DOMINIQUE MILLAR - Artist
  • Home
  • About
  • Teaching
    • Current / Upcoming Courses >
      • Drawing for Beginners - 2 Day Workshop
      • Still Life & the Art of Composition
      • The Golden Age of British Landscape Painting
      • The Elements of Drawing
      • Art and Anatomy in Early Modern Italy
      • Galileo and the Visual Arts - The Unity of Science and Design
    • Previous Courses >
      • 2017 >
        • The Principles of Life Drawing from the Masters
        • Sustained Life Drawing with Red, Black and White Chalk on Buff and Blue Coloured Paper
        • Painting the Nude - the limited palette approach
        • Portraiture and the Passions
        • Fundamentals of Drawing
        • Fundamentals of Drawing for Beginners at The Makery
        • Principles of Beginners Life Drawing Workshop
        • Artistic Anatomy for Beginners: In the Footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners – from Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The Union of Art History and Practice: the Renaissance and the "Rebirth" of Art
      • 2018 >
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • Fundamentals of Drawing Weekend Workshop
        • Landscape Drawing Lessons from the Masters Weekend Workshop
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Fundamentals of Drawing
        • Drawing the Nude - 1 Day Intensive Sustained Pose
        • Pastels for Beginners and Intermediate
        • Portrait Drawing: Beginners to Advanced
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners
        • Oil Painting for Beginners
        • The Art of Competition: From the High Renaissance to the Baroque
        • Sketching with Pen and Ink
        • Drawing the Animal Kingdom - One Day Workshop
        • Drawing the Nude in Chalk Pencil
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners
        • Drawing 101: A Beginner's Guide
        • Drawing the Figure from Life - Beginner to Intermediate
        • Drawing the Figure from Life - Beginner to Intermediate
        • Chalk Pastel Techniques of the Masters
        • Learning to Draw with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Learn to Draw with Pastels - Beginners & Beyond
        • Paradigms of the Baroque: The Art of Italy and the Dutch Golden Age
        • Drawing for Beginners - From Shapes to Figures from Life
        • Drawing for Beginners - From Shapes to Figures from Life
      • 2019 >
        • Drawing Essentials for Beginners - One Day Workshop
        • Drawing with Red, Black & White Chalks on Coloured Paper
        • Drawing the Nude in Chalk Pencil
        • The Principles of Life Drawing from the Masters
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Life Drawing for Beginners
        • The Sensual and the Sexual in the Art of the Renaissance and the Baroque
        • Learning to Draw with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Drawing with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Political Artist: David, Delacroix and Courbet
        • Life Drawing for Beginners & Beyond
        • The Fundamentals of Drawing for Beginners
        • Life Drawing for Beginners & Beyond
        • Learning to Draw with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The Principles of Life Drawing from the Masters
        • Drawing Animals Workshop
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • Learning to Draw the Landscape with Traditional Mixed Media
        • Life Drawing Beginners to Intermediate – The Sustained Pose
        • The "Divine" Raphael
      • 2020 >
        • Drawing for Beginners
        • Draw with Red, Black & White Chalk Pencils on Coloured Paper
        • Drawing the Nude in Chalk Pencil
        • Drawing Portraits
        • Drawing Landscapes
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • Life Drawing Beginners to Intermediate – The Sustained Pose
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners - Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Figurative Compositions with Mixed Media
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners - Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Joseph Mallord William Turner - the Sun is God!
        • The Cultural Disconnect of “Contemporary Art” - How Did We Get Here?
        • Draw with Red, Black & White Chalks on Coloured Paper
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners (Online Class)
        • Sketching with Pen and Ink
        • How to Compose a Still Life Composition (Online Taster Class)
        • Drawing for Beginners: How Simple Geometric Shapes Can Help You Draw Anything You Want (Online Taster Class)
        • Painting in Spain: From the Escorial to the Enlightenment (Online Class)
        • Goya - A Painter for his Age (Online Class)
        • Still Life & the Art of Composition (Online Class)
        • Learning to Draw the Landscape with Traditional Mixed Media (Online Class)
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms (Online Class)
      • 2021 >
        • Drawing for Beginners: How Simple Geometric Shapes Can Help You Draw Anything You Want
        • The Fundamentals of Drawing for Beginners
        • The Fundamentals of Drawing for Beginners
        • Chalk Pastel Techniques of the Masters - Beginners to Intermediate
        • Chalk Pastel Techniques of the Masters - Beginners to Intermediate
        • John Ruskin - Victorian Art Critic & Social Activist
        • William Morris - Socialism & the Egalitarian Values of Craftsmanship
        • Drawing the Nude in Chalk Pencil
        • The Art Of Joseph Lycett & John Lewin: A Visual Window into Aboriginal Cultures of NSW
        • Learning to Draw with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The Principles of Life Drawing - Beginners to Intermediate
        • Nicolas Poussin: Poetic Truth and Antiquarian Patronage in Baroque Rome
        • Art & Classical Subject Matter
        • Women Artists - from Antiquity to the Nineteenth Century
        • Art and the Bible
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Drawing with Mixed Media
        • The Elements of Drawing
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The French Rococo: From Charles de la Fosse to Fragonard
        • Art and the Saints
        • Joshua Reynolds' Discourses on Art
  • Short poses
  • Studies
  • Portraits
  • Istoria
  • My Collection
  • Contact

