Sketching Techniques Specialization

This lesson is an introduction to help you understand what you will learn when you finish this module. We hope you enjoy learning with the best professionals.

Line Drawing Exercises

In this lesson, Marco Mazzoni will show you some exercises to help you feel more comfortable drawing lines.

In this lesson, you will explore how materials can serve as tools and subjects for drawing. Following the approach of Mattias Adolfsson, you'll first practice drawing from observation, and then shift to creating from your imagination. You'll also learn to add volume and depth to your drawings through cross-hatching and shading techniques.

Materials as Models

In this lesson, you'll begin by drawing pens from memory, following the creative process of Mattias Adolfsson. Afterward, you'll unleash your imagination, transforming these pens into whimsical, unexpected creations. You'll see how everyday objects can inspire playful, inventive drawings that make all kinds of crazy things happen on the page!

Freehand Material

Contour and Observation

Guided by Lapin, in this session, you'll learn an intuitive technique for sketching from observation. You'll use a black fine liner to outline your hand, sharpening your ability to observe and capture details with simple, expressive lines.

Dancing With Your Brushes

Let's jump into mark-making! Following Laura McKendry, you'll learn how to get started, familiarize yourself with your brushes, and warm up your hands for fluid and confident strokes.

Observation and Mind Bank

In this session, you will learn to draw from observation with the help of Sarah Van Dongen. You will draw everyday objects from your surroundings or work from a reference photo. Sara uses markers and colored pencils, but you can choose any material you feel comfortable with.

Drawing and Observation 1

Let's get started with exercises designed to improve both your drawing and observation skills. With guidance from Sarah Van Dongen, you'll learn to better capture what you see, a fundamental ability for any artist looking to refine their technique.

17m

Drawing and Observation 2

In this exercise, you'll focus on mark-making, which will encourage you to explore your materials without worrying about the outcome. Sarah Van Dongen will guide you in understanding your style through your marks.

18m

Drawing and Observation 3

Developing your observation skills is crucial, as Sara Van Dongen emphasizes. When you look at something, you often look at it in detail based on experience, which can be done with accurate drawings. In this session, you'll learn to truly observe, allowing you to capture what's in front of you more faithfully.

In this session, you'll learn a technique from Felix Scheinberger that helps you create expressive face drawings while practicing fluid and dynamic lines. This approach will enhance both your portrait skills and your ability to draw with confidence and motion.

Blind Contour Drawing

Outline and Silhouettes

Drawing can be tricky because, as Felix Scheinberger explains, lines don't define the objects themselves but rather their boundaries. In this session, you'll explore how understanding this concept can help you create more effective and expressive drawings.

Pareidolia Exercise

Have you ever spotted a figure in a stain on the wall, a coffee cup ring, or a blurred photo? Maybe a face, a dog, or a horse in the clouds? This is called pareidolia—our brain's instinct to find familiar patterns in random shapes. In this session with Felix Scheinberger, you'll explore why we do this and how it can inspire creativity in your drawings. But why are we doing this?

Module 3

In this module, you will learn the fundamentals of perspective, volume, and the representation of complex shapes. You will explore different approaches, such as the isometric perspective, the handling of lines and contours, and the construction of three-dimensional objects. Each lesson will guide you step-by-step to improve your understanding and mastery of space, proportion, and composition, essential elements for any artist looking to perfect their sketching technique. During this journey, you will always be accompanied by the best professionals.

12 lessons (2h 20m)

During the Renaissance, perspective revolutionized art by introducing depth and realism, especially with the discovery of the vanishing point by Filippo Brunelleschi in Florence. Although mastering perspective improves technical skills, especially for rotating objects, it is not essential for all artistic styles. Artists often manipulate or ignore the strict rules of perspective to prioritize creative expression. With this module, we hope you will find it easy to understand how to use it in your drawings.

Basic Perspective

In this lesson, you will learn the basics of the single-point perspective with Mattias Adolfsson. It works great when making interiors with just one room.

20m

Isometric Perspective 1

In this lesson with Mattias Adolfsson, you will learn how to create an isometric perspective. This perspective is great for large, busy drawings of cities or exteriors where you want a lot to happen.

