Louden Nelson Sketchers: Week 1: Lines, Shapes, Patterns, Overlapping

It's exciting to start with this new group of sketchers! We got right to work and started learning how to measure accurate proportions and how to hold the pencil while moving the whole arm to draw.

Warm up sketches by Mariaelena (above,left) and Billy (above, right)

As they worked from reference lesson pictures, students learned about proportions (the sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) and drawing on top of mistakes. Luis was like a drawing machine for our first session. He made a lot of study sketches of the toucan (shown above), each progressing in accuracy of proportions as he drew light guidelines before finishing with darker outlines.

Maria's toucan (above, left) and Ashley's puffer fish (above, right) show how students got into adding light and dark tones to their drawings.

Highlight of the day: While learning how to show depth of space by overlapping the frog's legs, Jasmine dropped into the Zone, gained control of holding the pencil on its side, and put together and excellent sketch (left).

To view everyone's sketches and reference pictures...

Maria

Excellent control of your line work! Keep practicing drawing light guidelines before finishing with darker outlines. Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos

Luis

The more you sketch, the more accurate your proportions become. Keep it going! Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos

Ashley

Great start! Your eye for accurate proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) really shows in these sketches. Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos

Mariaelena

With each new sketch, the confidence in your line work shows more and more. Keep practicing sketching light guidelines and adding darker outlines to finish. Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos

Rielly

Excellent! The control of your line work improved each time you sketched. Practice drawing light guidelines for the shapes of things; then finish with darker, confident outlines. Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos

Azalia

Great line work! Excellent how you sketched guidelines while looking for accurate proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes). Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos

Jasmine

Keep practicing holding your pencil on its side and sketching light guidelines for the shapes of things before adding darker outlines. Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos

Billy

Cool sketches! Consistent improvement in accurate proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) and line work with each new sketch. Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos

Tim

Each sketch shows steady improvement in your proportions and control of the pencil, especially with the frog and toucan. Keep practicing holding your pencil on its side while sketching light guidelines; then add darker outlines. Check out: Getting Into the Zone and other students in our music videos