The Elements of Drawing for Beginners

Dominique Millar, Black Chalk, Study of a Capital

At a comfortable pace, this course employs a broad array of exercises to assist the beginner in understanding the basics of drawing which includes contour, proportion, mass, volume and tone. Different elements of drawing are examined in relation to a variety of objects, such as plants, rocks, prints and architectural forms. The class takes its inspiration from the famous beginners' drawing course formulated by the eminent Victorian draughtsman and art critic, John Ruskin. Suitable for beginners to intermediate.


COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1: Leaf drawing exercise
  • Using an image of a leaf, a sheet of tracing paper provided, will be placed over the image and traced. Placing the tracing paper on a new sheet of paper, students will mark multiple points to indicate the leaves perimeter. Looking back at the original drawing, students will then fill in the spaces between these points with the remaining contour of the leaf’s outline, as accurately as possible. We will then apply the exercise to living plant specimens. This exercise introduces the student to the fundamentals of observation and contour, while also putting the student at ease in fostering a habit of erasure and correction. See John Ruskin, The Elements of Drawing Exercise 2.
Week 2: Shading & Silhouette Study
  • Shading Exercise: We will begin the class with an exercise in shading. Between two parallel lines, students will take great care to shade as carefully and as softly as possible, from left to right, from the darkest gradation of the pencil to its lightest. The aim of this exercise is to produce a seamless ascent in tonal gradation. See John Ruskin, The Elements of Drawing Exercise 3.
  • Silhouette Study: Using the image of a tree, students will shade in the form of tree branches and foliage without the initial use of outline. The aim of this exercise is to ultimately gain an intuitive proficiency at determining the parameters of an object’s volume. Students will make continuous use of the eraser to refine the contours of their silhouette. Once the contour of the silhouette is described as accurately as possible, pen and ink will be used to delineate the contours of the branches and their overlapping forms. See John Ruskin, The Elements of Drawing Exercise 6.
Week 3: Rock & Foliage study
  • Rock Study: Students will bring an assortment of small round rocks and a torch into class. Shining the torch onto one of the rocks, students will employ an assortment of cross hatching to suggest the rock’s form. This will be repeated using a variety of different rocks and by altering the direction of the light source. See John Ruskin, The Elements of Drawing Exercise 8.
  • Foliage Study: Students will bring a spray of any foliage from home and a jar for support. As time permits, a variety of contour drawings of foliage will be undertaken at eye level, ground level and at varying distances from the student. These will be carefully coloured in with brush and ink. The aim of this exercise is to observe how the leaves of a plant appear at both different angles and distances. This is an invaluable lesson in comprehending how a particular plant species looks at different heights within the landscape and the degree to which we are able to see the shape of foliage at various distances. See John Ruskin, The Elements of Drawing Exercise 10.
Week 4: Aerial perspective and the landscape
  • In this exercise, we will focus on a section of a landscape print, in order to both observe and replicate its use of line, hatching and shading in the depiction of distant foliage. This practice will help us gain an understanding of how artists communicate the ephemeral characteristics of the landscape at greater distances. The exercise will then be applied to photographic images of distant trees and foliage. See John Ruskin, The Elements of Drawing – an elaboration by Ruskin on Exercise 10.
Week 5: Architectural forms
  • We will look at how to reproduce an architectural detail by contour alone, addressing its overarching geometric forms and the relationship of subsidiary forms to this shape. The role played by the fall and direction of light and shadow will be taken into account.
Week 6: Architectural forms
  • We will study another architectural ornamental detail, addressing the formal qualities discussed in the previous class within the context of introducing both black and white chalk on a mid-toned paper.
Week 7 and 8: Composing Images
  • In the final two weeks we will look at nine principles for composition as they relate to composing images: dominant mass, repetition, continuity, curvature, radiation, contrast, reciprocation, consistency and harmony.

