The Complete Beginners Drawing and Shading Course

Course details

This drawing course is laser-focussed on rapidly giving you all the skills you need to get started as a beginner artist with pencil drawing. These are fundamental techniques that are used by professional illustrators, animators, designers and artists throughout the world, and which you will be using for the rest of your life. 

Even if you think you're not naturally talented my super easy methods, crystal clear videos and in-depth explanations will set you on the path from your first pencil lines to creating professional grade artworks.

This course is shot in HD, from multiple camera angles, with everything explained in detail. You'll have plenty of opportunities to practice every skill I demonstrate in the videos. Hands on exercises and projects are spread throughout the lessons. You'll also have instant access to bonus downloadable projects to challenge you even further.

I've been teaching beginner artists for over 20 years. I know exactly what you need to get started the right way, and I've jam packed it all into this course. The course is concise, straight to the point, and describes every technique step-by-step without information overload. Ideal for adults and as a drawing course for kids (age 10+).

Plus, if you have any questions at all throughout your drawing journey, just ask. My team and I are right here for you.

COURSE UPDATE NEWS: 

February 28th 2018 - additional 1.5 hours of content
- New Portraiture Section + Major Child Portraiture project
- New Major Shading Project - 'A Shoe Well Travelled'

February 25th 2018 - additional 1.75 hours of content
- "How to Draw Cute!" live webinar replay 

Here's your path to drawing success:

1) Essential Skills - 'Just Pick Up Your Pencil!'

To get started we'll dive straight into the absolute essentials - basic shapes and construction drawing. Every artist needs the ability to draw basic shapes. I reveal the secret to accurately drawing freehand basic shapes correctly. Every basic shapes video in this section is accompanied by a downloadable course book to take your learning even further.

Major Essential Skills Projects 

Now you've mastered the basics, its time to put all those shapes to good use in the construction drawing projects. Don't let the cute and cuddly nature of the projects fool you; they will test your skills at exactly the right level for your ability for now. 

Bonus Essential Skills Projects 

I've added extra downloadable projects to allow you to practice your construction drawing skills even further. By the time you complete all these you'll be a complete construction drawing ninja!

Congratulations! - You now have the knowledge to draw just about anything you can see or imagine!

By the end of this section you'll start seeing objects in the world in terms of basic shapes. When you begin to use your new skills and break down each object you see into basic shapes then you can definitely draw it!  All of this and you are only a few hours into the course. There's no stopping you now!

Okay, so now you know how to create an outline drawing... it's time to add the details.

2) Pencil Techniques - 'Six Pencil Techniques'

Next you'll learn six different pencil techniques: 

• Soft shading
• Broad stroke
• Chisel Point
• Fine lines
• Hatching 
• Cross Hatching

plus

• Erasing technique (yes, you can actually draw with an eraser!)

Once you've mastered these techniques you'll be absolutely amazed at how simple and effective they can be for creating realistic effects in your drawings. I reveal the secret of how you can prepare the tip of your pencil for each technique, and then teach you how to apply it correctly.

Major Project - The Old Hay Shed (one of my classic student projects!)

Once you've mastered all six pencil techniques (plus the erasing technique) it's now time for the 'Old Hay Shed Project' where you'll create a landscape drawing which includes every pencil technique you learnt so far. 

This project is a classic which my students have enjoyed creating for many years. When you see what you are able to create you'll be absolutely astounded, as your pencil techniques techniques combine to create a fully rendered shaded realism drawing.

3a) Shading - 'Three Ways to Shade'

When creating the illusion of depth and form, shading is your tool of choice. I'll show you how to do it right with three different shading techniques

• Hard edge
• Soft edge
• Gradation

I'll also show you how to create a value scale so that your shading is always consistent across your drawings (yet another professional technique!)

Once you've practiced these essential shading skills you'll be ready to take them to completely another level in...

3b) Shading - 'The Theory of Light and Shade'

When you know the theory of light and shade a whole new level of drawing possibilities are opened up to you. 

For example, if you are copying from a photograph sometimes parts of the picture aren't clear enough and you have to 'make it up'. If you know your theory of light and shade you'll be able to make sensible decisions so your drawing still looks great (maybe even better than your photograph!) 

On the other hand, if you are creating an object from your imagination how do you know how to shade it so it looks realistic? The answer is 'The Theory of Light and Shade'. 

• First of all I introduce the key concepts including the 5 areas of light and shade.  
• Then I show you how to render basic solid shapes so that they have the beautiful illusion of dimension, depth and form. 

You'll soon be ready to tackle another one of my classic student projects.

 Major Shading Project: The Silver Kettle

A silver kettle seems like such a simple object doesn't it? But wait... it's metallic and shiny. You seriously need to know your shading techniques if you are going to make it look realistic. But, don't worry. Now you've got this far through the course you are definitely up to the task. 

Once you've completed this project you'll be absolutely amazed how your new skills can bring a drawing to life, so that your friends and family might say "it looks so real! almost like a photograph!"

Major Shading Project: A Shoe Well Travelled

Another everyday object... but wait... there's a whole world of texture, shading and form in there. Even the little stitches will demand your careful attention. This shoe project is almost a rite of passage in my drawing courses. It will challenge you, but you are more than up to the task.

Bonus Shading Projects

Again I'm giving you lots of extra downloadable course books containing shading projects so you can practice as much as possible and to develop a high level of shading skill.

4) Portraiture

To get started with portraiture you will study 4 individual face parts and then render them realistically. First of all you will draw them using the construction drawing skills you learnt earlier, then you will dive into shading them so that they have lovely depth and form. Once you've completed these you'll be ready for...

Major Portraiture Project: Isha - A Child Portrait

It's time to put it all together and create a wonderful portrait of a child. As ever I'm with you every step of the way guiding you from start to completion. With the knowledge you gain in this section it's entirely possible you could gain your first child portraiture commissions if that's a direction you would like to head in.

5) Perspective - 'Perspective Foundations'

To round off the Complete Beginner Drawing and Shading course we'll dive into the wonderful world of perspective. Perspective is vital when you want to ensure that the objects you draw are in proportion. I'll give you just enough here to get started with this complex but ever-so-useful technique without information overload.

• First of all we'll start with a basic introduction and a simple one-point perspective drawing. 
• Then you'll step it up a level with a two-point perspective drawing. 
• Finally you'll try your hand at three point perspective and round things off with a drawing of a simple house. 
• For some real end of course fun make the simple house personally yours by decorating it using tips from the Bonus Cosy Cottage downloadable course book. 

Bonus Perspective Project

The cosy cottage course book is a fun way to finish the course by taking the simple house you created by adding all the little details and finishing touches which complete the picture. 

Now that you've got your drawing wings feel free to make the outline drawing of the cosy cottage personally yours by trying all the pencil and shading techniques you've learned so far to complete this lovely scene.

Plus Bonus Inspiration - How to Draw Cute Characters

In this section I explain how I applied all the fundamental techniques that I've shown you when I created the children's picture book illustration 'Baking for Mummy'. This video will inspire you to put everything you've learned together and to create your own artworks.

I also include my downloadable course book 'How to Draw Cute Characters'. If you are interested in children's book illustration the information in this course book is a lovely concise place to start.

Our Facebook Group: Your new drawing family!

Your new drawing family is with you every step of the way. 

Join the new and very supportive DrawPj Beginner Drawing Family on Facebook to share your journey and connect with other students. 

Ask questions and request feedback from the community. When you're feeling confident share you've learned with others taking the same exciting journey.

I'll be there too with my team too. I look forward to meeting you and seeing all the wonderful things you create.