Outdoor Drawing — Dry Medium Focus
Location: TBA Various locations
Time: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Duration: 4 sessions
Dates: 5 July, 12 Jul, 19 Jul, 26 Jul
Cost : $300
This course focuses on building strong foundations in outdoor drawing through direct observation, structure, and tonal control. Participants will work primarily in pencil and pen, with no color introduced at any stage. The emphasis is on clarity, proportion, perspective, composition, and the ability to simplify complex scenes into strong visual statements.
For a few selected sessions, water-soluble graphite will be introduced to extend tonal possibilities while keeping the work strictly monochromatic. This allows participants to explore softer values and subtle blending without moving into color or painting. The course is intended for artists who want to strengthen their drawing practice and develop greater confidence in seeing and recording the world outdoors.
Topics covered include:
Rapid outdoor sketching and visual note-taking.
Perspective principles applied to real-world scenes.
Composition design and scene simplification.
Notan studies for understanding light and dark structure.
Reading tonal value relationships.
Contrast, texture, and edge variety.
Structural drawing using pencil, pen, and water-soluble graphite.
Thumbnail studies to plan stronger compositions.
Simplifying complex scenes into clear visual statements.
Learning intent:
Participants will develop a more disciplined approach to seeing and constructing a scene. The emphasis is on training the eye to understand what matters most in a composition, rather than recording every detail. This helps build a stronger foundation for both sketching and watercolor painting.