Drawing Workshop

This Self-Study Class Includes Lifetime Access, Online Community & More!

6 Lessons – $72

Anita begins with some solid techniques that every artist should know and then she takes us into the “wonderful beyond” of expressive art-making.  This is the drawing class for everyone!

Now Available as a Self-Study Class.

TEACHER: Anita Lehmann

Class Description

I love to draw!

Drawing is a part of everything I do as an artist and in this class we will work on slowing down,  seeing more deeply and developing  confidence. We will practice some fundamental depictive techniques as well as an evocative and personal approach to drawing. We will endeavor to create honest drawings by truly drawing what you see, not what you think you see. All you need are some pencils, some charcoal, some paper and a willingness to have fun!

I believe drawing is about attempting something beyond language and beyond representation; it is a way to experience life. It is my sincere hope these lessons will give you surety in your drawing practice… and I hope you can join me!

Anita

From the Depictive..

… to the Evocative..

… This is the drawing class I always wanted! Anita deftly gives us the technical bits while leading us through to expressive interpretations… join us for this deep dive into drawing with Anita! — Carla

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Lesson 1 – Slowing Down
We will start with ‘upside down’ and blind contour drawing processes to unlock the brain to a new awareness and shift to your brain’s right side, while defining edges, size, relationships, and angles of what you see (not what you think you see).

Lesson 2 – True Horizontal + True Vertical
In today’s exercises we will use a directed straight line when exploring. We’ll start with tracing paper, another wonderful tool in discovering shape, size, and relationships. Then we will find the True Horizontals and Verticals from two different images and find the internal thrust of individual elements within the forms to create several diagrammatic drawings. The result will be a structure that is a strong, accurate foundation.

Lesson 3 – Don’t Draw the Monkey
“Don’t draw the Monkey” is a play on words, of course. When I concentrate on the shapes that surround the monkey shape, voila, the monkey appears all on its own. The “negative” shapes are truthful and very right-brained; they cannot be named and identified, which is such an important tool in drawing and seeing. In this lesson we will also touch on the underlying geometry of the individual elements of our still life.

Lesson 4 – About that Sphere: Volume + LIght
In this exercise we will identify the light form qualities: core shadow, half tone, cast shadow, reflected light, highlight. The assignment will be to create a vine charcoal and a graphite drawing of a sphere with nuance and beauty. 

Lesson 5 – Still Life: The Depictive
Let’s put all these concepts together: Line, Shape, Volume and Light and continue the process that creates honest drawings, truly drawing ‘what I see, not what I think I see.’ We will draw from a still life and work by describing/depicting by measuring, correcting, searching, and exploring with line.

Lesson 6 – Still Life: The Evocative
Think of the Evocative drawing process as putting oneself into the subject, beyond the Depictive. We will study a subject and ask: What is the subject saying to me and what am I saying back to the subject? The process is emotive. The finished drawing may be simple or complicated but always meaningful and personal.

 

 

 

Full Supply List

This is Anita’s preferred setup, but you can benefit from the class without these exact items. Please email Anita directly at [email protected] if you have any questions about supplies!

• Charcoal Pencils: medium, soft

• Vine Charcoal: medium, soft

• Generals Charcoal Sticks: 4B

• Graphite Pencils: medium, soft

• Ebony Prismacolor Pencil (optional)

• Pencil Sharpener

• Framing L’s

• Sandpaper Block for sharpening charcoal sticks

• Kneaded Eraser

• White eraser

• Erasing Shield (alternate)

• Blending Stump, High Density Foam +/or Chamois for blending

• Plumb Line: handmade is fine

• Artist Tape/Paper Tape

• Sketchbook: smooth paper or Sulphite paper 80lb. 12 x 18

• Tracing Paper: 5 sheets +

Optional Items:

• spray fixative

• Drawing Board

• Skewer or Knitting Needle (optional: carabiner to hold skewer)

• Various graphite + charcoal pencils

• Paper Options: Bristol Vellum pad, Charcoal Paper

Anita Lehmann is a registered architect in the state of Washington. She is also a teacher and an artist. After receiving training at the University of Washington, she taught freehand drawing in Rome and in Seattle, and currently offers small group classes in drawing and painting. Her other skills include architectural design, graphic design, community planning and design illustration. Using figures as disparate as bugs and urban monuments, Anita has designed several series of alphabets, which have been acquired by the Smithsonian Institution. Prior to receiving the 2013 NAIUSI fellowship, Anita was a graduate student at the University of Washington Rome Center, in Rome, Italy in 1985. See more of her work at www.anitahlehmannartist.com.

Nuts & Bolts

– Now available as a self-study class; video lessons available immediately upon signup.

– Private Facebook and Padlet groups will be available for you to (optionally) share your work and receive comments from the instructor and fellow students.

– You will have forever access to this class.

“Generous information and teaching as always” — Jo C.
“I've learned so much about drawing in this workshop, especially focusing on the spatial relationships, and negative space. ” — Debbie S.
“Anita has years of experience that she translates so effectively and efficiently to teaching. Every class that I take takes my work to a whole different level. ” — Adri P.