We’d like to welcome our newest school: the Monterey County Youth Center! Kicking off our Fall 2011 Draw to Learn program, students at the Youth Center got right to work with learning solid drawing fundamentals. Shown above is Rahsaan’s detailed study and large scale drawing showing accurate proportions and contours of a dragonfly. Working two days per week, this group progressed quickly through lessons with lines and shapes, positive and negative space, form, contours, tonal values, and perspective.

Scroll down to see everyone’s drawings. Click on images to view larger for details.

Shown above left is Adrian’s study sketch and large-format final charcoal drawing of an egret. He learned how the negative space surrounding the bird’s body helps to see the contour edges forming the head, neck, and body. Above right is Adrian’s study of proportions and tonal values (shading) of a skull.

Youth Center sketchers quickly learned the importance of doing a lot of study sketches when drawing from observation. Shown above are Gerardo’s quick studies as he was looking for the negative shapes around the ‘s’ curve of the egret’s neck. His larger, final drawing shows accurate proportions and form of the egret.

Being able to draw accurate proportions in different sizes is an important beginning lesson for students. Above left shows Ben’s smaller and larger scaled drawings. To the right are the drawings of Juan S.

As students gained confidence in their skills it became easier to draw realistically. Rising to the challenges of realism, students drew an aloe plant. Shown above, clockwise, are drawings by Gerardo S., Jose C., Juan V, and Mendez.

Everyone started by doing pencil warm up exercises; then they learn to measure accurate proportions when drawing with lines and shapes. Above left is Ramon’s warm up with angled lines. And to the right is Michael’s drawing of a toucan using lines, shapes, and tones.

And now… scroll down to see everyone’s drawing galleries…

Click on images to view larger details.

Abram

Rigo

Giovonni

Mendez

Juan V.

Ben

Juan S.

Jose C.

Oscar

Ramon

Jose A.

Adrian

Gerardo S.

Rohsaan

Trinidad

Michael

Ryan

Alberto

Pedro

Cayetano

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About the author

Rob Court
Drawing coach and founder of the Scribbles Institute.

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