PLANNED LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:
  1. Gain an understanding of and an ability to put into practice some of the fundamental elements of drawing.
  2. Learn to observe form, tone and volume in any object.
  3. Make use of and identify useful prints, drawings,photographs and other images as teaching aids in learning to draw.
  4. Gain an understanding of the relationship between natural shapes, decorative design and architectural forms.
  5. Gain the conceptual background to compose an image.


MATERIALS

  • 2H or H pencil
  • Kneadable eraser
  • Stanley knife for sharpening pencils.
  • A3 sketch book
  • Two metal paper clips

The following materials will only be neccessary after the first class:

  • Oil-based hard black and white chalk pencils
  • 2 A3 sheets of blue-grey coloured drawing paper
  • Compass
  • Ruler
  • One A3 sheet of watercolour paper
  • Walnut, Chinese or Indian ink
  • Watercolour brush


When:
Thursday 7 Feb - 28 Mar 2019
6.00 PM - 8.30 PM 


Where:
WEA Sydney
72 Bathurst Street 


Previous Feedback:

'Dominique is a very good tutor and has structured his course well. Most of the class had virtually no experience of drawing and, over the weeks, we all gained in confidence and ability. The various exercises helped us to master some basic skills and learn to 'look'. We now all have something to build on. I will be signing up with Dominique again. A very enjoyable and stimulating experience, a lovely group of people. A winner all round!'



