Interior Drawing By Joyce Schaeffer

Portrait by Joyce Schaeffer

This drawing was done after 10 class hours.

Hand Drawing by Joyce Schaeffer

Top: Pre-Instruction Drawing of Hand. Bottom: Drawing after 6 hours of instruction

Joyce had taken a drawing class or two before she took my class. Right off the bat I could tell she had sensitive linework. Her confidence in herself is shown by the way she handled her hand drawing after the third class.

Standing Nude

At the Silver Circle Studio on Tuesday nights they have figure drawing/painting open studio. Here is a 10 minute pose of standing nude model.

I find myself drawing with a simple ballpoint gel pen. You have to be sure of your marks when you use ink because you only have one chance to make it.

Interior Drawing By Jacob Hargrave

Hand Drawing by Simeon Hargrave

Left: Pre Instruction Drawing of Hand, Right: Drawing of Hand - 6 hours of instruction

Simeon and his brother Jacob took a 4 week class during the summer. Simeon is 12 years old and has quite an eye already. They have continued taking the next class which I have modified for Simeon. They both have really listened to my instruction and are becoming more confident with each drawing.

Summer Drawing Class: Carlene Hansen

Left: Pre-class portrait drawing Right: 4th class portrait drawing

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: Sheila Frost

Interior Drawing, (left) first in-class drawing,
(right) in-class drawing after 3 classes

Chair Drawing by Anthony Foronda

Teaching has allowed me to also start drawing from life on a regular basis. I have come full circle and I feel like I am beginning with baby steps again

DRSB Class: Carl Johnson, Hands

Left: Pre-Instruction Hand Drawing, Right: Hand drawing 3rd class (6 hours of instruction)

Although the first drawing has a very simplified stylized feel which I do like, Carl's other drawing (right) truly shows the power of Carl's Hand. Carl is a big, strong man who worked on a nuclear submarine and came to my class to truly study. He has a very technical mind and to see a drawing with his strength and emotion was captivating.

Drawing II: Kersten Comtois At Home Portrait Drawing

Portrait Drawing by Kersten Comtois 12/26/2009

Kerstern's confidence grew as she took the second drawing class. She learn to find out when to stop when her drawing was "cooked". Even if the likeness was not as perfect as she had wanted, it was important for her to realize that there is more paper and more portraits to be made.

Drawing on The Right Side of the Brain: Carl Johnson

Self portrait drawing at beginning of 6 week class. Drawing by Carl Johnson

Self portrait drawing at 5th week. (10 hours classtime) Drawing by Carl Johnson

Draw quickly or else!!!

Timed in- class still life drawing, drawn by Dan Very

Sometimes breakthroughs come at unexpected moments. Dan is very detail oriented. There is a lot to see through Dan's eyes. The details become an obstruction to his expression. I began having my students do a 2 minute, 5 minute, etc... drawing of a still life. The confidence in Dan's Line is evident in this drawing. When put to the task with a deadline one can really force oneself to make the right decisions. Good Job Dan!!!

Drawing II: Dan Very Journal Sketches March 2010

Model Airplane by Dan Very 2010

Tobacco Can by Dan Very 2010

Penguin Gourd by Dan Very 2010

As my students begin to feel confident about drawing, they get an insatiable appetite to see what they can draw next; what interests them the most. Any object becomes a study to be analyzed to the "enth" degree. To draw it simply with all its complexity becomes the test of the beginner artist and shows a level of mastery in one's skill.

Journal Sketches: Lyn Tolar Feb. 2010

Bowl and Fruit, journal drawing by Lyn Tolar

Portrait of Husband, journal drawing by Lyn Tolar

Portrait of Recliner, journal drawing by Lyn Tolar

Drawing II: Sally Rogers In Class Portrait Drawing

"Portrait of Instructor", Drawing by Sally Rogers

So it's hard for me to look in the mirror sometimes because I have this big ole Buddah head never mind modeling for a portrait in class. But I thought I'd share this breakthrough of one of my students. She really enjoyed the session and her results. She is an already creative person but her drawings are getting more focused. In this instance she took my suggestion to change her "medium" from a softer pencil to a harder one. And she also created a medium toned ground to help her with tone. She did not sacrifice "structure" and her knowledge of the little bit of anatomy that she has learned through trial and error, but was able to pull it all together. It actually looks like me. Good job Sally!!!

Leonardo Da Vinci, The Last Supper

This is a great example of one point perspective. It is easy to see the perspective grid simply by looking at the ceiling. By creating the tiled ceiling, Leonardo reinforced the perspective that he was trying to achieve.

Drawing II: Kersten Comtois In Class Drawing

In class drawing by Kersten Comtois.

In my second drawing class we learn to put amorphous shapes into boxes and cylinders. It is like taking nature and simplifying it into our grid or our system. It is only a trick to make it look real on a two dimensional surface. There is a fine line between learning the trick and self expression.