Get ready to draw! Your Premium Membership includes access to the following features:
- On-location private sketchbook sessions
- On-location group sketchbook workshops
- Customized learning path
- The Scribbles Institute eNewsletter
New! On-Location Sketchbook Sessions Enjoy one-on-one learning/practice with Rob at various locations and venues in downtown Santa Cruz. Meet and draw with Rob at your favorite downtown coffee house, or at the MAH, or in a park in Santa Cruz.
Rob will customize your learning path as you learn traditional sketchbook media (pen, pencil, watercolor) or iPad digital techniques and workflows in the app Procreate. What do you want to draw today?
Proven Results Our friendly Santa Cruz studio location has closed permanently—Covid bummer! For over 11 years our legendary in-studio Drawing Lab sessions provided a safe environment for creativity and collaboration—a place to learn at your own pace. (Shown above, Drawing Lab students take a break to share their progress and enjoy some refreshments.) However, Rob’s innovative approach to teaching basic drawing skills, techniques, and strategies lives on in our Premium private sessions and on-location sketchbook workshops.
For info on how your learning path is set up click this box:
Level 1: Lines, Shapes, Measuring
Core skills for absolute beginners—even those who think they can’t draw. Connect with your coach, settle into your new drawing habit, and gain confidence as you learn basic observational drawing skills.
Explore! Start by learning about different drawing materials and ways to grip your pencil. Basic core lessons include working with lines, blocking in shapes, measuring proportions, and perceiving space. Work from basic sequential lessons designed to help you progress to the next skill level. For adults, 18 years and older.
Level 2: Form, Perspective, Values
Strengthen your basic drawing skills as we customize your learning path. Develop strategies that help you sketch accurately from life. Through regular practice, discover ways to apply Rob’s Block Sketch Draw method to work, school, and pure enjoyment.
Experiment! Improve your core observational drawing skills while working in your sketchbook. Introduction to basic principles of perspective and 3D form as you set up objects to draw from life. Experienced artists can also benefit from this level of sketching practice.
Level 3: Composition: Draw Like the Wind!
Expand your drawing skills to areas of interest such as urban and field sketching, illustration, design, and concept art. Learn to express yourself through the language of drawing.
Express! Continue your customized learning path as you apply your foundational skills and principles to your own creative projects. Work from prompts and challenges from your coach as you draw from observation or imagination. Get useful critiques from your coach.
Premium Membership Pricing, Scheduling, & Sign Up
$295 includes:
- 4, 45-minute sessions:
- Email/text access to confirm your sessions or ask Rob questions about a drawing you’re working on.
- Participation in on-location small group, workshops. Special value: Each 2-hour workshop counts as 1, 45-minute Premium session
- Customized learning path that Rob designs as you progress through your sessions
- The Scribbles Institute eNewsletter
Other areas of drawing that Rob can help you with during your Premium Membership sessions include:
- iPad concept sketching, character design, workflows
- Illustration, book concept development, visual thinking, workflow consultation
- Apply skills to visual art and design projects
Schedule Note: This summer Rob will be available for Private on-location sessions on Tuesdays only, 11am-3pm, June 27-August 9. Rob’s availability is limited to 5 Premium students per month. This allows him time to focus deeply on your drawing progress and to spend time on his current illustration projects. For available time slots please connect with Rob.
Also, Upon purchase of your membership, you have a maximum of 5 weeks to complete your sessions.
Get Started! Click to Check for Availability
Zoom (or FaceTime) Sessions Take your drawing coach with you! Wherever you go, learn basic drawing skills and techniques. Connect with Rob Court through his Premium membership program. Enjoy practicing in your sketchbook at home, during your lunch break at work, or while traveling.
If you have a specific problem to solve with a drawing you’re working on, your coach is always ready to help. Enjoy the benefits and convenience of one-on-one instruction and guidance with Zoom/email/text access. You can even combine online Zoom chats with on-location sessions for a powerful hybrid learning experience. (A few examples of adult and youth student work during Covid.)
Customized Learning Path If you’re self-motivated, curious, and creative, then you’re ready to be a member in our small but mighty drawing community. Through one-on-one coaching sessions Rob customizes a learning path that fits into your schedule, lets you work at your own pace, and choose specific subjects that interest you.
For details on how email/text sessions can work, click this box:
To augment your Zoom video conversation about a challenging drawing you’re doing, or a quick critique of a concept sketch, you can get input from Rob via text or email. Shown above is a drawing from a reference image by adult student Marcia.
Shown above are the coach’s comments during a text session with adult sketcher Gregorie from Switzerland. He was working in his sketchbook while solving problems with perspective and shading. Gregorie took Drawing Lab sessions at Rob’s studio during a vacation in Santa Cruz, and continued his connection with Rob after returning to Europe to practice in his sketchbook.
Your Goals & Work Flow Devote time to doing your drawing (whether it is your family pet or a coffee mug), receive comments from Rob on key aspects of your drawing, and confidently move forward to your next drawing.
Your goals are to learn new skills and techniques, develop a steady creative flow, and to make your drawing practice a regular habit. You and Rob can converse about a drawing you are working on and even get real-time comments drawn by Rob while sharing the Zoom screen together.
Student Email/Text Gallery Students from all over the world draw from life and reference photos as they work with Rob. Students like to use MDC email/text coaching to get comments on finished drawings as well as work-in-progress. There is a 15-minute minimum charge for email/text sessions, which are included in your Premium Membership. Shown above is work by youth sketcher Kaitlyn from Riverside, California during her MDC session that focused on form and contour lines. Check out more student drawings:
