Drawing and Sketching for Beginners

Learn three different ways to hold the pencil. Also, learn the six foundation shading techniques that will add interest to your images.

Learn three ways to make your line work more appealing and how to add emphasis to the important edges within your images.

Learn how to use contour and cross-contour lines to depict form. 

This lecture covers the most basic steps in getting started. It includes example exercises to build confidence, getting used to sketching, the different marks a pencil can make and discusses the importance of practicing a little every day, including what to practice first.

This lecture covers, why you don't need to be able to draw to be able to sketch. We look at how sketching can simplify both objects, scenes and ideas. Practical examples are given of sketching techniques. Further resources are also made available.

This lecture explains shading, form and lighting to a level the beginner sketcher will be comfortable reproducing.

In this step by step, we practice creating a range of tonal values, in step-wise value.

Print out and practice shading these spheres using tonal patterns.

Follow along in this exercise as you learn how to start 'seeing' objects as abstract patterns of shape and tone. This is an important exercise to practice, and will help take your drawing to the next level.

Sketching should be quick. Being loose and gestural is a great way to start an image. The tighter lines and correct tones can come at a later stage. In this lecture we take a quick look at how to be loose!

A wrap-up and re-cap lecture, covering the main points from section 2.

Learn how to draw a simple scene from your imagination. Also understand how we can use counter-change when contrasting light objects against darker backgrounds.

Follow along and draw an old row-boat tethered to a mooring post.

Learn how to use Construction lines as a way to layout your drawings and provide a framework for good proportions.

Learn how to draw a simple Rose. Apply shading techniques to emphasize the form.

A practical demonstration, showing how to start sketching. Including, pencil grips, shading, layering tones and adding details.

Follow along with this step by step exercise file for: Getting started - leaf.

In this lecture, we see how we can simplify the complex into 5 tones.

Follow along with this Step by Step exercise file for: Working with Tone - Swatches

A look at how we can perceive our subject matter as patches of light and dark.

Follow along with this step by step for: Learning to see - spoon

This lecture covers a powerful concept of sketching in 3 dimensions.

Try out this challenging exercise. Learning to rotate an object in your head, will enable you to produce drawings that dont require a reference image to. This is an important skill for the beginning artist. If you find the exercise easy, try combining a few other primitive shapes and draw them also from different angles.

A Demonstration of drawing a Feather using Pencil

Recreating proportions is a key skill in sketching to scale. This lecture covers the theory and practice.

A wrap-up and re-cap lecture, covering the main points from section 3.

Find inspiration with this short list of drawing ideas.

This lecture covers the value of sketching in capturing information. It explains how you can start thinking in terms of information capture and sketching as a tool to effective communication.

Closing thoughts on how you can start to incorporate sketching into your daily routine, how to start thinking graphically, and the next steps you can take.

The time to say thank you and how to keep in touch with future updates, instructor feedback, discussions and resource updates.

This lecture will act a placeholder, for post go-live future videos and resource releases.