DOMINIQUE MILLAR - Artist
  • Home
  • About
  • Teaching
    • Current / Upcoming Courses >
      • 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
      • Sketching with Pen & Ink
      • The Principles of Life Drawing - Beginners to Intermediate
      • 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
    • 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)
  • Short poses
  • Studies
  • Portraits
  • Istoria
  • My Collection
  • Contact

The Principles of Drawing for Beginners – from Basic Geometric Shapes to Living Forms

Dominique Millar_Seated Woman_Red chalk on paper


In a step by step manner, be guided through the fundamental principles that lead to a comprehensive proficiency in drawing. In the space of eight weeks, we will develop skills that the beginner can practise over a life time. The underlying assumption is that absolutely anyone can learn to draw. Suitable for both the very beginner and those with some prior experience. Cost of life model included in fee.

COURSE OUTLINE
  • Basic geometric shapes and perspective: We will start by drawing basic shapes, such as circles and squares; followed by spheres, cubes and cylinders. Having observed these shapes, we will attempt to draw them in relation to perspectival space and the directional fall of light. We will end by examining how more complex forms can be understood in terms of these basic shapes.
  • Drawing and linear direction: Starting with a stick figure – an invaluable tool in describing the major centre lines of any form – we will gradually work towards conceiving of more complex forms in terms of two directional lines and basic geometric shapes, such as cylinders and cubes.
  • The Charles Bargue drawing course and the figure as directional lines: In this class, we will look at how a Nineteenth Century drawing course undertaken by Van Gogh, Seurat and Picasso can help us to better simplify the basic forms of the human figure
  • The human figure and the refinement of directional lines: Employing a life model, we will see how we can apply the lessons gained from the Bargue drawing to the life model in terms of basic directional lines. We will integrate this knowledge with the exercises in geometry and perspective addressed in the previous classes.
  • Drapery: We will examine how folds fall on drapery, their cylindrical shape and how their form is suggested by light. A basic ink wash will be employed to suggest the comparative lightness and darkness of the cloths form, in either one, or numerous studies.
  • Jacopo Pontormo (1494 – 1557) - Basic gesture and action in the human figure: Taking the Renaissance artist Pontormo as a guide, we will see how the figures weight is employed to express movement and action.
  • Tintoretto (1518 – 1594) - Gesture and action with basic anatomical masses, landmarks and limited convexed contours: Observing the dynamic forms evident within the work of the Venetian Master Tintoretto, we will introduce some very basic anatomical landmarks to better structure our drawing.
  • Raphael Sanzio (1483 – 1520) – the figure as line and contour: We will begin to see the independent role contour plays in articulating both form and volume.
  • Composition: In this final class we will look at some historical conventions for composing images. These will include overarching geometric shapes, the fall of light and shade, foreshortened and projected forms verse forms that mirror the picture the plane.



PLANNED LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
  1. Begin to understand and grasp the processes of conceptualising, selecting and creatively inventing any form.
  2. Understand the basic principles of suggesting form with line alone.
  3. Make use of and/or inventing a light source to model form.
  4. Identify techniques and make use of Old Master drawings within a contemporary drawing practice.
  5. Learn how to treat the figure as a “mannequin” rather than a static object to mindlessly copy and reproduce.



MATERIALS LIST
  • 2H pencil (please make sure the pencil is 2H as the lines must be light enough to be drawn over and erased where necessary)
  • Oil based hard red chalk sanguine pencil (no chalk sticks)
  • A4 sketch book
  • Kneadable eraser
  • Stanley knife
  • Two metal board clips
  • Indian ink
  • Watercolour brush
  • One sheet of watercolour paper

When:
Thursday 12 October - 30 November 2017

Where:
WEA Sydney
72 Bathurst Street 


Student feedback:

'Dominique was professional, skilled and encouraging in his role as a tutor. For an absolute beginner this course suited me well.'




 
  • Home
  • About
  • Teaching
    • Current / Upcoming Courses >
      • 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
      • Sketching with Pen & Ink
      • The Principles of Life Drawing - Beginners to Intermediate
      • 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
    • 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)
  • Short poses
  • Studies
  • Portraits
  • Istoria
  • My Collection
  • Contact