Isometric Perspective 2

In this lesson, you will continue exploring the isometric perspective with Mattias Adolfsson. One key advantage of this technique is its flexibility, as it does not rely on a vanishing point. This allows you to easily extend your drawings while maintaining consistent proportions and angles, making it ideal for complex designs and structures.

Using Isometric to Draw a Technical Object

In this lesson , Mattias Adolfsson will teach you how to draw objects with the help of a more basic technique than in the previous lesson; it works when drawing single or many objects.

Perspective

In this lesson, Lapin will explain different concepts of perspective representation, from classic perspective to curvilinear perspective, a revolutionary way to capture all the space around you, as if seen through a fisheye lens.

The Basics of Perspective

In this lesson, Alex Hillkurtz will give you a clear introduction to linear and atmospheric perspective. Using one- and two-point perspectives, he will provide simple examples that will form the foundation of your sketching.

18m

Fundamentals of Sketching

In this lesson, Sorie Kim will teach you the basics of form and two-point perspective. You'll learn how to use vanishing points and horizon lines to create depth in your sketches. She'll also show you how to break down complex shapes into simple forms like cubes and spheres, giving you more freedom and control in your drawings.

What is Form: Drawing Volume

In this lesson, Tom Fox will teach you how to think in three dimensions by focusing on form and volume. You'll learn to give your drawings depth by using simple techniques like adding overlap and ensuring your shapes have three sides. These methods will help you create drawings that feel more realistic and three-dimensional.

How to Draw a Simple Box Mannequin

In this lesson, Tom Fox will show you how to draw a simple box mannequin, building on your understanding of three-dimensional space. You'll learn to simplify the human figure into primary forms like cubes and cylinders. By focusing on overlap, taper, and proportion, you'll create more dynamic and believable sketches with less effort.

Silhouette and Contour Lines

In this lesson, Tom Fox will teach you how to use silhouette and contour lines to enhance the sense of form in your drawings. You'll learn how starting with a strong silhouette helps define a subject and how adding contour and cross-contour lines creates depth and volume. Focusing on these techniques will make your sketches feel more three-dimensional.

In this lesson, Tom Fox will teach you about the types of folds and what causes them. You'll explore critical principles like gravity, points of support, and tension, which shape how fabric folds and bunches. Understanding how folds radiate from these points will improve your ability to draw realistic clothing and fabric.

Basic Folds

Module 4

This module explores a fundamental aspect of sketching: perspective. With the help of renowned artists Felix Scheinberger, Sara Van Dongen, and Alex Hillkurtz, you will learn how to master critical techniques to enhance your work. From establishing dynamic compositions to understanding the importance of quick sketches or thumbnails for planning your pieces, each lesson offers an in-depth look at the artistic process. You will also delve into the world of composition, gaining insights to help you create more impactful and visually compelling works

7 lessons (51m)

This module explores a fundamental aspect of sketching: perspective. With the help of our renowned artists Felix Scheinberger, Sara Van Dongen, and Alex Hillkurtz, you will learn how to master critical techniques to enhance your work. How to establish dynamic compositions: each lesson offers an in-depth look at the artistic process. You will also discover the importance of quick sketches or thumbnails when planning your pieces. We enter the world of composition.

Shot Settings Perspective

In this lesson, Felix Scheinberger will introduce you to the concept of plane adjustment, a crucial tool for drawing. If you can learn one thing from western movies, it's how to draw. Westerns can be used to explain how one of the most elementary techniques in drawing works: shot settings. It's all quite simple. Complicated-sounding terms like a long shot, knee shot, and close-up mean nothing more than the distance between the viewer and the subject, and therefore how big the subject is in a drawing.

Composition

In this lesson, Felix Scheinberger will introduce you to the importance of composition in drawing. You'll explore how changing the size, placement and arrangement of objects can drastically affect the impact of your sketch. Through simple exercises, you'll see how small adjustments can transform a boring image into something more dynamic and fun. By experimenting with thumbnails and trying different arrangements, you'll better understand how composition influences the mood and story of an image.

Perspective and Composition

In this lesson, [bSarah Van Dongen will guide you through the importance of space in your illustrations. You will explore the basic rules of perspective and composition to create depth and structure in your work. Sarah will also teach you various techniques for portraying backgrounds, helping to improve the overall balance and narrative of your illustrations.

