Drawing Fundamentals

Program Term 4 2024

8 WEEK PROGRAM

Term 4 we will work through a series of Still Life compositions in the studio, each week a different subject, exploring the use of different media.  We will then head outside for an ‘en plein air’ drawing experience, and finish the term with creating a drawing of your own choice using a Matisse studio still life as your departure point and various studio props. Along the way we will learn principles of composition and look at how other artists have approached similar projects.

WEEK 1
Still Life: Vessels
Medium: Pencil

To begin this term we will hone our observation and analytical skills, as well as tuning in to our intuition as we draw vessels arranged in a still life, using pencil and exploring its possibilities.

WEEK 2
Still Life: Plants
Medium: Ink

Our still life this week will be plant life and we will respond to it with ink. We will play with the possibilities of this expressive medium. 

WEEK 3
Still Life: Rocks and pebbles
Medium: Charcoal

Exploring the inanimate, we will draw a still life of rocks and pebbles using the elemental material charcoal. In particular we will focus on tone, light and shade to create an illusion of the three dimensional on a two dimensional surface

WEEK 4
Still Life: Vegetables
Medium: Soft pastel

Introducing primary and secondary colour we will use soft pastels with charcoal to draw this week’s vegetable still life.  

WEEK 5
Still Life: Fruit
Medium: Oil pastel

Our still life series will finish with fruit, and more colour using oil pastels. We will explore the use of this bold medium and play with wax resist.

WEEK 6
‘En Plein Air’

Drawing outdoors is a different experience to being inside…wind, rain, sun, insects, etc! Conditions permitting, we will head outside to Mona Vale Headland to draw. This week we will look at the macro as we attempt broad landscape in nature.

WEEK 7
‘En Plein Air’

Drawing outdoors is a different experience to being inside…wind, rain, sun, insects, etc! Conditions permitting, we will head outside to Mona Vale Headland to draw. This week we will look at the micro as we attempt to draw often unnoticed and intricate patterns from nature.

WEEK 8
Your Choice

Dream up an idea, choose your subject matter and your media, maybe mixing it up, and spend the lesson creating your drawing.

MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT LIST

• Pencils, a range from 2B through to 6B
• Charcoal – willow, various thicknesses
• Soft Pastels (small set of range of colours)
• Putty Erasers and Hard Erasures
• Pencil sharpener or Stanley knife
• Paper, A3 drawing pad
• Apron (optional)
• Black ink and soft brush (no 4 size)
• Oil pastels: a small set of a range of colours