Have you always wanted to learn how to draw but: 1. Feel like you have no artistic talent 2. Can't even draw a stick figure 3. See great art and think those artists just have magic powers that you don't possess I have good news for you! Drawing is a skill that can be learned. It takes a lot of dedication and practice to master, but it can be done. Having a good drawing instructor can cut out years of swimming in circles trying to teach yourself. I teach a step-by-step method that anyone with a learning mindset can follow. My class is intensive, but in a good way, like an artist workout. I will offer you constructive feedback to improve your drawing.
The atelier techniques I teach come from a lineage of artists teaching artists dating back to Jean-Leon Gerome, a 19th century French academic artist. Richard Lack was one of the artists in this lineage who is said to be the founder of the contemporary atelier movement. Among those he taught was one of my instructors, Juliette Aristides. This atelier method is not typically taught in art colleges, but rather small private art schools called ateliers. One such atelier is the Miano Academy in Sarasota, Florida. The atelier movement is picking up speed with The School of Atelier Arts, which shows art teachers how to teach the atelier method to school children as young as kindergarten. This is all in an effort to make art a serious subject as it has a right to be. Atelier training typically take 3 or more years to complete. My 6-week class just scratches the surface of this training, but I provide you with resources to continue learning outside my class. I encourage students to take the class again and again doing more complex projects each time to help them master the techniques. What to Expect Bargue copies Charles Bargue was a 19th century French academic painter who developed a drawing course with Jean-Leon Jerome. You'll do master copies of his lithographs specifically designed to help you see as an artist sees. Many famous artists copied Bargue plates, including Picasso and Van Gogh!
Cast drawing Cast drawing is a good portion of the atelier experience. Casts are plaster replicas of sculptures. You'll use a method unique to atelier training called sight-size to draw a sculpture cast. Currently, I have some facial features of Michelangelo's David and the Portrait of a Woman by Gaetano Cellini for students to draw, though I'm looking to add to more to my cast collection in the future.
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Ready to take the leap and learn to draw? Sign up for my drawing atelier class at Dunedin Fine Art Center.
Are you at a more advanced level and want something more challenging? Try my figure drawing workshop which applies atelier techniques to drawing live models.