In this lesson, Alex Hillkurtz will show you how to choose the best viewpoint for painting a subject, like a building. You'll learn how different angles affect depth and composition. By using techniques like two-point perspective and considering light and shadow, you can make your paintings more dynamic and visually interesting.

The Right View

Creating a Thumbnail Sketch

In this lesson, Alex Hillkurtz will teach you how to create a quick thumbnail sketch and explain its importance in planning a painting. A thumbnail helps you get familiar with the subject’s forms, light, and shadows, while also allowing you to experiment with composition. It’s a crucial step to avoid "mission creep"—running out of space on your paper mid-sketch.

Creating Dynamic Compositions

In this part of the course, Alex Hillkurtz will teach you how to create a dynamic composition using two essential tools: the rule of thirds and the creation of a contrasting focal point. You'll learn to divide the frame into thirds to place the subject off-center for greater visual interest. In addition, you'll explore how contrasts in tone, color, and detail naturally draw the viewer's eye, enhancing your composition and making it more appealing.

Module 5

This module focuses on applying light and shadow in drawing and illustration. Through exercises guided by artists such as Marco Mazzoni, Sorie Kim, and Felix Scheinberger, you will master shading and rendering techniques essential for adding volume and depth to your work. You will explore the use of lighting in your compositions and advanced techniques such as watercolor glazing. In addition, you will complete a variety of practical exercises, from shading flowers and animals to detailed portraits, that will help you improve your ability to render light and shadow visually. Ready to come out of the dark side?

10 lessons (1h 43m)

Throughout art history, these elements have been vital in adding realism, volume, and atmosphere to works. Through careful observation and practice, you will learn to manipulate light to create depth, improve your compositions, and bring your characters to life. Get ready to discover how the interplay of light and shadow can completely transform your creations.

Shaded Drawing Exercises

Marco Mazzoni will introduce you to shade drawing, a technique that focuses on building form through shadows rather than lines. Unlike line drawing, shade drawing emphasizes creating depth and texture by varying pressure and shading. You’ll practice controlling shadow intensity by creating gradients and learning how to blend smoothly. This technique allows for more freedom and expression.

Lighting

In this lesson, Sorie Kim will guide you through crucial lighting techniques to enhance your sketches. You'll learn essential terms like highlights, terminator, core shadow, bounce light, and cast shadow. By understanding how light interacts with a subject and how to construct cast shadows, you'll create depth and three-dimensionality in your drawings. You'll also explore the influence of light direction and angle, allowing you to control the mood and realism of your work.

In this lesson, Sorie Kim will teach you how to add detail, texture, and values to your sketches. You'll explore techniques like contour shading and drawing shadow shapes to create depth and volume. By refining edges and adding key details, you'll enhance the realism of your work while keeping the process fun and relaxed in your sketchbook.

Rendering

Felix Scheinberger will show you how to easily add light and shadow to your sketches in this lesson. You'll create depth using simple techniques like ink or watercolor by identifying a light source and shading areas where light doesn't reach. This method emphasizes leaving white areas to represent light naturally.

Lights and Shadows

Watercolour: The Glaze 1

Simply put, a glaze can be compared to sunglasses because it provides a darker layer over the light. If we were to put on one pair of sunglasses over another, we would notice that things get a little darker with each pair. A glaze works the same way: we see our drawing (or parts of it) through a layer of color. Learn this technique with Felix Scheinberger

Watercolour: The Glaze 2

In this lesson, Felix Scheinberger will introduce the wash technique in watercolor. Wash occurs when fluid colors blend naturally, creating soft, fluid transitions. You'll learn how to use your brush to apply color and control water and pigment by removing excess. This method is ideal for faster, more atmospheric paintings, which can be combined with layers for added precision and detail.

Shaded Drawing Flowers

In this lesson, Marco Mazzoni will demonstrate how to draw a flower using shading techniques. Instead of focusing on lines, you’ll build the form through shadows, starting lightly and adding pressure as needed. Using an amaryllis as an example, Marco will guide you through shading petals, creating depth, and working with stripes to add movement, ultimately bringing the flower to life with subtle layers of gray.

