses
    09:07
  • Drawing Bell Shapes
    03:24
  • Essential Skills Summary
    00:22

  • Introductions to Projects
    00:48
  • Peppie the Pup: Downloadable Course Books
    00:08
  • Peppie the Pup - Part A: Construction Drawing
    15:54
  • Preview16:41
  • Tallulah Ted: Downloadable Course Books
    00:07
  • Tallulah Ted: Part A: Construction Drawing
    12:26
  • Tallulah Ted: Part B: Outline Drawing
    03:56

  • Learn to See Shapes in Objects
    00:08
  • Simple Man-made Objects
    00:10
  • Marmalade the Rabbit Project
    00:05
  • Oscar the Cat Project
    00:13
  • Cyril the Squirrel Project
    00:06
  • Cuddly Cat Bobby Project
    00:18

  • Get started with Six Pencil Techniques
    00:28
  • Drawing supplies required for all sections of the course which follow
    00:33
  • Introduction and Smooth Shading Technique
    16:49
  • Broad Stroke Technique
    02:03
  • Chisel Point Technique
    03:33
  • Fine Lines Technique
    01:37
  • Hatching Technique
    02:12
  • Preview01:25
  • Erasing Techniques
    07:02
  • Six Pencil Techniques Summary
    00:15

  • Introduction and Project Resources
    00:18
  • Introduction and the Graphite Transfer Method
    11:02
  • Pencil Stroke Placement and Shadow Areas
    15:56
  • Trees and Leaves
    Preview25:22
  • Background Elements
    20:12
  • The Roof Area
    07:31
  • Completing the Foreground
    10:02

  • Tulips in a Tub Project
    00:03
  • Giant Cherry Cupcake Project
    00:03
  • Happy Campers Project
    00:03
  • Shining Lighthouse Project
    00:03

  • Three Ways to Shade Introduction
    00:13
  • Create a Value Scale
    18:24
  • Gradation
    11:25
  • Soft Edge
    08:47
  • Hard Edge
    05:08
  • Three Ways to Shade Summary
    00:19

  • Introduction to the Theory of Light and Shade (plus resources)
    05:41
  • Shade a Cube
    09:37
  • Shade a Sphere
    02:54
  • Shade a Cone
    03:39
  • Shade a Cylinder
    03:47
  • Theory of Light and Shade Summary
    00:18

  • Bob the Boat Project
    00:02
  • Puddles the Boot Project
    00:02
  • Frangipani Dreams Project
    00:02
  • The Holiday Project
    00:02

  • Silver Kettle Introduction and Project Resources
    00:16
  • Silver Kettle Tutorial
    22:31
  • Silver Kettle Speed Drawing
    11:29

Instructor

Cindy Wider
Art Educator, Artist and Co-Founder of DrawPj.com
Cindy Wider
  • 4.6 Instructor Rating
  • 1,735 Reviews
  • 10,777 Students
  • 3 Courses

    Hi, I've been a full time professional award winning artist, author and art educator for more than 25 years. During that time I've helped thousands of people learn to draw and paint both in live settings and through my online courses. 

    I'm the Co-Founder of DrawPj, an online art school which I founded in 2009 along with my husband Stuart Wider. At DrawPj we present my "Complete Online Drawing Course" and I also privately mentor students 1:1 online with video feedback through email. Prior to that we co-founded StuartCindy Art which became the largest privately owned live art tuition school on the Queensland Sunshine Coast, Australia.

    I'm also the author of the soft cover books 'Paint In Your Pyjamas!', 'Six Pencil Techniques' and '12 Coloured Pencil Techniques'. I am currently writing and illustrating my children's picture book series 'The Cuddleecat Family and Friends.' I am a licensed Artist represented by Art Licensing International in the USA and my artworks are sold all around the world.

My artwork and tutorials have been included in many highly respected international drawing and painting magazines.

I'm also an official ambassador for the leading drawing pencil brand Derwent and St Cuthbert Mills fine art papers. I've appeared on the National UK Television station Hochanda for Derwent Products.

    As a professional artist I've sold hundreds of original paintings, prints and drawings through galleries and art shows to both private and corporate collectors. I've been commissioned by major corporations including Microsoft Australia. My art has been shown in solo and touring exhibitions throughout Australia. 

    I have discovered that motivated students using my course curriculum over the internet will often equal or surpass the standard of work created in a live tuition setting. I find this exciting and rewarding, as time and again I hear course participants before they begin confess to me that they 'can't even draw a straight line' but with hard work and dedication they are able to improve their drawing skills in a very short space of time and often with dramatic results. 

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