I'm not talking about the creative refrigerator art that we all treasure. I mean that someone actually taught you how to draw things that look like what they are - way back then. And you still remember how, but you don't know it.

That is the premise upon which this course is based. You do know how to draw. We just have to remind you how you know.

A completely new, unique and original, no fail approach to drawing.

We promise to have you drawing things that look like what they are the very first week - and having fun doing it! You will also discover, right off the bat, that you have your own style!

This is not like any drawing class ever offered. We are not promising to make you into a daVinci overnight, but every drawing, however elaborate, starts with the ability to put the representation of a thing on paper. You can go anywhere in art from there.

By using a very unique approach to recognizing shape and line, and a light-hearted attitude toward thinking creatively, we make it effortless to start drawing - and very hard to stop.

Within the safe confines of an art journal or sketchbook, you can learn all the things you learn in art school - without a bit of intimidation.

Art school lessons combine drawing and painting principles as they come along in our projects - in a hoistic rather than sequential approach. We learn hard things in small bites so they are easier to digest.

The 101 workshop includes 8 Video Lessons with PDF support material where appropriate and necessary, which are posted on Tuesdays and Saturdays for four consecutive weeks.

We use a closed, invitation-only Yahoo Group as our classroom.

You purchase the workshop from our Shopping Cart and remember the start date. The day before that, you go to the link given on your order, to download a PDF of class info. This link will also be emailed to you, but email does not always get through. It is up to you to show up for class. There will be an invitation to join the Yahoo Group. If you do not already belong to other Yahoo Groups, you will be asked to set up a user name and password.

You must be able to play a Quicktime video on your computer.

Test this by trying this video (has nothing to do with this workshop):

http://web.mac.com/jwesolek/iWeb/Site/ajworkshop.html

If you can run this video, you will have no problems with the class videos. If not, download the free Quicktime Player for Windows here (Macs have Quictime already): http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html

After watching the video lesson, you do the assignment in your own time and upload the results to your own Album in the Group Photos section and get feedback (not crtitiques) from the Instructor and the other students.

Your participation in the show and tell of the workshop is strongly encouraged. The sharing with each other is a huge part of the learning and support that can be had from the workshop.

Workshop Requirements. . . Enthusiasm and curiosity.

Sign Up. . .
Click here to sign up for this workshop.

An Art Journal or Sketchbook
Must have paper substantial enough to take erasing and a little moisture.

Drawing Tools, Black and White:
Pencil: #3H (can be found at all art and craft stores). This is not a mechanical pencil - just an ordinary one, but with a cleaner, harder, lead than the usual #2.

Eraser: Big, white, soft. Magic Rub is a great brand.

Indelible Ink Pen:
A Set of Black Pitt Pens (about $7-$8 at office, art, and craft stores. Pitt Pens make an indelible black line that can be paitned over, and yet they do not bled through paper. If you can't afford a whole set, at least get the Fine Tip and the Brush tip.

Ruler and Template: A Circle template (like a stencil with different sized circles), and a 6 inch Ruler.

Water soluble colored pencils.
You must have at least these Primary and Secondary colors: Red, Yellow, Blue, Orange, Violet, Green.
These Tertiary colors are also desirable: Red Orange, Yellow Orange, Blue Green, Yellow Green, Red Violet, Blue Violet.

Our favorite brand is the Caran d'ache Supracolor II, but the Derwent, Albrecht Durer (by Faber Castell), and Stabilo, are also superior quality watercolor pencils. Avoid cheap brands like Rose Art, General, etc as the pigment load will not please you, and you will end up buying better ones anyway - out of pure frustration. If your local art/craft store does not have these, online sources do - at good prices.

A Waterbrush.
Niji is the best brand and is inexpensive online (Jerry's Artorama). Small tip is best, but medium is ok, if you can't get a Small. This is a paintbrush that holds clear water in its barrel.

A Pointed Round Brush.
Medium size point like 3, 4, or 5. These are made for watercolor and may be natural or synthetic. They are round and come to a fine point (There are four of them in the jar at the top of this page)

Some pan or tube watercolors.
Any brand is fine in the normal color range.

Pastel Chalks.
Our favorite brand is the new Pan Pastel because it is superior in every way to any other chalks we have ever used. However, any colored pastel chalk will do - in the normal color range. Make sure to have a gray.

Sheer Heaven.
Scraps will do - especially leftovers from transfers. This is a very good way to use those up.

Watercolor Markers.
Any brand, any colors. These are not labeled as "Watercolor". We just mean they are watersoluble, not dye/alcohol markers because the water soluble ones do not bleed through pages. Kid markers will do.

Please Note:
These same supplies will see you through subsequent Art School workshops also, should you choose to continue your art education after 101.

What Previous Students Have to Say. . .

I really loved they way you simplified shapes and made them easy to recognize, as well as simply showing me the starting point in a drawing. I've been pleased with the way your lessons have stayed with me, so that I now see things in shapes and combinations of shapes. You have the teaching gift!  - Jody

I really enjoyed the drawing lesson--partly because I found that I looked at things differently after that, but also because I realized that it was OK to make "impressionist" drawings--that realism was not required, that a "cartoon-y" drawing was fine so long as it brought back the memories of where/when it was drawn.

I have taken drawing as a college course (most memorable when it had snowed and the instructor told us to draw marshmallows on a white pillow sitting in a north-facing window!) and not been happy with the results, but your lessons really "resonated"with me--now I just need to take time to practice. - Nan

By breaking the process down to the simplest, you really gave me the courage to try. I was amazed with the results. By starting with pencil -- making many gestures ,and comitting those gestures to paper (knowing they could be erased later)  helped me to get over the "plain white paper brain freeze". I couldn't believe I was making marks WITH A PEN, in that pricey little journal.

There is no stopping me now!

Thanks again, Jessica! - Carole