In this lesson, Marco Mazzoni will demonstrate how to draw a turtle using the shading technique. You’ll experiment with different shell patterns, creating depth by starting with light strokes and gradually adding darker tones. Marco will guide you through constructing the turtle’s shape, focusing on the shell, legs, and rough texture of the skin.

Shading Drawing A Turtle

Shading Drawing Portrait of an Old Man

In this lesson, Marco Mazzoni will teach you how to create a portrait using the shading technique. You'll start with timed exercises, drawing mini-portraits ranging from two to seven minutes to improve speed and focus. You'll gradually define facial features and shadows by starting with light strokes and adding darker tones. This exercise helps you discover your natural workflow and understand how time affects your drawing process, leading to more dynamic and expressive portraits.

20m

Module 6

This module focuses on using color, contrast, and balance in art. Through lessons taught by artists such as Sarah Van Dongen, Sorie Kim, Mattias Adolfsson, Lapin, Don Kilpatrick III, and Laura McKendry, you will learn how to incorporate color into your sketches effectively. You will explore techniques for adding color using different mediums, study transparencies, and manage color bleeding. You will engage in numerous practical exercises, making you feel more comfortable using color.

14 lessons (2h 57m)

Incorporating color into sketches can enhance your work by adding vibrancy and realism. This video is an introduction to this module. Through practice, you will develop a unique approach to using color, adding depth and character to your sketches.

Color, Contrast and Balance

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen will show you how to mix colors and make a color wheel. Examples from picture books demonstrate how colors create mood in an illustration. You will also create color palettes from both a reference and your imagination.

Adding Color and Using Different Mediums

Sorie Kim will teach you how to incorporate color into your sketches using watercolors and gouache in this lesson. Starting with watercolors, you’ll explore creating muted tones, avoiding primary colors, and building outlines that blend seamlessly with the paint. Then, with gouache, you’ll learn to mix complementary colors, layer values and use highlights for depth. By experimenting with these mediums, you’ll gain new tools to enhance texture, dimension, and lighting in your daily sketches.

In this lesson, you will learn with Mattias Adolfsson how to add color to some of the sketches you have previously created, bringing more life and soul to your characters.

Adding Color

Line and Colour Techniques

In this lesson, you will learn with Lapin, a very intuitive technique for sketching from observation. You will use a black fine liner for contour drawing and watercolor for adding volume, working with only three pigments.

Color Studies

You will create a variety of value drawings and choose your color scheme for the project with Don Kilpatrick III. This process will ensure that your final composition is harmonized in line, color, shadow, and light.

Taking a Spin With Colour 1

Starting with the basics, Laura McKendry will give you the foundations for everything you need to know when working with color and how this can genuinely enhance your painting.

19m

Taking a Spin With Colour 2

Let's continue with Laura McKendry as we define color combinations from our photos.

Abstract Transparencies 1

Now that we've got to grips with color, in this lesson, Laura McKendry will guide you through playful ways to combine layers of color, drawing inspiration from abstract shapes in the world around us.

Abstract Transparencies 2

Here, Laura McKendry will continue to guide you as we play around with layers of color.

We’ve explored what happens when we add layers of color. Now, Laura McKendry will show you how to combine colors less predictably, encouraging them to bleed into each other to create unexpected results.

When Colours Bleed

17m

Start Sketching 1

Vacation photos, postcards, and historical paintings are all equally suitable as templates for the final project, as Felix Scheinberger emphasizes. The key is that they feature beautiful architecture. Peter particularly enjoys views of market scenes and castle ruins.

14m

Start Sketching 2

Now, Felix Scheinberger is going to show you how to nail the perspective and details of the building.

In this lesson, Felix Scheinberger will guide you through coloring the preliminary drawing with watercolor and bringing it to life. Ensure you have a large enough container of water and paper towels (or a tissue) to dry the paint. Dip all the colors in your watercolor box, and you're done!

Colourize

14m

Module 7

This module will guide you through the creative process, from inspiration and research to layered painting techniques. With instruction from artists such as Sarah Van Dongen, Marco Mazzoni, Lapin, and Don Kilpatrick III, you will learn how to find inspiration from stains and ink sketches. You will also explore the use of color and texture in exterior views and work on a layered painting project. You will also learn how to use different techniques. It's time to sketch what you want!