  • Home
  • About
  • Teaching
    • Current / Upcoming Courses >
      • Drawing for Beginners - 2 Day Workshop
      • Still Life & the Art of Composition
      • The Golden Age of British Landscape Painting
      • The Elements of Drawing
      • Art and Anatomy in Early Modern Italy
      • Galileo and the Visual Arts - The Unity of Science and Design
    • Previous Courses >
      • 2017 >
        • The Principles of Life Drawing from the Masters
        • Sustained Life Drawing with Red, Black and White Chalk on Buff and Blue Coloured Paper
        • Painting the Nude - the limited palette approach
        • Portraiture and the Passions
        • Fundamentals of Drawing
        • Fundamentals of Drawing for Beginners at The Makery
        • Principles of Beginners Life Drawing Workshop
        • Artistic Anatomy for Beginners: In the Footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners – from Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The Union of Art History and Practice: the Renaissance and the "Rebirth" of Art
      • 2018 >
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • Fundamentals of Drawing Weekend Workshop
        • Landscape Drawing Lessons from the Masters Weekend Workshop
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Fundamentals of Drawing
        • Drawing the Nude - 1 Day Intensive Sustained Pose
        • Pastels for Beginners and Intermediate
        • Portrait Drawing: Beginners to Advanced
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners
        • Oil Painting for Beginners
        • The Art of Competition: From the High Renaissance to the Baroque
        • Sketching with Pen and Ink
        • Drawing the Animal Kingdom - One Day Workshop
        • Drawing the Nude in Chalk Pencil
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners
        • Drawing 101: A Beginner's Guide
        • Drawing the Figure from Life - Beginner to Intermediate
        • Drawing the Figure from Life - Beginner to Intermediate
        • Chalk Pastel Techniques of the Masters
        • Learning to Draw with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Learn to Draw with Pastels - Beginners & Beyond
        • Paradigms of the Baroque: The Art of Italy and the Dutch Golden Age
        • Drawing for Beginners - From Shapes to Figures from Life
        • Drawing for Beginners - From Shapes to Figures from Life
      • 2019 >
        • Drawing Essentials for Beginners - One Day Workshop
        • Drawing with Red, Black & White Chalks on Coloured Paper
        • Drawing the Nude in Chalk Pencil
        • The Principles of Life Drawing from the Masters
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Life Drawing for Beginners
        • The Sensual and the Sexual in the Art of the Renaissance and the Baroque
        • Learning to Draw with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Drawing with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Political Artist: David, Delacroix and Courbet
        • Life Drawing for Beginners & Beyond
        • The Fundamentals of Drawing for Beginners
        • Life Drawing for Beginners & Beyond
        • Learning to Draw with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The Principles of Life Drawing from the Masters
        • Drawing Animals Workshop
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • Learning to Draw the Landscape with Traditional Mixed Media
        • Life Drawing Beginners to Intermediate – The Sustained Pose
        • The "Divine" Raphael
      • 2020 >
        • Drawing for Beginners
        • Draw with Red, Black & White Chalk Pencils on Coloured Paper
        • Drawing the Nude in Chalk Pencil
        • Drawing Portraits
        • Drawing Landscapes
        • The Creative Conventions of Portraiture
        • Life Drawing Beginners to Intermediate – The Sustained Pose
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners - Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Figurative Compositions with Mixed Media
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners - Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Joseph Mallord William Turner - the Sun is God!
        • The Cultural Disconnect of “Contemporary Art” - How Did We Get Here?
        • Draw with Red, Black & White Chalks on Coloured Paper
        • The Elements of Drawing for Beginners (Online Class)
        • Sketching with Pen and Ink
        • How to Compose a Still Life Composition (Online Taster Class)
        • Drawing for Beginners: How Simple Geometric Shapes Can Help You Draw Anything You Want (Online Taster Class)
        • Painting in Spain: From the Escorial to the Enlightenment (Online Class)
        • Goya - A Painter for his Age (Online Class)
        • Still Life & the Art of Composition (Online Class)
        • Learning to Draw the Landscape with Traditional Mixed Media (Online Class)
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms (Online Class)
      • 2021 >
        • Drawing for Beginners: How Simple Geometric Shapes Can Help You Draw Anything You Want
        • The Fundamentals of Drawing for Beginners
        • The Fundamentals of Drawing for Beginners
        • Chalk Pastel Techniques of the Masters - Beginners to Intermediate
        • Chalk Pastel Techniques of the Masters - Beginners to Intermediate
        • John Ruskin - Victorian Art Critic & Social Activist
        • William Morris - Socialism & the Egalitarian Values of Craftsmanship
        • Drawing the Nude in Chalk Pencil
        • The Art Of Joseph Lycett & John Lewin: A Visual Window into Aboriginal Cultures of NSW
        • Learning to Draw with Traditional Mixed Media
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The Principles of Life Drawing - Beginners to Intermediate
        • Nicolas Poussin: Poetic Truth and Antiquarian Patronage in Baroque Rome
        • Art & Classical Subject Matter
        • Women Artists - from Antiquity to the Nineteenth Century
        • Art and the Bible
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • Drawing with Mixed Media
        • The Elements of Drawing
        • The Principles of Drawing for Beginners: Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms
        • The French Rococo: From Charles de la Fosse to Fragonard
        • Art and the Saints
        • Joshua Reynolds' Discourses on Art
  • Short poses
  • Studies
  • Portraits
  • Istoria
  • My Collection
  • Contact