11 lessons (2h 16m)

Inspiration, Research, and Copying

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen encourages you to focus on personal research to improve your drawing skills. You can explore various techniques such as line, shape, and negative space by choosing a subject, like dogs in Sarah's case. The process involves starting with simple poses, learning from reference images, and gradually moving toward developing your style and stories.

Drawing Flowers from Stains

Now, Marco Mazzoni will teach you how to work with stains to embrace mistakes and unlock creative potential. Working with unpredictable shapes, you'll explore flowers, animals, and portraits using stains as the foundation. This technique encourages you to let go of control, sparking imagination and allowing playful experimentation, which is critical to enhancing your drawing skills.

Drawing Animals from Stains

Next, Marco Mazzoni will guide you through creating animals from stains. You'll learn to adapt your designs by interpreting unpredictable shapes and letting the stain suggest movements or forms. This exercise opens your mind to new possibilities, encouraging you to explore how animals move and inhabit space while embracing creative experimentation.

Ink Sketch

In this lesson, Lapin will show you his approach to sketching with ink. He will demonstrate how to use ink to define the darkest parts of the composition, how to suggest details with just a few pen strokes, and, most importantly, stop before overworking the drawing!

Outdoor Views Line Work

In this lesson, Lapin focuses on line work, starting with an ink pen to sketch the foreground and gradually moving to the background. You’ll learn to build a scene step by step, simplifying complex shapes while maintaining perspective. He emphasizes observing, keeping the drawing spontaneous, and preparing for color in the next stage.

20m

Outdoor Views Color and Texture

In this lesson, Lapin will teach you how to apply watercolor to a line drawing and use a white gelly roll pen to add highlights and dimension. You'll begin by mixing colors like alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, and blue to create brick tones and shadows, applying them quickly as the light changes. Then, after layering colors for depth, you'll finish with the white gelly roll pen for bright accents and contrast, adding final touches such as electric cables and even a pigeon to enhance the scene.

This process will begin by establishing the background painting based on the reference photo. Don Kilpatrick III will teach you how to map out the primary colors and shapes of the composition before moving on to the details. In this phase, it's important to view the painting from an abstract perspective, focusing on aspects such as the language and design of shapes, the relationship between small and large objects, and building up the values.

Painting the Project 1

19m

Painting the Project 2

Here, Don Kilpatrick III will guide you in adjusting the values of your painting to refine how they relate to each other. This experimentation is important to maintain throughout the painting, even when adding more minor details. Once you're satisfied with the piece, the next step is to digitize it!

14m

Layer one, Paint

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen will guide you in sketching out the big shapes you want in your final image. It's essential to take your time with this step. Once you're satisfied with the outlines, you'll apply the first layer of paint.

Layer Two, Colored Pencils and Markers 1

After the first layer of paint is dry, Sarah Van Dongen will guide you in adding colored pencils and markers. First, you'll erase any remaining graphite pencil lines and then add details, patterns, contrast, and depth using the pencils and markers.

Layer Two, Colored Pencils and Markers 2

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen will demonstrate how to use color and layering techniques to create depth and perspective in your illustrations. By mixing darker tones for foreground objects and lighter shades for background elements, you’ll learn how to enhance the three-dimensional effect. Sarah also explores using various materials—crayons, colored pencils, and markers—emphasizing how different line qualities and textures can add interest. You’ll finish by refining the composition, balancing busy areas with quieter spaces for visual harmony.

Studying From Observation

Module 8

In this module, you will explore various approaches to drawing, from the study of observation to the use of imagination and experimentation. Guided by Sorie Kim, you will learn to document everyday life through drawing and harness your creative mind to make imaginative sketches. Sara Van Dongen will guide you through playful exercises in experimentation and association, encouraging creativity and freedom in your artistic process. Laura McKendry will introduce you to playful collages, combining materials and textures to create unique compositions.

10 lessons (1h 56m)

In this lesson, Sorie Kim explains how to draw from observation using multiple photo references. By studying different angles of a subject, like a raven, you can better understand its form. CAMBIA breaks the raven into basic shapes, sketches side, and three-quarter views, and adds details, emphasizing proportions and texture. This technique helps build your visual library for future sketches.

Drawing to Document Daily Life

In this lesson, Sorie Kim introduces designing from observation, blending real-life reference with creative design. You'll explore shape language—circles, squares, and triangles—to evoke emotions in sketches. Using a pine cone, Sorie demonstrates how simplifying shapes and focusing on form and texture enhances creativity in your visual diary.

This lesson teaches you to merge drawing from observation and imagination. Sorie Kim uses a snail shell as a reference, building an alien creature around it. The focus is on using real-life elements for structure and perspective while adding imaginative details. A solid visual library and willingness to experiment are vital to creating dynamic sketches.

Drawing From Imagination

Experimentation and Playing 1

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen will show you how to experiment and play with different materials. This is important for keeping your work fresh and growing as an artist. You will explore a few other exercises to help you along the way.

Experimentation and Playing 2

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen explains two types of experimentation: playful experimentation, where there's no set goal, and structured experimentation, where you're focused on portraying a specific subject, like water or mist. First, Sarah completes a playful exercise using wet materials, then demonstrates focused experimentation by drawing rain, emphasizing technique and intention.

Association and Imagination 1

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen introduces exercises to tap into your imagination and memory, guiding you to create stories within a single image. These exercises help unlock your creativity and transform your sketches into narrative-driven illustrations, moving beyond simple observation to more personal, imaginative work.

Association and Imagination 2

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen addresses the challenge artists face when combining observation with imagination. While observational work leans toward realism, imaginative work can be more stylized and expressive. Sarah introduces a final exercise to help you merge these approaches, encouraging experimentation with different ways of portraying subjects creatively.

In this lesson, you'll experiment with watercolor textures using salt, bubble wrap, and bleach. After creating textured sheets, you'll cut them into shapes to form playful collages. Laura McKendry demonstrates how to simplify a subject, like a frog, into basic shapes, encouraging experimentation and layering textures for unique, dynamic illustrations.

Playful Collage 1

In this lesson, Laura McKendry guides you through playful experimentation by creating watercolor textures, cutting them into shapes, and collaging them into images. You’ll arrange the pieces, adjusting placement to create dynamic compositions. Adding pen, pencil, or paint enhances the design while encouraging creative storytelling and surprise elements.

Playful Collage 2

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen will guide you on what to do after finishing an illustration and how to keep filling your sketchbook while improving your drawing skills. You will explore different ways to find inspiration and ideas to help you stay creative and consistent in your artistic journey.

The Next Image

Module 9

In this module, Sorie Kim will guide you in organizing and documenting your sketchbooks, while Sarah Van Dongen will encourage you to continue using them as a creative tool. Alex Hillkurtz will help you find your unique artistic voice, and Lapin will dive into the power of storytelling and creating a community around your art. Finally, Mattias Adolfsson will show you how to participate in the art community.

6 lessons (42m)

Organizing and Documenting Sketchbooks

Ready to dive into the world of sketchbook organization? Sorie Kim shares how to use different sketchbooks for various purposes, from capturing spontaneous ideas in loose sketches to structured books focused on specific themes. You'll discover how to document your progress, expand your visual library, and improve your techniques.

Keep Using Your Sketchbooks

In this lesson, Sarah Van Dongen offers advice on maintaining a sketchbook habit. While pushing yourself is vital for growth, it’s equally essential to be flexible with your goals. Integrate sketching into your daily routine realistically, without pressure, and remember to enjoy the process of learning and improving.

Finding Your Voice

Let’s dive into the process of finding your unique artistic style! Alex Hillkurtz reflects on early sketchbooks, showcasing how experimenting with different materials, subjects, and colors shaped their evolving voice. By following your interests and trying new techniques, you’ll develop a personal style that grows and changes over time.

Storytelling

Let's explore how to bring storytelling into your sketches! Lapin emphasizes capturing the essence of a scene by adding personal details, speech bubbles, and annotations. You'll see how these elements go beyond typical postcard views, allowing you to convey your unique experience and mood. Sketching becomes a way to document moments, conversations, and even sounds, creating a richer narrative.